Creating a butterfly garden in your very own yard is a fun, rewarding way to support pollinators, enhance natural beauty and enjoy outdoor family time. With the right supplies from Rocky’s Ace Hardware and just a few simple steps, you can create a backyard butterfly garden that attracts these colorful friends all season long.
1. Choose the Right Spot
Butterflies love sunshine. It’s best to select a location that receives at least six hours of sun daily and offers shelter from strong winds. Prime spots include a south-facing yard or border along a fence or shed. Use landscape edging or garden fencing from Rocky’s to define your butterfly garden area and keep it tidy.
2. Plant Native Flowers
Native plants are essential to attract local butterflies and support their lifecycle. Look for varieties like milkweed, black-eyed Susans, bee balm and coneflower. Group flowers in clusters by type—this helps butterflies locate them more easily.
At Rocky’s, you’ll find a wide selection of flower seeds and potted perennials, as well as 7-lb. bags of quality garden soil and compost to give your plants a healthy start. For larger plots, pick up mulch by the bag to help retain moisture and reduce weeds.
3. Provide a Water Source
Butterflies need water—but not deep puddles. Create a shallow puddling station using a terra cotta saucer, coarse sand and a few flat stones. Simply fill the saucer with wet sand, place stones for perching and tuck it into your garden.
Rocky’s Ace Hardware carries a range of saucers, pebbles and decorative stones perfect for this purpose. You’ll also find watering cans and drip irrigation kits to keep your flowers hydrated.
4. Build a DIY Butterfly Feeder
You can encourage visits from even more butterflies by making a feeder with just a few simple supplies. All you need is a small plate or jar lid, string, a wooden skewer and a sponge soaked in sugar water or overripe fruit.
Use Rocky’s selection of twine, craft wood and outdoor hooks to construct your feeder, then hang it from a shepherd’s hook or tree branch in the garden.
5. Avoid Pesticides and Keep it Natural
Skip chemical fertilizers and pesticides that can harm butterflies. Instead, opt for organic gardening supplies available at Rocky’s, including natural insect repellents, compost and soil conditioners.
If you’re looking to expand, browse Rocky’s garden tools and accessories to make maintaining your butterfly oasis easy and enjoyable—from trowels and gloves to wheelbarrows and kneeling pads.
When you create a backyard butterfly garden, you’re giving back to nature—and the whole family will have a lot of fun doing it. Visit your local Rocky’s Ace Hardware or shop online for everything you need to get started.
For expert help, call your neighborhood store. Let’s build something beautiful together!
