In the wild, nature orchestrates the intricate synchrony of insect and plant life, but we gardeners can always try to improve on it a bit. Hops for Question Marks and commas When I first started butterfly gardening, my main strategy was simply to stuff as many different nectar and caterpillar food plants as possible into my little corner of the world. Now I've begun to see that there are a few other considerations. Large stands, rather than a plant or two, are best. Spacing and placement are important.
Butterflies gravitate toward plants and flowers that are tall or stand out from the crowd.
The Black Swallowtails came to the parsley that stuck out in a strip on the lawn, not the parsley in the overgrown vegetable garden. The tall Buddleia by itself drew in loads of butterflies, but the short one buried by mint was overlooked. And while thyme in the herb garden attracted some butterflies, that single plant that escaped down into the field was truly a hot spot. One of the joys of butterfly gardening, as opposed to occasional tripping, is experiencing the daily ebb and flow of butterfly life. As I sit on the deck, I often see a Wood Satyr flying the same route over and over again.