Flowers to attract butterflies and moths

Butterflies are among the most beautiful wild creatures you can attract to your garden, but they are becoming rarer. You can help reverse this decline by creating a butterfly garden.

Plant nectar-rich plants and you will never be without butterflies or moths. Grow a garden with lots of herbs and wildflowers as well as more traditional plants, and butterflies will love you for it. Plant as many as possible in sunny areas and include a Buddleia Bush or two for maximum butterfly appeal. To maximise moth appeal, plant flowers that open at night or are white. Provide food plants as well for butterfly and moth caterpillars.

Not all types of butterflies will visit your garden, but you should be able to attract the more common ones. Swallowtail butterflies, for example, need a plant which only grows in wet fen in very small areas of the country. Butterflies need sugar rich nectar, so you need to plant a selection of suitable flowers. Butterflies are on the wing from March to October, so provide a good mixture of plants that will flower throughout spring, summer and autumn.

Early flowers such as Aubrietia are especially good for feeding newly awoken butterflies in early spring. Later flowering species such as Red Valerian and Lavender will attract butterflies during midsummer months.

In the autumn, Michaelmas Daisy and Golden Rod can give butterflies which hibernate, a last chance to stock up with nectar before the winter sets in. Make sure you have enough of each type of flower to make a visible display and to give a strong scent to attract butterflies.

A nettle patch in a discreet part of the garden is also a must as it is important for certain caterpillar species of butterflies such as the Small Tortoiseshell and Peacock.

Remember, butterflies love warmth and shelter so make sure your displays of flowers is situated in a suitable suntrap, out of the wind. A patch of nettles will often attract Red Admirals, small Tortoiseshell and Peacock butterflies to lay their eggs on. Also. many moths will use nettles.