Blooms for Butterflies and Birds

For one thing both birds and butterflies pollinate your crops or flowers.  An example would be the American Goldfinch who loves seeds and berries produced from what you plant, also they give back by controlling the population of damaging insects by eating them. Plus both birds and butterflies are relaxing and wonderful to watch in the garden.

Back in the day birders had a goal of listing 600 birds within the US, but recently a young man called Noah Strycker surpassed 6000 worldwide species in one big year.  He wrote a book about his quest titled Birding Without Boarders.

Come to the Butterfly Pavilion in Colorado for this nature-filled extravaganza celebrating the wonder of flowers and the pollinators who make their growth possible. Through this exciting event, learn how to turn your backyard into a haven for bees, butterflies, and hummingbirds with hands-on gardening activities led by experts, and take home your very own seeds and plants from the Plant Sale, equipped with planting instructions and garden design guides. Witness a ladybug release, and explore plan diversity through a guided Garden Safari, a tropical scavenger hunt, a Plant Petting Zoo, and more. For more information Click Here

Do NOT use pesticides or herbicides if you wish to have butterflies or birds.  This will kill them! 

When choosing what to plant think of what the insect or bird loves to eat.  For example, if you want Monarch butterflies they eat milkweed.  Do some research on the butterflies in your area before you start. Zinnias and Blackeyed Susans usually work well. Butterfly Weed is one of those "plant it and forget it" plants that butterflies enjoy.

You also should consider if the plant needs wet or dry soil and direct or indirect sun.  Refer to books or the internet or your local garden store to check your region for heartiness.  For example, think of the Sycamore tree.  Birds which are attracted to the sycamore include:  hummingbirds, orioles, chickadee, cedar waxwing, mallard, goldfinch, pine siskin, and house and purple finch.  But sycamore trees only thrive in Zones 5 - 9.

Cosmos come in pink, white, carmine,orange and yellow. Look for a hot dry spot in your yard.  Or try Foxgloves. If your yard is not too windy, plant Hollyhock to create a butterfly habitat.  If you have a windy yard you will need to stake your Hollyhock or it will be vertical. For hummingbirds Starflower is a good choice and the butterflies also love this flower. Plan your garden so that you have flowers from early summer clear into fall.

Ornamental grass such as maiden grass will provide good nesting material for the birds in the spring.  Help them "feather the nest".

The above book has wonderful spreadsheets that detail such things as your region, the latin name and common name of plants, fruiting months, mature height, and hardiness zones. It's a great reference.

Yes, this is due to herbicides such as those made by Monsanto to kill milkweed (which is the food of the Monarch).  Without this food the Monarchs may disappear in the next 35 years.  The number of Monarchs has dwindled 90% since the 1990s.  Please tell the EPA to ban Roundup now.