Your Butterfly Garden should be located in a sunny spot and you may want to add some rocks here and there as butterflies love to sit in the sun and warm up. A small water source is also recommended, whether it’s a small bird bath top or area that puddles easily.
The Capital District begins to see hummingbirds return to the area in May. If you’d like to see these amazing creatures up close and personal, plant a few of their favorite flowers! Choose varieties in red and orange. You could see Ruby Throated or Rufous hummingbirds in your garden.
Green indicates plants that both butterflies and hummingbirds enjoy!
| Plants for a BUTTERFLY garden | Plants for a HUMMINGBIRD garden | |
| Achillea (yarrow) | Alcea (hollyhocks) | |
| Alcea (hollyhocks) | Aesclepias | |
| Asclepias | Aquilegia (columbine) | |
| Aster | Buddleia (butterfly bush) | |
| Centaurea | Campanula (bellflower) | |
| Buddleia (butterfly bush) | Daylily | |
| Chrysanthemum | Delphinium | |
| Coreopsis | Dianthus | |
| Daylily | Digitalis (foxglove) | |
| Dianthus | Heuchera (coral bells) |
|
| Echinops | Hibiscus, perennial (rose mallow) | |
| Echinacea | Iris | |
| Eupatorium (Joe Pye Weed) | Kniphofia | |
| Gallardia | Lilium | |
| Helianthus | Lonicera (honeysuckle) | |
| Helenium autumnale | Lupine | |
| Hibiscus | Monarda (bee balm) | |
| Liatris | Nepeta (catmint) | |
| Lilium | Nicotiana alata | |
| Lobelia | Penstemon | |
| Nepeta (catmint) | Petunia | |
| Malva | Phlox paniculata | |
| Mints | Salvia splendens | |
| Monarda (bee balm) |
Saponaria | |
| Phlox paniculata | Scabiosa | |
| Physotegia virginiana | Verbena | |
| Rudbeckia | Weigela | |
| Salvia | Yucca | |
| Scabiosa | ||
| Solidago | ||
| Thyme | ||
| Veronica | ||