An insect hovers near a buddleia bloom at the new butterfly and hummingbird pavilion at UNC Charlotte's Botanical Gardens. To attract butterflies, think of flowers that smell good and grow in colorful clusters that give them a spot to land.
Good choices are buddleia, lantana and verbena.
For hummingbirds, look to blooms that are red, tubular and odorless such as cardinal flower or pineapple sage. And plant in the sun. Butterflies and hummingbirds are as interesting as flowers. At the rear of the Susie Harwood garden at UNCC, about 300 plants were set out this spring to attract these airborne beauties. The sunny beds are arrayed beside a brick patio under an arbor.