Butterfly garden
If you thought you couldn’t plant a butterfly garden because you only have a balcony, think again! And don’t wait for Spring – Fall is the ideal time for planting because it allows plenty of time for plants to get established. Choose Native plants for hardiness, and if planting in pots, the bigger the pot, the better. Be sure also to select varieties that survive a couple of zones colder than Baltimore’s zone 7.
For a sunny balcony
For a sunny balcony that gets at least 6 hours of sun, 2 plants that attract a wide variety of butterflies are Coreopsis lanceolata and the black-eyed Susan “American Gold Rush.” Also consider mixing several plants in a pot, such as Phlox paniculata ‘Jeana’, Butterly milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa) and Small’s beardtongue (Penstemon smallii). Add height with an ornamental grass such as prairie junegrass.
Have a small yard? In addition to species recommended for pots, a 4’x8’ sunny space can be filled with dwarf switchgrass (Panicum virgatum ‘Shenandoah’), black-eyed Susan and blazing star (Liatris spicata). If you only have a shady spot, use a framework of blue wood sedge planted with Virginia bluebells and golden Alexanders (Zizian aurea).
For a shady balcony
For a shady balcony, fill a pot with native larkspur (Delphinium exaltatum), Heart-leaf skullcap (Scutellaria ovata) and sedges (Carex spp.)
For a small yard
Have a small yard? In addition to species recommended for pots, a 4’x8’ sunny space can be filled with dwarf switchgrass (Panicum virgatum ‘Shenandoah’), black-eyed Susan and blazing star (Liatris spicata). If you only have a shady spot, use a framework of blue wood sedge planted with Virginia bluebells and golden Alexanders (Zizian aurea).
For many more suggestions, including what to plant in larger spaces, visit the original article CLICK HERE