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How to Create a Florida Butterfly Garden

 By providing a habitat, you will be able to enjoy butterflies all summer,
and you will increase the dwindling butterfly population caused by habitat destruction. As you you start, keep these tips in mind:
1) Don't use any insecticides or herbicides near or in your habitat.
2) Butterflies cannot gather nectar from deep throated or enclosed flowers.
3) Plant brightly colored flowers with varying heights preferably in groups.

Follow these steps

  • Choose a sunny area, protected from the wind for your butterfly garden.

  • On paper, plan where you will plant butterfly attracting shrubs and flowers.

  • Plant nectar yielding plants and shrubs for adult butterflies that are suitable for the NE FL climate:
    Lantana , honeysuckle, butterfly bush (Buddleia davidii), yarrow (Achillea millefolium), azalea, hibiscus.

  • Plant a few host plants for the butterflies to eat in the caterpillar stage: dill, parsley, common milkweed.

  • Plant beds of several colorful annuals : Coreopsis, impatiens, zinnias, pentas, marigolds, petunias.

  • Let a section of the garden go wild and/or create a Florida wildflower section in your garden .

  • Butterflies do not drink water directly, but sip from mud. Fill a birdbath
    or other large container with wet sand to serve as a watering station.

  • Make a nectar feeder by mashing fruit with sugar or honey, let it sit for a
    few hours, then put it out for the butterflies, or if ants are a problem,
    soak a sponge in sugar water and hang it.

  • Place several flat stones in the garden for the butterflies to bask in the sun.

  • Buy a book about butterflies and learn to identify those that visit
    your garden and the kinds of plants they prefer.