Have you ever wondered how to create a butterfly friendly garden? And if not here is a little look at why you should (and how to do it.)
It is a sad fact that Britain’s butterflies are in drastic decline. In fact, half of all British butterflies have recently been placed on the UK Red List of species, meaning they now face a serious threat of becoming extinct.
Butterflies are just the most beautiful of creatures but more than that they also play a vital role in our planet’s biodiversity – it is absolutely our job to help save them.
As the headline sponsor of the Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count 2022, wildlife expert Vivara have a ton of ideas up there sleeve to help you help the butterflies and sent me some advice as well a sweet butterfly house.
Their ultimate aim is to encourage as many people to get outdoors, get involved in the big butterfly count and create a butterfly-friendly garden with some simple steps.
Create a butterfly friendly garden by planting butterfly-friendly flowers
Planting butterfly friendly plants in your garden brings life and colour to your garden and a host of butterflies,
Butterflies and plants like lots of lovely sunshine so you do need to find a sunny spot to plant them. They simply adore buddleia and lavender – purple is a big hit with butterflies so do bear that in mind.
Vivara sell a gorgeous Beautiful Butterfly Border which creates a 3 metre by 1 metre space into a haven for butterflies, and includes everything from Garden Catmint, Buddleia, Lavender, White Coneflower, Black-eyed Susan and Verbena Bonariensis, and this comes with a planting guide to help you.
Butterflies love wildflowers too so you could also scatter some Vivara wildflower seeds to keep them happy
Vivara sent me this beautiful Limited Edition Butterfly House featuring a lovely lilac roof for my garden which I broke a few twigs up to pop inside. I am hoping they will come in droves to visit! I set it about 1.5 metres high near our brightest flowers.
Vivara also sell this cute Dana Butterfly House Kit, ideal for encouraging children to get involved decorating their own house and setting it up for the butterflies
Place your butterfly house of choice in a sunny spot facing towards the south as this helps butterflies to warm up naturally. Hang it from approximately 1.5 metres and place it near nectar-rich flowers to attract them to the house. You can even make your butterfly house extra inviting by placing a few twigs upright inside the habitat to provide something for butterflies to cling to and rest.
The big butterfly count
Vivara are actually this years sponsors of the Butterfly Conservation’s Big Butterfly Count if you want to join in then click through for the ID chart or take a look at the handy Pocket Guide to the Butterflies of Great Britain and Ireland Book.
Do add your findings to the Big Butterfly Count’s website or app from 15 July to 7 August to help track butterfly numbers across the UK and contributes to the essential conservation of these wonderful creatures!
For more information about Vivara and a look at ther beautiful wildlife /garden product range do take a look over at www.vivara.co.uk
