Gardens can act as important stepping stones between nature reserves and other natural habitat by offering abundant supplies of nectar and foodplants. There can be few pleasures in life greater than seeing butterflies attracted by plants grown from seeds you have planted yourself. Butterflies can be quite choosy about the plants they visit and tend to prefer traditional garden plants and native wildflowers. These are often hard to find in shops or garden catalogues, where seeds with familiar names may be modern hybrids, bred for appearance. This often means large showy blooms, which may be of little or no use as nectar sources. Even wildflower mixes can be unsuitable, sometimes containing a variety of species which will not thrive together or foreign species not used by local butterflies.
Butterfly Conservation encourages everyone to Garden for Butterflies! Their website has a dedicated section to help you plan and design your own garden with lots of information and tips. Follow this link » »
Additional information about creating wildlife areas in your own locality can be found here http://www.floralocale.org/ » »
The top five nectar plants Butterfly Conservation recommends are: Buddleia, Verbena bonariensis, the Perennial Wallflower (Bowles Mauve), Lavender and Marjoram (Oregano). Do your bit for butterflies by planting these plants!
| 1. Buddliea | 26. Verbena | 51. Hyssop | 76. Onions |
| 2. Ice plant | 27. Alyssum | 52. Rock Rose | 77. Virginia stocks |
| 3. Lavender | 28. Common Fleabane | 53. Honeysuckle | 78. Petunia |
| 4. Michaelmas daisy | 29. Dandelion | 54. Daisy | 79. Busy Lizzie |
| 5. Marjoram | 30. Dahlia | 55. Teasel | 80. Coreopsis |
| 6. Red valerian | 31. Wallflower | 56. Sneezewort | 81. Bluebell |
| 7. Aubretia | 32. Bowles mauve wallflower | 57. Chrysanthemum (single) | 82. Yarrow |
| 8. Field Scabious | 33. Ivy | 58. Cosmos, Cosmea | 83. Birds-foot- trefoil |
| 9. Scabious | 34. Heather | 59. Osteospermum | 84. Everlasting pea |
| 10. Bramble | 35. Shrubby cinquefoil | 60. Clover | 85. Cuckoo flower |
| 11. French Marigold | 36. Ragwort | 61. Globe thistle | 86. Feverfew |
| 12. Hebe | 37. Cranesbill | 62. Marguerite | 87. Inula |
| 13. Candytuft | 38. Primrose | 63. Pot marigold | 88. Pinks |
| 14. Lobelia | 39. Tree mallow | 64. Escallonia | 89. Sneezeweed (Helenium) |
| 15. Honesty | 40. Chives | 65. Everlasting flower | 90. Floss flower (Ageratum) |
| 16. Mint | 41. Thyme | 66. Lilac | 91. Corn marigold |
| 17. Hemp Agrimony | 42. Catmint | 67. Cornflower | 92. Sea holly |
| 18. Phlox | 43. African marigold | 68. Hyacinth | 93. Grape hyacinth |
| 19. Forget-me-knot | 44. Pansy | 69. Lychnis coronaria | 94. Cotoneaster |
| 20. Aster | 45. Black eyed Susan | 70. Red campion | 95. Buttercup |
| 21. Sweet rocket | 46. Hydrangea | 71. Nasturtium | 96. Viola |
| 22. Runner bean | 47. Golden rod | 72. Ceratostigma | 97. Ceanothus |
| 23. Knapweed | 48. Ox-eye daisy | 73. Statice | 98. Muskmallow |
| 24. Privet | 49. Sweet William | 74. Cone flower | 99. Heliotrope |
| 25. Purple loosestrife | 50. Shasta Daisy | 75. Senecio |
