Support local butterflies by planting a butterfly nursery container garden including a variety of host plants for butterflies to lay their eggs on. This garden idea includes easy-to-find host plants like fennel, dill, and parsley, plus a mini puddler as a water source.
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When I started being more mindful about planting for pollinators, I noticed more bees and butterflies visiting our yard. I paid attention to the plants they frequented and made sure to include them in this year's garden, too. One of the things I noticed most was the abundance of butterfly eggs being laid on plants like dill, parsley, and carrot tops. It's always exciting to spot the tiny eggs and watch the baby caterpillars hatch and happily munch away.
Unfortunately, where there are baby caterpillars, there are often predators. Last year, wasps wiped out every caterpillar on our host plants before they had a chance to mature. Determined to give this year's butterflies a better chance, I created a container garden specifically designed to attract egg-laying butterflies. The idea is to place the planter in a semi-protected location where I can keep a closer eye on the caterpillars. At least that's the plan.
So I planted dill, two parsley plants, and fennel in a large planter - all host plants for swallowtail butterflies. In the center, I placed a small butterfly puddler. The container garden sits on our deck next to the railing and in-between pots filled with pollinator-friendly flowers. Once our moonflowers vine up and fill in, they should add extra cover for this planter. And when the caterpillars begin to hatch, I can easily add a mesh covering over the top to keep them safe.
What to Plant in Your Butterfly Nursery Container Garden
While I've found eggs nearly every summer on our dill, parsley, and carrot tops, there are plenty of other butterfly host plants you can grow in pots. You definitely want to grow multiple plants. Once the caterpillars hatch and start eating, there won't be much left to them. Here are some of the host plants you can easily grow in containers.
- Dill: Host to Black Swallowtail butterflies.
- Parsley: Host to Black Swallowtail butterflies.
- Fennel: Host to Black Swallowtail and anise swallowtail butterflies.
- Carrots: Host to Anise Swallowtail butterflies.
- Rue: Host to Giant Swallowtail butterflies.
- Milkweed: Sole host to Monarch butterflies.
- Asters: Host to Painted Lady butterflies.
- Tarragon: Host to Black Swallowtails.
How to Create a Butterfly Nursery Container Garden
These are easy-to-find plants that will attract butterflies to your yard. If you notice a butterfly flying around the same patch of plants, it's most likely laying eggs. Once it flies away, you can inspect the plants for teeny-tiny eggs. Within a week, you might even notice small caterpillars on the leaves.
Like other container garden projects, the first thing I did was fill my planter with a mixture of potting soil, all-purpose fertilizer, and earthworm castings.
Then, I started adding my plants. All of these plants should stay relatively the same size so placement isn't that big of a deal. I planted the fennel first.
Next, I planted the dill across from the fennel, which as the same sort of feathery leaves.
Finally, I planted two parsley plants - one one each side of the planter.
With some open space in the center of my container, I was able to create a small puddling station for butterflies. I did this with a mini terracotta saucer filled with a mix of dirt and sand. Then, I placed small rocks and moss on top.
As a final touch, I added a butterfly garden stake. Now, we'll just wait and see if the butterflies lay their eggs and caterpillars emerge.
SUPPLIES
- 12-18" container
- Potting soil
- Optional: all-purpose fertilizer
- Optional: earthworm castings
- Host plants such as parsley, dill, and fennel
- Optional: butterfly puddler in a small terracotta saucer
- Optional: butterfly garden stake
STEPS
- Check your container for drainage holes. If there aren't any, drill several holes into the bottom of the pot. Then, fill the container with potting soil. If desired, mix in fertilizer and earthworm castings.
- Plant 3-4 herbs in the planter. When everything is planted, water thoroughly.
- If desired, create a puddling station for butterflies using a mini terracotta saucer, a mixture of damp dirt and sand, small rocks, and moss. Place into the center of the container.
- Finish the container garden with a cute butterfly garden stake and place in a sunny, semi-protected location.
As caterpillars begin to hatch on the plants, you might want to add extra protection. You can do so by adding mesh netting around the container, or even moving the caterpillars to a pop-up butterfly habitat. If the plants are being eaten too fast, you might want to add a couple extra to keep the a continous food supply growing.
Did you make this Butterfly Nursery Container Garden project? Share it on social media using the hashtag #holokahome. Don’t forget to tag me @holokahome!
