Flowers are already beautiful and a little peaceful on their own. Add flying blooms, or butterflies, to the mix, and you have an even more gorgeous garden. For a peaceful butterfly garden, start with the plants and flowers they like, but also add elements that make the space especially tranquil.

Plant Centerpiece

The gold standard plant for attracting butterflies, not surprisingly, is the butterfly bush. This shrub comes in blue, purple or white, and it can also grow as big as 10 feet tall and 15 feet wide. As such, a butterfly bush serves as the optimum centerpiece for your butterfly garden. Select a slightly off-center position for your shrub. Better Homes and Gardens suggests pruning the butterfly bush in spring to keep it shapely.

Water Feature

The next important element of your peaceful butterfly garden provides the tranquil background – a water feature. The water feature you choose depends on your space and design plans. For instance, a birdbath is the simplest water feature to install. A fountain works even better as it provides the sound of trickling water. If you have the space, a sparkling pond is a likely option. Place the water feature near the bush but a little closer to the front of the garden.

Bench

You want a space for enjoying your butterfly garden. Select a bench that fits into your garden décor. Garden benches come in materials ranging from acrylic to wooden to metal. They can be rustic, contemporary or utilitarian with storage hidden inside. Place the bench near the butterfly bush so that it can provide shade.

Other Butterfly Plants

In addition to your butterfly bush, your garden necessitates other plants to attract the beautiful flyers. These include the following:

• Butterfly weed: bright orange flowers, grows to 24 inches tall.
• Purple dome aster: clusters of purple flowers, grows to 18 inches tall.
• Petite delight bee balm: pink flowers, grows to 15 inches tall.
• Black-eyed Susan: golden daisies, grows up to 24 inches tall.
• Elijah blue fescue: blue grass clumps, grows to 12 inches tall.

Other plants attractive to butterflies are lantana, Mexican sunflower, purple coneflower and fennel.

Garden Design

With your butterfly bush, bench and water feature in place, it's just a matter of filling in the gaps. As you plan your garden, keep in mind textures and colors. For instance, if you've chosen blue or purple for your butterfly bush, consider setting it off with orange or golden flowers clustered nearby. Group taller plants near the bench, and fill in spaces with the shorter options. Use rocks or a border to make your garden seem more complete.

For more information, contact Superior Lawn and Landscape or a similar company.