If you have the space for it, having a garden is something that can bring so much joy into your life.

Not only is it super rewarding to take care of living things like plants, but it also just creates a really nice, relaxing atmosphere that can relieve stress.

What makes a garden feel even more magical is when friendly little critters fly by to see it and maybe even hang out. Have you ever seen a butterfly hang out in a garden? Chances are you have, and so you know just how beautiful and magical a moment like that can be.

So what if we told you that there were some things you could do to make your personal garden seem even more irresistible to butterflies?

Turns out there are a ton of tips and tricks to get you there. What you need to do is choose certain plants that entice butterflies. That way, they will stay, eat, mate and even lay eggs in your garden.

After the butterflies discover your plant-filled spot, they will lay eggs on the plants which will then become food for hatching caterpillars. The plant you choose and the time of year the eggs are laid all depend on the species of the butterfly.

So because of this, you can’t really attract a bunch of different species of butterflies to your garden. There is no one plant that will get them all to come.

Garden blogger Benjamin Vogt recently gave Tree Hugger a bunch of great advice to do this.

Host plants for butterflies

Some sulfur butterflies are hosted by Baptisia. Black Swallowtails like fennel, parsley, and dill. Meanwhile, Monarchs like to feed on plants like milkweed.

Trees and shrubs

Trees and shrubs are just as important as the aforementioned plants when dealing with butterflies, although they are often overlooked. Willows, oaks, elms, and chokecherries are all great host options.

Water and nectar

Creating a water source for the butterflies is a great idea, and it is not hard to do. You basically just have to make sure there are some puddles in your garden, and you can do this by way of cracks in stones that catch water or birdbaths filled with rocks and mud. These butterflies will continue to sip water from these sources.

Another great tip: save some of your food scraps to put them out for the butterflies. Rinds and mushy bits of fruit are great for the critters to nectar on.

One of the most important tips above all of this: avoid using pesticides in your garden. Even if you are having issues with pests, try to opt for safer options before resorting to pesticides.

Alternatives like horticultural oils and soaps can all do really well. And of course, be careful that you don’t accidentally spray any caterpillars on the way.

Did you find these tips helpful? We hope that you can use these hacks to make your garden the absolute best it can be — and so butterfly-friendly! Who doesn’t want that?

Happy gardening!

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Source: Tree Hugger