Spirits are quickly lifted with the flutter of butterflies to our garden and it’s a wonder to see bees busily at work, stopping at this flower, then that one, then another. They’re beautiful creatures, often with jewel-tone colors—butterflies flitting randomly and bees quite purposefully.

In addition to the wonderful motion these insects provide our gardens, they have important roles to play as pollinators. Without their work we’d have much smaller harvests and few seeds to plant.

These winged friends can be encouraged to visit—and even stay—if we provide plants they love and some moisture, too. To welcome bees and butterflies to your garden, don’t be too scrupulous about cleaning up leaf litter, especially if those leaves can become tiny water basins. An alternative would be to place a boulder with a shallow concave area filled with water in a sunny spot. These are welcoming areas to butterflies.

Certain plants, of course, will attract bees and butterflies and encourage them to stay awhile. Darrell Youngquest, nursery buyer for English Gardens, says “Butterfly bush is the must-have plant if you want to have a yard with the enchanted presence of beautiful butterflies.” As a second choice, he recommends planting petunias “especially if you want butterflies flitting about your deck or patio. If you don’t plant anything else, be sure to plant these two and you’ll have a summer full of butterflies.”

Frank Janosz, also a buyer at English Gardens, reminds, “Don’t forget to consider herbs to attract bees and butterflies.” He suggests anise, bee balm, dill, mint, oregano, parsley, thyme and rosemary. Butterfly larvae (caterpillars), need appropriate plants to feed on, while adult butterflies need nectar plants. If you don’t mind a few nibbled leaves, you’ll want to plant for both. It’s important to avoid chemical insecticides in your garden, and you’ll need to be careful with the application of organic pesticides, too. It’s best to spray very early in the morning or at dusk to avoid any direct spraying— especially critical for bees.

The following are English Gardens top recommendations to welcome bees and butter­ies to your garden. All are easy to grow in our area.

Butterfly Larvae Love These

Butterflies Love These

 Bees Love These

Attractor Trees?

Even trees are wonderful bee and butterfl­y attractors. Here are the best for Michigan gardens:

• Horsechestnut (Aesculus)
• Birch (Betula)
• Dogwood (Cornus)
• Franklinia
• Seven Son Flower (Heptacodium)
• Flowering Crabapple (Malus)
• Pine (Pinus)
• Prunus
• Oak (Quercus)
• Willow (Salix)
• Japanese Tree Lilac (Syringa reticulata)

Article from the Early Spring 2015 Issue of Inspirations Magazine