The next flower you might think about planting is the chrysanthemum.
Chrysanthemums come in a wide variety of colors and types. They include the
garden mum, the painted daisy, and the Shasta daisy. Chrysanthemums average one
to three feet in height, so again, leave them some space between planting and
position them toward the back of the garden. These plants need to be divided
every two or three years to prevent overcrowding. Pruning them back twice during
the growing season will give you a fuller, more organized plant.
Echinacea
Echinacea, commonly known as coneflower, is not only loved by butterflies but
will also attract birds, who enjoy feeding on the seeds. Coneflowers are another
big one, growing three to four feet tall. If you want them to re-flower, you
will need to deadhead them. Deadheading is done by simply cutting off the spent
flowers. Don't do this if you are interested in attracting the birds though, the
spent flowers contain the seeds that they love so much. Go easy on the
fertilizer. They don't need much.
Coreopsis
The coreopsis has yellow, daisy-like flowers. They are known for their long
blooming periods. Coreopsis plants grow up to be approximately two feet tall.
These would do well planted in the middle of your butterfly-attracting garden.
They are easy to care for. They should be deadheaded after their flowers fade to
quicken the renewal of more blooms. But don't worry if you forget, they will re
bloom on their own. It just takes longer.
Salvia
There are many different varieties and colors of salvias to choose from. Some
salvias are purely ornamental, while others are a part of the herb family,
commonly called sage. Salvias will not only attract butterflies but also
hummingbirds, if you are lucky enough to have them living in your area. Each
variety of salvia has its own growing habits so you will have to check with your
local gardening center to find the characteristics of the type you select, but
on average they will grow anywhere from one and one half to three feet high. It
is important to remember not to cut these back in the fall as that could promote
rotting of the crown. Wait until spring after new growth has begun to appear
before cutting them back.