The Lazy Butterfly Gardener – Joyful Butterfly

I admit it – I am a lazy butterfly gardener. Butterflies are wonderful, but I can’t say I am much of a gardener. Some people love to get their hands in the dirt, but I’m not one of them. I like the kind of plants that I can just put in the garden or in the yard and let them do their thing without much care from me. I may never have a manicured garden, but it will always provide a habitat for the local wildlife.

Luckily, that has worked out for me and the butterflies. Today I saw seven different types of butterflies. The first ones I saw were Black Swallowtails. They had just eclosed from their chrysalises that were on the catio (for my feline cat, not caterpillars). A few weeks ago, I noticed 10 caterpillars on a Bronze Fennel plant. They wandered off and made their chrysalises in different places. Of those 10, I found 5 of the chrysalises’ hiding spots. I doubt all 10 will make it to adult butterflies since that is the way of nature, but I know these 2 made it!

Later in the morning, I saw flashes of orange outside where my Purple Passion Flower is growing. I went out and found two Gulf Fritillaries and one Variegated Fritillary laying eggs all over the vines. Checking the leaves, I saw eggs, tiny caterpillars, and larger caterpillars. This is one plant that I will let take over an area. I love these butterflies!

Gulf Fritillary on Purple Passion Flower

Variegated Fritillary

Variegated Fritillary caterpillar

Fiery Skipper on Blue Mistflower

Next, I went over to my mailbox where I planted Indian Blanket, Blue Mistflower and Purple Coneflower a few years ago. I saw a Fiery Skipper and a Least Skipper. A Sleepy Orange butterfly flew away just as I snapped the photo. They move so quickly that I’m surprised I got the photo. The title photo is of this area – it is messy but the butterflies use it!

The Sleep Orange takes off!

Last but not least, I saw a gorgeous Tiger Swallowtail around my wooded area. I am extremely lucky to live in a neighborhood with plenty of trees. Since the caterpillars feast on leaves at the top of a tree, they are hard to find. In contrast, the big yellow Tiger Swallowtail butterflies are hard to miss. So beautiful!

Female Tiger Swallowtail

The Lazy Gardener

Many of my plants aren’t photoshoot worthy (as you can see), but that isn’t my purpose. I just want to provide for the butterflies and other visitors. After being around butterflies for years, I still find it exciting and amazing to see one in my little bit of nature. The butterflies don’t mind that I don’t trim and pull weeds – they are just happy to find what they need.

If you love gardening and have beautiful plants, be happy that you can admire your hard work and the butterflies that visit.  If you are like me and do the bare minimum, be happy that the butterflies will admire your messy plants even if you never win Yard-of-the-Month. Either way, provide host and nectar plants and start looking for all kinds of creatures!