How to MAKE A BUTTERFLY GARDEN | Butterfly Garden Basics

I'll take you through how to plant a butterfly garden or how to make a butterfly garden; as I take a space in my urban homestead from empty to butterfly garden! I'll walk you through how I made plant choices, features that should be added to attract butterflies. Creating a butterfly garden can be fun and easy when you know the basics of butterfly gardening!
In this series, we will be covering the butterfly garden basics. I'll take you through how to attract butterflies, plants that attract butterflies, flowers that attract butterflies, how to make a butterfly garden at home, nectar plants, host plants and native butterfly garden. Come join me in my butterfly garden in Florida as we start our journey into butterfly gardening!
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TIMESTAMPS
0:00 Intro
0:25 Picking plants to attract butterflies
4:00 Planting a Native Butterfly Garden
5:25 Plant Spacing, Mulch, and Ground Covers
7:20 Sun and Butterfly Garden Plants
8:15 Puddling Ideas
9:42 Tools for Digging Holes
10:45 Planting Flowers Tips
11:42 Host Plants to Attract Butterflies. Up next...
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[@NixPix]

Yes I want a butterfly garden I have already seen an increase and some new ones since my blanket flowers are blooming,

[@WildFloridian]

Blanket flower is sooooo pretty! Mine hasn't bloomed yet... just waiting and waiting 😄

[@denisef1153]

My goodness you have some healthy looking soil. Especially for Florida. I’m in SW FL. Last year I Had hydrophobic soil. Needless to say it’s all corrected- thank you gardeners on KZbin. That was a fun project. I never knew there was a difference between dirt and soil. I thought they meant the same thing. Now I have ‘living soil’ and get so excited when I see the worms and other living things. In about 7 days give or take, 12:09 I’m going to release 23 monarchs. I have butterfly cages and a very big screened in patio. Love your videos. Thank You for it all.

[@brittneymichelle5764]

I just went to Wilcox for the first time last weekend. When I saw all the caterpillars on the passionflower vines😍 I had to remind myself to only buy for the project I was working on. Already planning my next 10 projects though. 😂

[@WildFloridian]

LOL! I know EXACTLY what you mean... I always end up with a few extra plants for an impromptu project.... they have so many great plants! 😄

[@brittneymichelle5764]

@@WildFloridian they do! I was just watching the latest video and showing my husband your coral honeysuckle and passionvines. So I'm thinking those will be our next project! It's been hard to figure out what exactly to tackle next but your videos have been inspiring me.😊

[@juanpinto5743]

Loving this series. I have picked my garden spot and have it mulched and ready. It’s been chemical free for 3+ years. Now I have to narrow down my plant selection.

[@WildFloridian]

YAY! So exciting 😄 Picking plants is so fun... I always grab too many and then have to figure out where I put them. Can't wait to hear what you pick!

[@Amber-gh3cu]

I planted 80 plants this year but everything is taking a long time to grow. I’m so ready to see butterflies!

[@WildFloridian]

Oh wow! What an amazing butterfly garden you will have!

[@pamelafeather6405]

which part of Florida are you in? My little sister is on Longboat Key. I just sent her your video's to guide her in her efforts. Sounds like she is already off to a good start, 2 years working on it, and her nextdoor neighbor hosts butterflies also. Thank you for your wonderful posts.

[@XAgaming427]

Loved this video. I’m currently working on expanding my butterfly garden and this video was perfect as a reference.

[@WildFloridian]

Yay, thank you! 😊

[@RevAcres01]

Love the garden great choices for my garden. Amazing how fast caterpillars show up after planting.

[@WildFloridian]

I know!! They come so fast 😄 You are going to have so many butterflies soon!

[@ajeldrez777]

I love the mattock tool too! I like it more than using a hoe for removing tiny weeds on the surface and also goes deeper than a shovel when working with difficulty terrain. I recently used it to remove some rocks, break up compacted soil and palm roots to make a new garden I installed for my in-laws, awesome tool! Even used it to dig trenches 🤪

[@WildFloridian]

Who said gardening is a light activity?!? LOL! Not with a mattock! I love that you are using the mattock! You are a rock star gardener Alejandra! 🤩

[@ajeldrez777]

@@WildFloridian thank you! You are very inspiring. I decided to install a butterfly garden for my in-laws also. Will be getting some of the plants you suggested in your recent videos. Heading over to Florida Nursery Mart this week

[@laurenrhoads9712]

I love blanket flowers. I just planted a climbing aster, Beautyberry and a Darwin blueberry. Loved this video

[@WildFloridian]

Darwin blueberry!!! So many great natives that you are adding! Love it Lauren!

[@hajarabey6851]

🎉 You are awesome!

[@jb4496]

I always enjoy your videos. Thanks for sharing

[@WildFloridian]

Awww. Thank you 😊

[@floridanaturalist]

GREAT videos. Thank you!

[@WildFloridian]

You are welcome!

[@RaetheSaint]

Someone from the Facebook group gifted me a mist flower and it’s been flourishing in my garden these past few months. It keeps spreading beautifully and I’ve taken some cuttings to experiment with propagating

[@WildFloridian]

So coo! I LOVE mist flower. Mine looks like it is loving semi-shade better than full sun... are you seeing the same?

[@RaetheSaint]

@@WildFloridian yes! I’ve noticed that as it spreads more it keeps moving closer to fence and it blooms more in semi-shade than full sun

[@xxpowwowbluexx]

It will seed itself around your garden. By now it’s probably already started doing that.

[@madelynvega7479]

This video will definitely help me when doing my butterfly garden

[@WildFloridian]

I'm so glad Madelyn! Best wishes on your butterfly garden!

[@madelynvega7479]

@@WildFloridian thank you yours turned out soo good❤️❤️❤️❤️

[@8cupsCoffee]

I’m in Illinois but I love your channel

[@WildFloridian]

Howdy howdy Metta! I was born and lived in Illinois... actually my extended family is still there! Super cool to have someone from my birth state watching 😄

[@julieshriver2836]

Great video. I shop at Wilcox also. They are so helpful.

[@WildFloridian]

Yes! Thank you! 😄

[@janstanley538]

So excited about this series! I love learning about growing a plantscape and butterflies! In NC I had to a of butterflies in my yard! Here my yard is MUCH smaller and I have to be sooo selective when there are SO many options! Thanks so much for your help!

[@WildFloridian]

You are welcome 😊 I agree it can be so hard.... I want ALL the plants... and all the types of butterflies... and then I have to remember that I don't have acres of land 😅 What you are doing is amazing, making a space for wildlife, no matter how small

[@lynnanson4969]

I have a big ? I started making a butterfly garden two years ago..I didn't have any problems then and had tons of cattetpillers and caccunes..but this year...I had to build my garden up of the ground because of ground squirrels..they won't eat the plants but the roots. This year I've had to deal with tons of ants..they were stealing all the eggs....and I tried Soo many things to get rid of them and not hurt the cattetpillers..this was also a year for lizards...I used organic soil and found that there were lots of eggs in it and have alot of lizards now..they don't seem to like the cattetpillers but will go after the butterflies even to climbing and jumping after them..my while yard is full of nature..and I'm like an oasis in an area of properties that are either groves or dirt...so I'm the only place for there food... anyone have any suggestions on how to rid the ants ????

[@mariomene2051]

Hi. Thanks for your video on mistakes people make. I did get a couple "host" and "shelter" plants, but if I hadn't watched your video, I wouldn't have been motivated to get more of those plants. I have a question regarding the timing of planting/sowing my butterfly garden. What I did was I bought the seeds, because it's cheaper. Do the flowering plants flower the first year, or should I plant them ahead of time so they can be as mature as possible to guarantee flowering? Would you recommend sowing them in spring (I'm in 6b, with late frosts--serious winters, down to the single digits), or would you recommend growing them indoors and planting them? Thanks!

[@Stepniki]

A bunch of questions: My blanket flower (which I planted this year for the first time) is very leggy and few flowers. It looked much better earlier. I can't call it a ground cover as it's mainly long stems. The nursery said to see if there are new plants underneath and if so I can pull out the original plant. but I don't have any new ones . Suggestions? It's in full sun. I've haven't seen any bees or anything on it in a long time. ?? You have very dark soil. Have you enriched it? How do you spell the tool you spoke of. Mattock? BTW, for any of your fans who live in Brevard, Native Butterfly Gardens in Melbourne is all natives and Rockledge Gardens is increasing their native area. they now only carry native milkweed.

[@WildFloridian]

On the blanket flower. Yes they get leggy. I like to mix them with other things because they behave like an annual every time I plant them. I know they are supposed to be a ground cover. But now that I've worked with them for while... I don't feel they are a long time ground cover but a filler. I would use dune sunflower instead if you want a longer lasting. On my soil, I mulch and mulch and mulch. I think I've done between 12 and 18 inches over the last couple years. I use a free mulch service called getchipdrop.com. In some areas, I've added home made compost but I don't add much any more if I know the area will be natives. Thank you for sharing on the Native Butterfly Gardens!

[@LucilleMilo]

it would have been nice to describe what a host plant is.

[@christiensgarden3325]

I was wondering if you could write up what the exact plants that you bought to make this garden

[@WildFloridian]

Sure thing! Coreopsis levinworthii Blanket Flower Blue Sage Beach Verbena Twin Flower Sunshine Mimosa

[@popeyethesailorman7850]

does anyone know any good butterfly perennials for partial shade

[@kathleendemoya6089]

I'm having trouble finding plants that are dog friendly. Any ideas? Im in zone 5b.

[@AlannaSingsALot]

I sent a message to your Instagram page! Love your videos & I’m also a FL local :)

[@WildFloridian]

Awesome! Thank you!

[@Carolotis921]

Can you write a list of the plants you planted? Or did I miss it? A list of host plants and the insect that uses it

[@WildFloridian]

Sure thing! Coreopsis levinworthii Blanket Flower Blue Sage Beach Verbena Twin Flower Sunshine Mimosa

[@cathyspain9354]

could you give us a list of the plants that you planted? Thank you.

[@WildFloridian]

Coreopsis levinworthii Blanket Flower Blue Sage Beach Verbena Twin Flower Sunshine Mimosa

[@mariahornung2883]

I see you have black soil. Mine is all sand. How did you do?

[@WildFloridian]

LOL! Lots of mulch over time. Good mulch that breaks down fast. I got mine for free from getchipdrop.com but you should be able to get some from Pinellas County. Hope that helps! Cheers

[@amony9117]

Can I put all the plants in a big wooden plant pot as I used roundup in my gander 3/4 years ago, I have a lot of milk-thistles Growing in my garden.

[@WildFloridian]

Yes! You can grow them in a pot or a raised bed.

[@newnormtrump7519]

CAN YOU MENTION SOME GOOD PLANTS FOR BOTH BUTTERFLIES AND HUMMINGBIRDS PLEASE AND FOR NORTHERN ERAS

[@WildFloridian]

I have some videos. But here are my thoughts. The champion would have to be firebush… don’t think it will grow up north; but here in Florida Native and Butterfly gardeners always put it as a top pick. Lantana and Milkweed. Sages. Coral Honeyauckle is native through Virginia. Look for trumpet shaped flowers… those will have the most interest for both butterflies and hummingbirds.

[@starryeyedwish8005]

How would you got about panting these in apure sand yard?

[@denisef1153]

A host plant is exactly what you would think. The plant to feed the caterpillars so they turn into the butterfly. The butterfly lays her eggs on the “host” plant.

[@linzy_pinzy]

Could i direct sow seeds, for these native plants, into the sand?

[@WildFloridian]

Sandy soil… beach sand is too sandy

[@denisef1153]

Grows very well in pots too.

[@margaretrobertson967]

Can us you use stucco we had a retaking wall that has fallen We live in north Ga right know I have several pupa or nests I our trees hope they are not only moths but simple butterflies I need your advice we live in a wooded area and have seen monarchs I want to crest a place for them no pesticides but this is country when we had house built do not take down my trees I planted a lot of day lilies because they bloom all summer I appreciate all your videos please if you get this text me back

[@dumplingsfordays2980]

im starting a butterfly my mom is on board too because she says its a learning opportunity for my little brothers and she just likes butterflies so whats the thing that kills caterpillars the most ?

[@WildFloridian]

Pesticides is number one.... predators is number two.

[@dumplingsfordays2980]

@@WildFloridian oh ok

[@1Inked4Heart3]

Looks like you have actual dirt! All I have is sand 😩

[@CAMDEC1217]

what is a host plant??

[@AzaleaBee]

In a butterfly garden, a host plant is a plant that the caterpillars eat. Many caterpillars eat only specific plants, so the adult females seek those plants to lay their eggs on. Milkweed is a good example of a host plant. Monarch caterpillars eat the leaves and pupate nearby. Milkweed (the flowers) also provides nectar to the adult butterfly.

[@jquatman53]

Could you list the plants, it's easier since sometimes it's hard to understand you.

[@WildFloridian]

Here you go: Host Plant - Twin Flower Blanket Flower Beach Verbena Blue Sage Coreopsis Leviworthii Sunshine Mimosa The tree I mention in the middle - Grand Poinciana (aka Flamboyant) Hope that helps 😄

[@WildFloridian]

I also bought Beach Mist Flower and Blue Eyed Grass