Before: An overgrown corner destined to be cleared and replaced with grasses and thicket plants.
Once you have got to grips with the general principles of designing and building a butterfly garden, you can commence the process of applying them to your own garden, taking into account your needs and the situation of your property.
To illustrate the process of garden design and the types of plants you could use to attract butterflies to your garden, we are including a case study of a garden in KwaZulu-Natal. The original property had a level lawn on the north side of the house and a few appropriate trees and creepers, but there was little else to attract butterflies, and the garden as a whole needed to be redefined.
It is advisable to spend as much time as is necessary on the design to ensure that it is practical for your purpose and for the space available.
In this property, the front area is the sunniest part of the garden; there is a swimming pool on the north-eastern side, and this area is used to entertain guests.
The owners required a low-maintenance design with fairly substantial lawn area, an attractive focal point and a variety of plants to attract more species of butterfly.
Before: An overgrown corner destined to be cleared and replaced with grasses and thicket plants.
Climate: The property is situated in a leafy suburb in KwaZulu-Natal, which has summer rainfall and mild winters. The coldest months usually occur at the start of spring when the summer rains begin. Planting can be undertaken almost all year round and there is seldom, if ever, any frost.
Light conditions: The home faces north-east. Tall trees on the eastern boundary cast some shade in the morning but from around 09h30 the garden, especially the swimming pool area, is bathed in full sunlight. As the sun moves across to the west, the trees cast a welcome shade onto the central lawn from around 12h30 onwards each day.
Condition of the soil: The soil in this garden was in good condition (well draining), albeit very dry from years of neglect. When the grass was removed to implement the new design, the soil was fortunately found to be teeming with earthworms.
Wind factor: This suburb is well wooded and offers natural protection from damaging winds.
Before: Most of these plants were retained and worked into a new woodland area with a focal point.
Defining the open space
Garden design is not as much about creating ‘garden beds’ as it is about defining open spaces. This is a crucial aspect of design as it is the open spaces that will both enhance and showcase the plants.
Garden Design Plan for House Woodhall
Beginning at the patio edge, a curved line was described along the base of the gentle slope at the swimming pool, into a large circle, incorporating a slight scallop to accommodate a focal point and then back to the steps that lead down to the garages and driveway (see the design).
Based on the movement of the sun across the garden, the next step was to identify areas that would receive full sun and those that would have a mix of sun and shade. This was necessary to create a series of ‘habitats’ in the garden based on the prevailing light conditions.
The new design proposed a succulent garden, a woodland, a thicket, a small grassland area and a herb garden filled with plants that could be used for culinary purposes and also to attract butterflies and bees.
Plant selection is the most time-consuming part of the garden design process: it’s important to choose plants that are suited to the prevailing climate and that will not exceed the available space once they have reached their mature size. In this case, it was necessary to establish which plants could also be used to create a series of habitats that would attract more butterfly species to the property.
There is a wealth of relevant information on the internet and some very helpful books (see Recommended Reading).
It was clear from the start that a significant amount of garden waste would be generated from this site, due to years of untamed growth. Removing this quantity of waste would have been an expensive exercise, so instead a compost heap was constructed on the lower level of the garden in a position that was easily accessed from the driveway. Wooden posts were driven into the ground and shade cloth secured around the entire structure. Within a month and a half, the compost from this heap could be used to mulch the new garden.
Beginning the clearing process
Once the area was cleared, the design was laid out and demarcated, after which the lawn was removed, where necessary, as well as any unwanted soft growth, roots and weeds that remained.
Two truckloads of rich, black compost were brought onto site and a 5cm-thick layer was spread evenly throughout the new area. As the compost was laid down, a Green-banded Swallowtail flew in to inspect the rich humus.
Rich black compost was dug into the new beds to enrich the soil.
An organic general-purpose fertiliser was added to those areas where groundcovers would be planted, and compost and fertiliser were worked into the soil to a depth of approximately 20cm. This was the only time the earth would be disturbed as, hereafter, a process of mulching only would be required several times a year. Bonemeal was added to each planting hole of the bigger plants to encourage root growth.
Once the soil was well prepared, the paths were demarcated with recycled branches from the clearing process as well as offcuts of hard wood. In time, the wood will decompose, providing food and shelter for smaller insects, which in turn will attract a variety of ground-feeding and insectivorous birds.
Green-banded Swallowtail investigates the fresh layer of humus.
Recycled wood in the garden soon becomes festooned with beautiful fungi.
Weedguard (a finely woven, well-draining material) was laid along the service path and topped with a small-chip bark preparation – smaller chips being more stable underfoot than large ones. There are, of course, many surfaces that one can use for a path.
Once the planting area had been prepared, the plants were placed according to the design on paper. Having a detailed design makes it easier to purchase the required amount of plants and accessories, and ensure no wastage or running out of material at a crucial time.
There are always little ‘on-site adjustments’ that need to be made, however, at this stage it’s wise not to start adding plants simply because an area seems bare – any spur-of-the-moment decisions can impact heavily on the design of the garden once it has matured.
No garden would be complete without a healthy layer of mulch. For this you should choose a good-quality compost, which will be worked slowly into the soil by organisms such as earthworms, thereby enriching the soil. If you do not have access to compost, hay or straw can serve as an interim solution. However, repeated use of hay will become a problem, as it binds with the soil and forms a layer of clay, which is not desirable.
The particular situation of this garden is approximately halfway between Durban and Pietermaritzburg. Known as the ‘mist belt’, the area experiences heavy mists in summer, keeping this area lush and greener than most parts of the country. The area is not suitable for many of the coastal indigenous plants that thrive on high temperatures and humidity, but it has locally indigenous species and can support plants that enjoy the cooler climates of the Midlands and Drakensberg areas.
Understanding the climatic conditions was the first step in deciding which habitats to introduce and which plants could be used to attract the desired variety of butterflies. It can happen, as in this case, that some of the proposed plants are not available, but there are always more readily available substitutes that can be used. If there is sufficient space once the garden has matured, those species originally proposed can still be added later on.
Woodland
A woodland is a low-density grouping of trees where there are areas of sun and shade. The light conditions in a woodland will support the growth of typical ‘understorey plants’, such as shrubs, perennials, grasses and groundcovers that enjoy dappled sunlight and moist, slightly cooler conditions.
The only trees of any significance in the case-study area were a young Flatcrown (Albizia adianthifolia) and a pigeonwood (Trema orientalis), situated on the eastern side.
The new woodland habitat was situated on the west side of the property so that the trees would throw shade onto the lawn only in the afternoon.
Flatcrown (Albizia adianthifolia)
As space was limited in this area, slender trees with a height of no more than 6m were chosen, such as White Ironwood (Vepris lanceolata), White Pear (Dombeya rotundifolia), Wild Medlar (Vangueria infausta), Forest Elder (Nuxia floribunda) and African Dog Rose (Xylotheca kraussiana). Ribbon Bush (Hypoestes aristata) was planted between these small trees to create a lower stratum, and the path was lined with Fairy Crassula (Crassula multicava), which enjoys both sun and shade. The soil beneath the trees will be protected with a thick mulch of compost until the trees create their own leaf litter.
White Pear (Dombeya rotundifolia)
Succulent garden
Succulents are naturally intriguing with their thick, fleshy leaves and often textured leaf margins. Their flowers range from white or pink through to shocking pink, bright orange and red. A succulent garden can also contain ornamental grasses and sun-loving perennials, which will enhance any collection of these waterwise plants.
The area below the pool surround was the obvious place for a succulent garden, as it is bathed in sun all day. Eventually it will be shaded out by the Flatcrown (Albizia adianthifolia) but succulents are generally easy to transplant and will do well in that position for the next five to six years.
A selection of colourful plants of varying heights and texture was chosen to frame the swimming pool and to provide lots of colour. The large, multi-stemmed Krantz Aloe (Aloe arborescens) growing on the left of the steps that lead to the pool was left in place, but some of the lower branches were pruned away as this is the favourite resting place of the resident labrador, Rosie. A shredded bark mulch will have to suffice.
The Krantz Aloe (Aloe arborescens) next to the steps of the pool
Grassland
A grassland is an area that consists mostly of perennial grasses, as well as sedges, bulbs and herbs. In natural grasslands, any seasonal disturbances such as fires or floods would typically prohibit the growth of trees and shrubs.
It isn’t always easy to create an authentic-looking grassland in a domestic setting, as certain grass species can be difficult to obtain. However, by bulking up on what is available and including interesting grassland flowers, bulbs and herbs in the mix, a very pleasing end result can be obtained.
The grassland area in the case-study garden is situated to the left of the new path that runs alongside the swimming pool. This area receives sun from early morning until late afternoon. Grasses chosen for here were Natal Red (Melinus repens), Weeping Lovegrass (Eragrostis curvula) and Common Bristle Grass (Setaria sphacelata var. sphacelata) as well as a selection of forbs and bulbs that typically occur in this environment.
The swimming pool surround and succulent garden with Euryops pectinatus in the foreground
The grassland area upon reaching maturity
Thicket
A thicket is a dense growth of shrubs or small trees.
Behind the grassland, a sunny area was designated as a thicket. As the area contained a number of entangled shrubs, and the invasive alien species had formed a mass, it was decided to remove all growth and start afresh.
The new thicket was planted with Buddleja auriculata, Burchellia bubalina, Leonotis leonurus, Heteropyxis natalensis, Ochna serrulata and Erythrina humeana for their varied height and texture, and the shade-loving Plectranthus saccatus as a backdrop. Hypoestes aristata was used at the base of the Heteropyxis natalensis to provide shade for the perennial Clivia miniata, planned for future planting once there is sufficient shade. In the meantime, Agapanthus africanus was planted in that spot.
All these shrubs were spaced in such a way as to encourage them to grow together to form a thicket for birds, but not become so intertwined with one another to require cutting back at any stage.
Bare earth is unproductive, so the primary objective of any gardener should be to cover the soil as quickly as possible, either with a thick layer of mulch or with groundcovers and perennials that will spread rapidly and protect the soil.
For this garden, a variety of perennials was chosen, including Clivia miniata (shade), Tulbaghia violacea (sun), Gazania rigens (sun), Agapanthus praecox and A. africanus (sun), Crassula multicava (sun) and Plectranthus ciliatus and P. verticillatus (shade). Many of the succulents such as the Delosperma spp. will also provide rapid cover for the soil.
Until the trees and shrubs in the woodland area can grow and provide enough shade, it was considered most economical to cover the earth with shredded bark, compost or fallen leaves – in this case, from the surrounding London Planes. Once there is sufficient shade, all sorts of wonderful bulbs and perennials could be introduced, such as Zantedeschia aethiopica, which enjoys dappled shade, Haemanthus albiflos and Crinum moorii or C. macowanii. The shade-loving grass Oplisminus hirtellus, treasured by the various Brown butterflies, has a tendency to find its way into most gardens, where it quickly covers the earth with its oriental-looking blades.
Clivia miniata fills a space with form and bright colour.
Herb garden
The area against the house wall to the right of the swimming pool was the ideal spot for herbs, as it receives sun from morning to late afternoon. The area will soon exude the heady scent of Mediterranean herbs such as Rosemary, Lavender, Thyme, Sacred Basil, Comfrey and Geranium. These plants do not require excessive water, making them perfect for a low-maintenance garden.
Common Geranium Bronze host plant Geranium pulchrum
There is nothing more pleasing in a garden than the sound of running water or the constant activity of wildlife that a small pond attracts. Insects, such as bees and butterflies, and even many bird species, enjoy drinking from a shallow area of the pond, where they won’t drown.
It was decided not to introduce another water feature into this garden because it already had a pool. Instead, several birdbaths would be introduced for the birds.
Rocks: Butterflies require a surface on which to warm themselves, especially on colder days. In this instance, the patio surround to the pool would serve that purpose, but some smaller rocks collected from an old stone staircase were also included in the succulent garden.
Rocks in the succulent garden surrounding the pool give butterflies a place to sun themselves.
Mud: Several species of butterfly require mud for their mineral requirements. A mud patch wasn’t included in this garden, but it is simple to achieve. Remove some soil to create a shallow depression in the earth, lay a piece of thick plastic into the depression, cutting away any excess plastic around the edges. Replace the soil that was removed and ensure that it stays damp throughout the year.
| PLANTS USED IN THE CASE STUDY | ||
|---|---|---|
| Trees | ||
| Plan index | Plant | Benefit of plant |
| Existing trees | ||
| 33 | Flatcrown (Albizia adianthifolia) | Host plant for Satyr Charaxes |
| 9 | White Ironwood (Vepris lanceolata) | Host plant for Green-banded Swallowtail, Mocker Swallowtail, Citrus Swallowtail |
| 14 | Cat’s Whiskers (Clerodendron glabrum) | Host plant for Natal Bar, Purple-brown Hairstreak |
| 4 | Dune False-currant (Allophylus natalensis) | Host plant for Pearl Charaxes |
| 20 | Coral Tree (Erythrina lysistemon) | Host plant for Tailed Emperor (moth) |
| 34 | Pigeonwood (Trema orientalis) | Pioneer plant, providing shade and food for birds |
| 3 | Dune Soap-berry (Deinbollia oblongifolia) | Host plant for Purple-brown Hairstreak, Black-and-orange Playboy |
| New trees | ||
| 15 | Horsewood (Clausena anisata) | Host plant for Citrus Swallowtail, Mocker Swallowtail, Green-banded Swallowtail |
| 10 | Wild Pear (Dombeya rotundifolia) | Host plant for Buff-tipped Skipper |
| 37 | Dwarf Coral Tree (Erythrina humeana) | Host plant for Tailed Emperor (moth) |
| 11 | Forest Elder (Nuxia floribunda) | A very good nectar plant |
| 28 | Lavender Tree (Heteropyxis natalensis) | A very good nectar plant |
| 8 | Wild Medlar (Vangueria infausta) | Host plant for Purple-brown Hairstreak and many other insects |
| 9 & 9a | White Ironwood (Vepris lanceolata) | See above – extra specimen to attract more Swallowtails |
Dune False-currant (Allophylus natalensis)
African Dog-rose (Xylotheca kraussiana)
| Shrubs | ||
|---|---|---|
| Plan index | Plant | Benefit of plant |
| Existing shrubs | ||
| 3 | Bushveld Gardenia (Gardenia thunbergia) | Host plant for Oriental Bee Hawkmoth |
| New shrubs | ||
| 12 | Forest Abutilon (Abutilon sonneratianum) | Host plant for Green-marbled Sandman |
| 40 | Pride-of-de-Kaap (Bauhinia galpinii) | Host plant for Brown and Orange-barred Playboys |
| 41 | Yellow Bauhinia (Bauhinia tomentosa) | Host plant for Orange-barred Playboy |
| 27 | Weeping Sage (Buddleja auriculata) | A very good nectar plant |
| 30 | Wild Pomegranate (Burchellia bubalina) | A very good nectar plant |
| 31 | Bone Apple (Coddia rudis) | Host plant for many sunbirds |
| Succulent garden | Golden Daisy (Euryops pectinatus subsp. pectinatus) | A very good nectar plant |
| 38 | Small-leafed Curry Bush (Hypericum revolutum subsp. revolutum) | A very good nectar plant |
| 19 | Ribbon Bush (Hypoestes aristata) | Host plant for Blue, Yellow and Brown Pansies |
| 32 | Wild Dagga (Leonotis leonurus) | Host plant for Bush Bronze |
| 25 | Forest Bells (Mackaya bella) | Host plant for Blue Pansy |
| 29 | Carnival Ochna (Ochna serrulata) | Karkloof Emperor accepts this as food plant |
| 5 | Pentas lanceolata | A very good nectar plant |
| 24 | Zulu Spurflower (Plectranthus zuluensis) | Host plant for Bush Bronze, Mocker Bronze, Dry Leaf Commodore |
| 26 | Stoep Jacaranda (Plectranthus saccatus) | As for previous Plectranthus species |
| 39 | Cape Leadwort (Plumbago auriculata) | Host plant for Barker’s Smokey Blue, Common Blue |
| 7 | September Bush (Polygala myrtifolia) | Host plant for Pea Blue |
| Grassland | Purple Broom (Polygala virgata) | Host plant for Pea Blue |
| 16 | Bird-of-Paradise (Strelitzia reginae) | Host plant for Strelitzia Nightfighter |
| 21 | Cape Honeysuckle (Tecoma capensis) | Host plant for Barker’s Smokey Blue, Common Blue |
| 13 | African Dog Rose (Xylotheca kraussiana) | Host plant for Window Acraea, Blood-red Acraea |
| Perennials/groundcovers/bulbs (all new) | ||
|---|---|---|
| Plan index | Plant | Benefit of plant |
| P7 | Agapanthus africanus; A. praecox | Host plant for Amaryllis Borer |
| S3 | Asparagus densiflorus ‘Sprengeri’ | None – planted for effect |
| P2 | Bulbine natalensis | A very good nectar plant |
| G2 | Fairy Crassula (Crassula multicava) | Host plant for Common Black-Eye, Tailed Black-Eye |
| P5 | Bush Lily (Clivia miniata) | Host plant for Amaryllis Borer |
| B1 | River Lily (Crinum macowanii) | Host plant for Amaryllis Borer |
| Yellow Wild Iris (Dietes bicolor) | A very good nectar plant | |
| G1 | Trailing Gazania (Gazania rigens) | Host plant for Painted Lady |
| P6 | Poker (Kniphofia praecox ‘Lemon Drops’) | A very good nectar plant, especially for Swallowtails |
| Tonga Pelargonium (Pelargonium tongaense) | Host plant for Common Geranium Bronze | |
| G4 | Money Plant (Plectranthus verticillatus) | Host plant for Commodores |
| G5 | Speckled Spurflower (Plectranthus ciliatus) | Host plant for Commodores |
| G6 | Cape Scabious (Scabiosa africana) | A very good nectar plant |
| P1 | Wild Garlic (Tulbaghia violacea) | Host plant for Cherry Moth |
| P4 | Arum Lily (Zantedeschia aethopica) | Host plant for Hawkmoths |
Scabiosa africana and Coleonema aspalathoides
| Grasses/grassland species | ||
|---|---|---|
| Plan index | Plant | Benefit of plant |
| Existing lawn | ||
| Buffalo Grass (Stenotaphrum secundatum) | Used as lawn | |
| Creeping Woodsorrel (Oxalis corniculata) | Host plant for African Grass Blue | |
| New grassland plants | ||
| Skraaldisseldoring (Berkheya speciosa) | Host plant for Painted Lady | |
| Weeping Love Grass (Eragrostis curvula) | None – planted for natural grassland | |
| Natal Red Top (Melinis repens) | None – planted for natural grassland | |
| Guinea Grass (Panicum maximum) | Host plant for Eyed Brush Brown, Marsh Patroller, Black-banded Swift | |
| Common Bristle Grass (Setaria sphacelata var. sphacelata) | None – planted for natural grassland | |
| 36 | Broad-leaf Bristle Grass (Setaria megaphylla) | Host plant for Long-horned Swift, Lesser-horned Swift, Evening or Twilight Brown, Gold-spotted Sylph |
| Polygala spp. | Host plant for Pea Blue | |
| Watsonia spp. | Nectar plant | |
| Black-eyed Pea (Vigna unguiculata) | Host plant for Common Smoky Blue | |
Broad-leaved Bristle Grass (Setaria megaphylla) is an attractive shade-loving plant.
Purple Broom (Polygala virgata) has attractive blossom which provides nectar; the Pea Blue’s larva feeds on the seed pods.
| Succulents | ||
|---|---|---|
| Plan index | Plant | Benefit of plant |
| Existing succulents | ||
| 22 | Krantz Aloe (Aloe arborescens) | Very good for sunbirds |
| Succulent garden | Van Balen’s Aloe (Aloe vanbalenii) | Very good for sunbirds |
| New succulents | ||
| 49 | French Aloe (Aloe pluridens) | Very good for sunbirds |
| 50 | Soap Aloe (Aloe maculata) | Very good for sunbirds |
| Crassula multicava; C. ovata; C. alba; C. capitella | Nectar plants, and attract Black-Eyes | |
| White Mountain Vygie (Delosperma herbeum) | A very good nectar plant | |
| Delosperma spp. – purple and yellow | A very good nectar plant | |
| Cow’s Horn (Euphorbia grandicornis) | A very good nectar plant that is also a feature plant | |
| Carrion Plant (Stapelia spp.) | Host plant for African Monarch | |
| White Lady (Kalanchoe thyrsiflora) | Black-eyes | |
| Porkbush, Spekboom (Portulacaria afra) | A very good nectar plant | |
| Mother-in-law’s Tongue (Sanseveria hyacinthoides) | None – planted for effect | |
| Barberton Groundsel (Senecio barbertonicus) | A very good nectar plant | |
| Canary Creeper (Senecio tamoides) | A very good nectar plant | |
Canary Creeper (Senecio tamoides) makes a great butterfly attractor
Cow’s Horn (Euphorbia grandicornis) has a long flowering period and is host plant to butterflies in autumn.
| Climbers/scramblers | ||
|---|---|---|
| Plan index | Plant | Benefit of plant |
| Existing creepers | ||
| Climbing Urera (Urera trinervis) | Host plant for Dusky-veined Acraea, Dusky Acraea | |
| C2 | Kraal Aloe (Aloe tenuior) | Very good for sunbirds |
| Wild Caper-bush (Capparis tomentosa) | Host plant for False Dotted Border, Brown-veined White, African Common White, African Small White | |
| New creepers | ||
| C1 | Flowering Ivy (Senecio macroglossus) | A very good nectar plant |
| C3 | Black-eyed Susan (Thunbergia alata) | Host plant for Eyed Pansy |
| Herbs – all new | ||
|---|---|---|
| Plan index | Plant | Benefit of plant |
| 47 | Comfrey (Symphytum officinale) | A very good nectar plant |
| 46 | Rosemary (Rosmarinus officinalis) | A very good nectar plant |
| 45 | Lavender (Lavandula ‘Margaret Roberts’) | A very good nectar plant |
| 44 | Geranium spp. | Host plant for Common Geranium Bronze |
| 43 | Sacred Basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum) | A very good nectar plant |
| G3 | Thyme (Thymus spp.) | A very good nectar plant |
Depending on the size of your garden, you might have space for just a few plants, or conversely, you may be able to expand dramatically on what was planted in this case-study garden.
Wild Caper-bush (Capparis tomentosa) is popular as a nectar and a host plant
A patch of Sacred Basil (Ocimum tenuiflorum) can swarm with butterflies.
Like all good butterfly gardens, this fynbos-based garden has an open arena surrounded by nectar plants and perching points.
In our first case study, we illustrated the full design and installation process in the garden. In this section, we showcase mature gardens around the country that are perfectly designed to attract butterflies and a host of other insects and wildlife.
This garden is situated in a private estate in Knysna, an area that is still predominantly Fynbos, interspersed with sections of forest in sheltered areas. The soil has a high clay content and requires large quantities of compost to improve the drainage. Knysna receives summer and winter rainfall, benefitting a wide range of plants.
Design: The home has a magnificent 180-degree view over the Indian Ocean. A wonderful, heady mix of fynbos and succulent species fills the beds and frames the rectangular lawn. The plants in this garden occur naturally in the area and will withstand the often harsh winds that come off the ocean. Pelargoniums have been used to create a low windbreak. Trees grown in this area would require protection from the winds that come in off the sea.
In a garden where the view is paramount, low-growing plants are the answer. However, to prevent a monotonous effect, it is important to use a variety of textures. In this instance, the use of grasses and perennials, the convoluted leaves of the scented pelargoniums and the delicate flowers of the ‘vygie’ family all work together to create a colourful tapestry.
Butterflies: The fynbos gardener’s challenge is to attract butterflies from the nearby natural areas because their host plants are seldom cultivated for the landscaping industry. In this garden, it is the surrounding tapestry of nectar-bearing plants that will attract a selection of garden butterflies.
Butterflies will also enjoy the open lawn area, as it provides an arena for their territorial displays. The taller plants provide a vertical element on which they can perch and watch for rivals.
Aside from the more specialist butterflies, there are some generalists that will use commonly cultivated garden plants in a fynbos garden. Examples are Gazanias for the Painted Lady, lemon trees for the Citrus Swallowtail, Pelargoniums for the Geranium Bronze, and some of the grasses, Merxmuellera stricta and Ehrharta erecta or even Kikuyu lawn, Pennisetum clandestinum, for the Cape Autumn Widow.
Where a view is paramount, low-growing plants are the best option.
Ruschia radicans is an example of the wonderful Fynbos and Karoo ‘vygies’ that make a spectacular mat of colour in the harsh semi-desert.
Gazania splendens is one of the showiest Gazania flowers and can be relied upon to keep flowering throughout the season.
Euryops pectinatus, Elegia tectorum and Felicia ameloides growing together make a fine combination of texture, colour and form in a fynbos garden.
Malephora crocea
Yellow Cineraria saxifraga
Coleonema aspalathoides are good nectar plants
This property is 30km outside of Durban, KwaZulu-Natal, and is situated adjacent to a cliff edge in the summer-rainfall area; the temperature seldom drops below 8°C.
The garden has a glorious view of the Krantzkloof Nature Reserve’s forest canopy. The owners are keen lepidopterists and have planted many host plants as an extension of this canopy to attract the less common species of butterfly.
Design: The slope of this property prohibits large open areas as one might find on a level piece of land, but the garden has many small, intimate arenas that mimic depressions in the forest canopy and, for that reason, several canopy-dwelling butterflies and certain specialist forest species can be found here. The garden – and the butterflies that frequent it – are protected from wind by the layered foliage surrounding the home.
Butterflies: Butterflies visiting this garden move effortlessly through the various strata, from intimate sunny arenas, a mid-stratum of nectar-bearing shrubs and tall grasses and then up to the canopy provided by the mature trees, which the Charaxes species and Mother-of-Pearl enjoy. It is interesting to note that Sapphires, Bars and Playboys always seem to perch on trees with glossy leaves, of which there are many on this property. Tabernaemontana elegans, Trichilia emetica and T. dregeana are a few species with glossy leaves.
The flowering Deinbollia oblongifolia is festooned with nectar-feeding butterflies.
This garden blends well into the neighbouring wild forest, and the shiny-leafed Tabernaemontana provides a perching spot for territorial butterflies.
An interesting feature at the entrance to the woodland walk is a rope up which a Combretum bracteosum (Hiccup Nut) is slowly snaking its way into the canopy of the tree to which the rope is attached. This particular scrambler is known to attract a variety of butterflies with its sweet nectar.
The Deinbollia oblongifolia, which is a host plant for the Playboys and provides nectar for all butterflies, is in flower in May and buzzes noisily with insects at this time of year.
One of the many sunny arenas
A balcony helps when watching canopy-dwelling butterflies.
Succulents basking against a hot, north-facing wall
Stapelia gigantea is used by the African Monarch as a host plant.
A panoramic view over the pool
Broad-leafed Bristle Grass (Setaria megaphylla) against a backdrop of Plectranthus ecklonii
This garden belongs to an old homestead just north of Durban, with a similar climate to the garden in the case study. However, this is a level and well-wooded property in a built-up area.
The garden is blessed with mature trees such as the shiny-leafed Trichilia emetica (Forest Mahogany), Celtis africana (White stinkwood), Syzygium cordatum (Umdoni) and Albizia adianthifolia (Flat-crown Albizia).
Design: The open areas are beautifully defined with generous, sweeping herbaceous borders containing a mix of host and nectar plants such as Strelitzia reginae (Bird-of-Paradise), Leonotis leonurus (Wild Dagga), Tecoma capensis (Cape Honeysuckle) and Felicia amellioides (Blue Kingfisher Daisy), to name a few.
A large lawn area provides an arena for mating displays; prominent feature plants provide perching points for males.
Perfect for butterflies – an open, sunny arena, large trees with glossy leaves and the entrance to a shaded walk
Large, sweeping herbaceous borders define the open space in this large garden
A secluded path through the woodland area where shade-loving species fly
An intimate garden room is situated away from the house.
Many shades and layers of green
One of the large mature trees in the garden
The garden features wide-open spaces, smaller, more intimate ‘rooms’ defined by a series of circles, and an intriguing forest walk.
Butterflies: Again, this variety of habitats is heavenly for butterflies as it offers them a sunny arena in which to move freely, a selection of host and nectar plants and an established canopy on which to perch. Forest-dwelling butterflies such as the Common Bush Browns and Evening Browns will enjoy the woodland area as well as the Pseudechinolaena polystachya that has established itself on the woodland floor.
Gardeners with small properties can create the same effect simply by altering the scale of the plants found in this large garden – a wide selection of medium to small shrubs and trees is available for any particular climate that will give the same effect on a different scale.
Geoff Nichols
Veld Violet (Ruellia cordata)
Geoff Nichols
Wahlenbergia grandiflora
This garden is located in the heart of suburbia in Gauteng, where the owner is enthusiastically recreating the flower-rich natural grasslands that were once found here. This could be regarded as a ‘specialist garden’, as it demonstrates what can be done with locally indigenous plants.
The Highveld climate is one of summer rainfall, with cold winters where frost is commonplace, with the occasional bout of light snow.
Design: The garden is a study in the compatibility of formal and informal plantings over a range of habitats created specifically to attract wildlife.
A classic Highveld grassland has been replicated with a variety of indigenous grasses, including plants such as Helichrysum spp., Senecio spp., Vernonia centauroides and V. hirsuta for the less common garden butterflies. Agapanthus praecox and Eucomis autumnalis make showy additions to the grassland in early to mid-summer.
Bush-violet (Barleria obtusa)
Quilted-leaf Vernonia (Vernonia hirsuta)
A small dam creates a wetland, providing mud at the water’s edge that butterflies use as a ‘drinking patch’. Several Highveld butterflies use water-loving plants as host plants.
Highveld meadows are laid out in a semi-formal pattern that will feature wide grassy paths.
Mature trees surround the stately home and a copse of African Olive (Olea europaea subsp. africana) shelters the house from the hot sun, their glossy leaves providing a welcoming perch for butterflies. Trees and shrubs that have leaves with white or silver undersides, such as Olea europea subsp. africana, Buddleja salviifolia, Croton gratissimus and Burchellia bubalina, are also favoured by butterflies.
Across from the house, an expanse of water nestles in a swathe of indigenous grasses, and is spanned by a boardwalk from which the wetland can be appreciated with dry feet. Wetland margins in the shallow water allow butterflies, bees and other small insects to drink safely.
The property is surrounded by mature trees, while hedges of Buddleja salvifolia and Buddleja auriculata provide nectar through the seasons. Vachellia sieberiana peppers the grassland, its glorious spreading canopy creating areas for understorey plants to flourish.
Butterflies: Highveld gardeners should not have high expectations of seeing as many butterflies all year round as in other climatic zones, as many butterfly species hibernate through the winter in their larval or pupal stages.
However, the Garden and Gaudy Commodores and the Painted Lady can be seen on sunny days in the middle of winter, especially around lush herbaceous borders filled with host and nectar plants. When compiling your list of flowering plants, ensure that you have sufficient species that flower throughout the year.
Typical Highveld grassland butterflies are the Yellow Pansy, Rayed Blue, Garden Commodore, Garden Acrea, Citrus Swallowtail, Meadow White, Pea Blue, Brown Veined White and Broad Bordered Grass Yellow.
If you have the space to create your own grassland, work with grasses that occur naturally in your area and include a complement of the grassland flowers and bulbs that would be found there. Most of these additions would provide nectar for butterflies, with a small percentage being host plants such as Plectranthus esculentus. Ensure that your grassland includes some of the tall flowering plants such as Helichrysum spp., Kniphofia spp. and any other bloom with a tall stem. This will enable not only the butterflies to perch, but also the smaller grassland birds while they collect seed.
An attractive arena with sun and trees for butterflies to perch
A wild Highveld meadow garden with a plethora of forbs and grasses
Shade-loving plants thrive under the gracious canopy of Paper-bark Acacia (Vachellia sieberiana)
Grasses and indigenous orchids provide perching for a host of insects
One of the paths photographed when the garden was mature, with the tall Giant Crassula (Crassula acinaciformis) plants adding a vertical element.