Butterflies fluttering from flower to flower has to be one of the loveliest sights in a garden! Turn your garden into a butterfly paradise by planting bulbs now. This also works with flowerpots on your balcony or terrace!
Where is the nectar?
Autumn is the season to plant bulbs. The first ones bloom starting in early spring. Butterflies also soon appear on sunny spring days in search of nectar. The greater the variety of bulbs you plant, the more butterflies you can expect. Not to mention hungry honeybees and bumblebees.
Well-known & special species
Most bulb flowers that bloom in spring provide plenty of nectar. Well-known butterfly-friendly species are crocus (Crocus), hyacinth (Hyacinthus), daffodil (Narcissus) and grape hyacinth (Muscari), but there are many more worth planting. Examples include squill (Scilla), spring starflower (Ipheion) and glory-of-the-snow (Chionodoxa). Ornamental onion (Allium) and wild hyacinth (Camassia) bloom towards the end of spring/early summer and are also popular with butterflies.
Mix up & plant
There is almost always a place for bulbs. For example, plant them amongst perennials in the border, under shrubs (which do not yet have leaves in spring) and in the grass. Create groups of one species so that they really stand out or, for a more natural effect, mix up different types of bulbs and scatter them around. Plant them wherever they land. You’ll be rewarded with a beautiful sea of blooms in the spring!
Tip!
Flower bulbs will also thrive in pots. Use the lasagna method, where you plant bulbs with different flowering times one above the other: the late-flowering ones at the bottom (e.g. ornamental onion) and the early-flowering ones (such as crocus) at the top. This way, you’ll be able to enjoy them for as long as possible. And so will the butterflies!
