Spring for Butterfly Gardeners

It’s spring and gardeners are beginning to think about 2018 garden plans.  Gardens are not just beautiful to our eye; they are home to many important insects.  Every good gardener works to assure and protect a healthy habitat for beneficial insects.  In the past decade, the monarch population has been in real danger due to habitat loss, extreme weather, and pesticides. 

Our friends at BANDI Wear love the monarchs and ask, HOW can gardeners help save the Monarchs? 

Help them get off to a good season by planting:

1. Spider Milkweed – 1-2.5 ft. tall, blooms in May-July. Hardy zones 5-9. Makes a great garden border for taller milkweeds or other nectar flowers. Common Milkweed grows much taller, has thicker leaves, and is a great home for monarch caterpillars.
2. Chives – fragrant with purple flowers, 1-2 ft. tall, blooms April-June, Hardy zone 4-9. Also great for the kitchen!
3. Wallflower – fragrant orange flowers, 1.5-2 ft. tall, blooms March-May, Hardy zones 3-9. attracts butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds.
4. Salvia – striking blue spikes of flowers, 1.5-3 ft. tall, blooms March-May, Hardy zones 3-9. Many varieties available
5. Other great nectar sources include: Yarrow, Blue Wild Indigo, Indian Paintbrush, Tickseed/Coreopsis, Purple Coneflower, Joe Pye weed, Indian Blanket, and Sunflowers

Happy Planting! 

P.S. - If you want to learn more about using native plants in your garden and you are a podcast listener, we recommend you listen to the Native Plant Podcast!  The creators of that podcast not only know a LOT about plants, they also love their dogs and their beer!