Planting a Butterfly Garden

by Lisa LeCoump
July 22, 2021April 6, 2026

Close-up of a butterfly perched on colorful blooming flowers with lush green background.

We are planting flowers to attract and benefit butterflies

Vivid yellow and black butterfly perched on colorful flowers, showcasing nature photography skills. — Anise Swallowtail butterfly

Updated:

April 6, 2026

Estimated reading time: 4 minutes

We created a butterfly garden in a section of the yard. And it works. They are visiting more this year than ever, so it definitely works!

A monarch butterfly resting on bright orange and pink milkweed blossoms, showcasing nature's beauty through expert photography. — Monarch in the butterfly garden

We started by visiting the University of California, Santa Cruz Arboretum, where they have a butterfly garden and information about which plants the local butterflies prefer. Then looked up suggestions online. We have noticed that they are especially attracted to the following:

Butterfly Bush (Buddleia)
Coneflower (Echinacea)
Lantana
Marigolds
Lavender
Black-Eyed Susan
Milkweed
Agapanthus
Aster
Salvia
Sunflowers

Also, anything with the word butterfly in the name.

Close-up of a yellow butterfly perched on vibrant purple flowers, showcasing natural beauty and detailed macro photography.

Vibrant yellow and black butterfly perched on purple flower in nature.

Bright monarch butterfly perched on a vibrant pink flower, showcasing nature's beauty. — Planting a Butterfly Garden

Butterfly on purple and pink flower, showcasing nature photography by Tony Fitzgerald Photography.

Most frequently we see Monarchs, Tiger swallowtails, Tortoises, Fritillaries, Painted Ladies, Common Buckeyes, and Red Admirals.

Close-up of a butterfly resting on white daisies with vibrant yellow centers, showcasing nature photography.

Vivid yellow and black butterfly perched on a purple flower, natural wildlife photography by Tony Fitzgerald.

Colorful butterfly perched on delicate purple blossoms.

Monarch butterfly — Monarch butterfly on butterfly bush

The butterfly larva often prefer a specific plant, so we planted some for them as well.

This is a tiger swallowtail butterfly larva on black dill and a Monarch butterfly larva on Showey milkweed.

Monarch butterfly with vibrant orange and black wings resting on leaf, showcasing stunning nature photography.

Photos by Tony Fitzgerald Photography

Photos by Tony Fitzgerald Photography

Professional Photographer - Food Photographer, Wedding Photographer. Lisa was previously the Deputy Agricultural Commissioner, responsible for reviewing and enforcing organic regulations and Environmental Protection Agency pesticide use regulations. She also worked for years as an Agricultural Advisor in California, a farmer in California, and an Agricultural Extension Agent in Thailand. She received a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture from California State University, Chico and studied Integrated Pest Management at U.C., Davis, which involved farming methods that preserve the environment.