Butterfly gardening

Articles about creating a butterfly garden, flowers for attracting New Zealand butterflies, raising butterflies in captivity and visiting butterfly houses and butterfly-friendly gardens.

The interior of West Lynn Gardens butterfly house

Visit to West Lynn Gardens butterfly house

A visit to West Lynn Gardens butterfly house, filled with tropical planting and monarch butterflies

Butterfly gardening

Feb 8, 20252 min read

At last! Monarchs!

Success! Monarchs finally arrive in the butterfly garden and I note which flowers are their favourites.

Butterfly gardening

Feb 1, 20252 min read

Learning to love white butterflies

Cabbage whites are the only butterflies around and I begin to appreciate them.

Butterfly gardening

Jan 18, 20253 min read

The checkered appearance of a coastal copper butterfly

New Year Coppers

I find beautiful coastal copper butterflies at the beach and hope they make it to my butterfly garden

Butterfly gardening

Jan 11, 20252 min read

Parasitic wasps attack pupae

Parasitic wasps wipe out a generation of red admiral butterflies.

Butterfly gardening

Dec 28, 20243 min read

The pilot butterfly garden emerges

I fail to grow flowers from seed so I go plant shopping! Then I need to plant everything.

Butterfly gardening

Dec 21, 20245 min read

Bed of Nettles

New Zealand has a range of native nettles, which admiral butterflies need for food and which I'm incapable of growing.

Butterfly gardening

Dec 14, 20244 min read

Moths: Night dancers and environmental indicators

Step 2 of the project plan is to monitor moths and butterflies. Each month I trap moths to see what's nearby.

Amazing moths

Nov 23, 20243 min read

Creating a haven for Auckland's wildlife

Introduction to the garden & planned projects for butterflies & wildlife. Start reading here.

Butterfly gardening

Nov 11, 20243 min read