Garden Photo of the Day

Backyard Butterfly Garden

Beautiful visitors to a well-made butterfly garden

By Fine Gardening editors

Welcome to Libby Breitenbaugh’s butterfly garden!

I live in Irmo, South Carolina. I have a medium-size butterfly garden that is three years old and very much a work in progress. My butterfly garden is mostly perennials with a few annuals. I have both nectar and host plants. My garden brings me so much joy. As you can see by my pictures, I also get other beautiful visitors in my garden. I have always had a love for flowers and wildlife. Each day I look forward to seeing who comes to visit my garden.

The butterfly garden in June 2019

American lady butterfly on Verbena ‘Lollipop’ (Zones 6–9)

Buckeye butterfly on ‘Salsa Red’ coneflower (Echinacea ‘Salsa Red’ Zone 4–9)

Dark morph of an eastern tiger swallowtail on lantana (Lantana camara, Zones 9–11 or as annual)

Coneflower Cheyenne spirit (Echinacea ‘Cheyenne Spirit’ Zones 4–9)

Gray hairstreak butterfly (Strymon melinus) on May night salvia (Salvia sylvestris ‘May Night’ Zones 4–9)

A female ruby-throated hummingbird

View of the garden in June 2019

Wide view of Libby’s butterfly garden

‘Mandarin Double Scoop’ coneflower (Echinacea ‘Mandarin Double Scoop’, Zones 4–9)

Northern cardinal on bird bath

Silver-spotted skipper (Epargyreus clarus) on Phlox.

Libby’s butterfly garden is a great success. If you want to create your own, remember to avoid using insecticides of any kind, plant lots of natives, and provide food for both caterpillars and adult butterflies. We’ve got ideas for great plants for a butterfly garden here.

 

Have a garden you’d like to share?

Have photos to share? We’d love to see your garden, a particular collection of plants you love, or a wonderful garden you had the chance to visit!

To submit, send 5-10 photos to [email protected] along with some information about the plants in the pictures and where you took the photos. We’d love to hear where you are located, how long you’ve been gardening, successes you are proud of, failures you learned from, hopes for the future, favorite plants, or funny stories from your garden.

If you want to send photos in separate emails to the GPOD email box that is just fine.

Have a mobile phone? Tag your photos on Facebook, Instagram or Twitter with #FineGardening!

You don’t have to be a professional garden photographer – check out our garden photography tips!

Do you receive the GPOD by email yet? Sign up here.

Fine Gardening Recommended Products

Monarch Butterfly Rescue Wildflower Seeds 4 oz.

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

HIGH QUALITY SEEDS and EXPERT GUIDANCE: Experience the quality seed difference. We are committed to providing the highest quality, open-pollinated, non-GMO/non-GE seeds to our customers, guaranteed. A trusted source of high quality seeds since 1985. ATTRACT MORE MONARCHS: We know seeds and we know pollinators! Our expertly crafted botanical garden seed mixes contain a wide variety of both perennials and annuals that are specifically designed to attract pollinators. Attract more Monarchs and Butterflies in general. Gardener tested, pollinator approved! All Of Our Wildflower Varieties Are 100% Pure Seed, They come with complete planting instructions. Compare and see the quality value. This Wildflower Seed Mix will make the perfect gift for those gardeners in your life.
Buy at Amazon

D&X Garden Sprinkler

Fine Gardening receives a commission for items purchased through links on this site, including Amazon Associates and other affiliate advertising programs.

- The Sprinkler is made of durable ABS Plastic, Base connector: Approx. 1/2" ; Side connector: Approx. 3/4"
- 12 flexible nozzles that you can set in any direction, simply bend hoses to customize new watering patterns - 360 degree coverage of 3000 sq. ft area
- 3.5 x 4 x 6 inches
Buy at Amazon
X
View Comments

Comments

  1. garden1953 07/09/2019

    So very pretty! Thank you for sharing, and I'm sure the wildlife thank you too.

    1. User avater
      scbutterflygarden 07/09/2019

      Thank you!

  2. sandyprowse 07/09/2019

    Your pictures are just fantastic! Loved to see the butterflies and the cardinal on the birdbath. Your comment “My garden brings me so much joy” said it all. It is the best hobby ever! A beautiful garden. Congratulations.

    1. User avater
      scbutterflygarden 07/09/2019

      Thank you! My garden brings me so much pleasure :-)

  3. User avater
    treasuresmom 07/09/2019

    Great pics!

    1. User avater
      scbutterflygarden 07/09/2019

      Thanks!

  4. stewpot 07/09/2019

    WOW, the variety of the butterflies is impressive. Great photos and flowers!

    1. User avater
      scbutterflygarden 07/09/2019

      Thank you! It's something I really enjoy doing.

  5. cheryl_c 07/09/2019

    Loved seeing the grey streak, which I have never seen before, and it was fun to see how you used Joe Pye weed in your garden as well. Perfect butterfly sculpt for the background! Thanks for sharing.

    1. User avater
      scbutterflygarden 07/09/2019

      Thank you Cheryl! I really enjoy all the butterflies that visit my garden, especially the gray streak. I also have milkweed but the Joe Pye weed is so tall that you can not see the milkweed behind them.

  6. User avater
    lollygardens 07/09/2019

    Your butterfly garden is an inspiration! I love the variety of butterflies you have. Your joy in it comes through clearly.

    1. User avater
      scbutterflygarden 07/09/2019

      Thank you so much!

  7. User avater
    simplesue 07/09/2019

    Excellent photography! I know how hard it is to capture a butterfly on film, I've been attempting to photograph them myself with an old digital camera and shaky hands LOL!
    Your garden is a pretty little paradise for the butterflies and the hummingbirds. Such a welcoming garden to humans and little creatures.

    1. User avater
      scbutterflygarden 07/09/2019

      Thank you Sue! Your kind words brought a smile :-) to my face.

  8. Cenepk10 07/09/2019

    If I was a butterfly- I’d never leave that pretty garden.

    1. User avater
      scbutterflygarden 07/09/2019

      Thank you! That is such a sweet thing to say.

  9. btucker9675 07/09/2019

    The butterfly shaped bench is the perfect accessory for your lovely and well loved garden - thanks for sharing!

    1. User avater
      scbutterflygarden 07/09/2019

      Thank you!

  10. User avater
    meander_michaele 07/09/2019

    What a delightful collection of pictures, Libby. I enjoyed each and every one of them. I was curious about the named selection of verbena bonariensis ‘Lollipop’ that you have. Do you happen to know how much it differs from the tall more generic type. The name 'Lollipop' is very cute and makes me think it might be a bit of a dwarf form.

    1. User avater
      scbutterflygarden 07/09/2019

      Thank you! The Verbena bonariensis 'Lollipop' is a free-flowering, dwarf Vervain with dense clusters of small, lavender to violet flowers. The butterflies love it!

      1. User avater
        meander_michaele 07/09/2019

        Thanks for the info. I have gobs of the taller generic kind and this smaller sized one sounds like a treasure.

        1. User avater
          scbutterflygarden 07/09/2019

          You're welcome!

  11. carolineyoungwilliams 07/09/2019

    Libby, your butterfly garden is beautiful; and the way that you were able to capture the butterflies and birds are awesome. I also love your bold rich colors. Thank you for sharing the results of your great work.

    1. User avater
      scbutterflygarden 07/09/2019

      Thank you so much for your kind words :-)

  12. Luvfall 07/09/2019

    It’s wonderful that you have used so many strong colors in your garden. Something I learned recently is that many of the new cultivars of classic flowers are sterile offering no pollen to bees and other pollinators. And some, notably the double coneflowers, have inaccessible nectar because of the structure of the double flower.

    1. User avater
      scbutterflygarden 07/09/2019

      Thank you for letting me know I had no idea that the double coneflowers have inaccessible nectar because of the structure of the double flower. They are pretty to look at but that doesn’t help the bees or butterflies. Going forward I will not go with double coneflowers.

  13. katherine_8 07/09/2019

    Libby, all I can say is: When can I move in? LOL. Truly though, your garden is just perfect in my opinion and precisely what I would want in my own garden if I lived in a house or townhouse. I do the best I can with my balcony but it sure is nothing like that piece of heaven you've created. Beautiful!! :)

    1. User avater
      scbutterflygarden 07/09/2019

      Thank you so much Katherine! You made my day with your sweet comment :-)

Log in or create an account to post a comment.

Related Articles

The Latest

Podcast: Let's Argue About Plants
Episode 171: Deer-resistant Plants  

One deer can do major landscape damage overnight, and if a herd regularly visits your garden you may feel like giving up. Although almost no plant is completely safe if…
How-To
Keep Moth Orchids Happy and They’ll Bloom Year After Year

For many people, picking up a potted moth ­orchid (Phalaenopsis spp. and cvs., Zones 10–12) is like buying cut flowers; they don’t care for the plant once it stops blooming.…
Design
4 Luck® Red Stripes White Variegated Clover Adds a Little Luck to Your Pots

While many gardeners might label white clover as a weed, this fast-filling, variegated selection is cute as a button in containers. With a mix of 3- and 4-palmate leaves, you’ll…

Video

View All Videos
Design

Touring an Eco-friendly, Shady Backyard Retreat

You must be careful when you enter the backyard of garden designer Jeff Epping—not because you’re likely to trip on something, but because you might be dive-bombed by a pair…
Design

4 Midsummer Favorites From a Plant Breeder's Garden
Podcast: Let's Argue About Plants

Episode 171: Deer-resistant Plants  
Design

Garden Tour of a Sustainable Native Plant Oasis Bursting with Fall Color
Podcast: Let's Argue About Plants

Episode 170: High-Impact Native Plants with Uli Lorimer