Anonymous wrote:PP who does the butterfly garden, please share the names of some of your most successful plants (those that grow well and those that attract butterflies). I'd love to plant things in addition to milkweed. Thanks!

In this area, you cannot kill a phlox if you try. If you want to attract hummingbirds as well, they will gravitate towards Dahlias, which make AMAZING cutting flowers from June-Last Frost. They grow great here. Bee Balm and False Dragonhead, are also native and attracts butterfiles.

I do grow my dalias in a separate area, because they can get huge and often need to be staked (they are also annuals-for the most part). I have amazing cut flowers all season and grow a wide mix of Dalia's to create a lot of variety.

Virginia Tech has an amazing Cooperative Extension with many local offices. Obviously I'm in VA. I frequent the Leesburg Farmers market (it is year round) and they always have master gardeners on site to help out with your plant and planning questions.

PP who does the butterfly garden, please share the names of some of your most successful plants (those that grow well and those that attract butterflies). I'd love to plant things in addition to milkweed. Thanks!

Anonymous wrote:Thanks for that great resource link for local butterflies. We have always planted butterfly gardens where ever we have lived and being new to the area I was just starting to think about starting to prep a list of what to plant once it warms up a bit more. Echoing the OP's original question, anyone have good recommendations for plant nurseries that are knowledgeable about butterfly gardening or does Brookside or Wood End ever do plant sales?

I do a butterfly garden each year in the front yard. I grow tons of variety of public and get hoards of beautiful creatures. plan the butterflies for late June.

Anonymous wrote:The biggest threats to butterflies is the use of pesticides and lack of habitat.

I would go to some place like Brookside Gardens or the Audubon Nature Center at Woodend and ask for a list of plants. Wouldn't it be nice to see them in your garden as opposed to just buying a kit and letting them go?

Here's a good site as well for info:
http://washingtonareabutterflies.wordpress.com/gardening-for-butterflies/

This is an excellent idea. I'm in the process of converting my dull greenery lawn to flowering natives and a few perennials. We live in a sad (for butterflies, birds, and bees, at least) grass monoculture. Those of us with yards can do something to change this!

Thank you!

Anonymous wrote:Bump...any nursery suggestions? or upcoming native plant sales?

There are many:
http://mastergardener.umd.edu/local/howard/Adult%20Activities/Native%20Plant%20Info%20Sheet%20HC%20MG%20Current.pdf

If a link is broken then google the name of the nursery or nature center.

Bump...any nursery suggestions? or upcoming native plant sales?

Here's where I'd recommend getting supplies for Monarchs:

http://shop.monarchwatch.org/store/c/365-Rearing-Monarchs.aspx

Thanks for that great resource link for local butterflies. We have always planted butterfly gardens where ever we have lived and being new to the area I was just starting to think about starting to prep a list of what to plant once it warms up a bit more. Echoing the OP's original question, anyone have good recommendations for plant nurseries that are knowledgeable about butterfly gardening or does Brookside or Wood End ever do plant sales?

My little girl has done the Insect Lore kit twice. Even I liked it -- easy to do & fun to let them fly free when you are done.

The biggest threats to butterflies is the use of pesticides and lack of habitat.

I would go to some place like Brookside Gardens or the Audubon Nature Center at Woodend and ask for a list of plants. Wouldn't it be nice to see them in your garden as opposed to just buying a kit and letting them go?

Here's a good site as well for info:
http://washingtonareabutterflies.wordpress.com/gardening-for-butterflies/

Oh, and as I recall we did it in the summer so we were sure they would not die from the cold once we released them.

We did this one a couple of years ago:

http://www.amazon.com/Insect-Lore-Live-Butterfly-Garden/dp/B00000ISC5/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1363877891&sr=8-1&keywords=butterfly+kit

They are not monarchs, but they were fun to watch and we let them go afterwards which was nice. I think of the 5 larvae we got, at least 4 hatched and turned into butterflies.

I'd be interested in learning more about this too!

Anyone ever done this at home with your kids? My son's kindergarten class did it many years ago and we'd love to do it at home now that my daughter is older and also interested in nature. Seeking good suggestions about a reliable/good kit and best time to do this? Also, good nursery source for milkweed plants (although I am guessing it is still too early here to purchase them)?

We just saw the Monarch IMAX film at the Natural History Museum and are eager to learn more.

Thanks!