Student Article

Did you know that butterflies need specific plants to lay their eggs and feed their caterpillars? If you want to help them, you can create a butterfly-friendly garden by planting the right food plants.

Nettles: a caterpillar favorite

Nettles are a fantastic choice. They're the perfect home for caterpillars like the peacock and small tortoiseshell. You can grow nettles in a sunny patch of your garden. They grow well in moist soil, and many butterflies love them. If you plant them, be prepared for caterpillars to appear — sometimes even in winter!

Pretty flowers with a purpose

You can also plant cuckoo flowers by a pond to help the orange-tip butterfly. The flowers are pretty, with lilac petals and dark veins. They’re especially good because the orange-tip butterfly lays eggs on them. To help even more species, try planting hops and ivy. These plants are food for butterflies like the comma and holly blue.

Let the grass grow

To make your garden even more butterfly-friendly, let grasses grow tall, and avoid trimming them in the fall. Butterflies need tall grass for shelter, and some species even use it for hibernation.

Small spaces, big help!

You don’t need a big garden to attract butterflies. Even small spaces like balconies and window boxes can help. If you choose the right plants, butterflies will have the food and shelter they need to thrive.

© Kate Bradbury / Our Media