Placing a garden near woods or a field often is the easiest and best way to meet both sets of needs. Adult butterflies are present from spring until the first hard freeze, so gardens should have flowers that bloom continuously or which have a succession of bloom periods. Studies show that butterflies are most attracted to gardens in which there is a variety of flower heights, shapes and colors. A butterfly's markings help it survive. The large eye spots that appear on many species' wings scare off predatory birds.
Butterfly gardening is ecologically important as well as aesthetically pleasing.
Butterflies have experienced a 50 percent decrease in population during the past 20 years due to pesticide use and loss of habitat. For more than 15 years, Russell has studied and taught horticulture, entomology and plant pathology in the United States and Honduras. She has written numerous articles on gardening for regional and national publications.