Santa Rosa Gardens

Perennial Butterfly Garden
For Zones 5-9.   Approximately 6 ft x 16 ft.   Full sun preferred.



Everything you need to attract a multitude of butterflies to your yard – nectar, larval food, and shelter. Don’t be surprised if you find your coreopsis or asclepias leafless someday, when the caterpillars get hungry. The ornamental grasses serve as ‘hotel-hide-outs’. Add a mud puddle for their water source and they may never leave!

Design by Jude.

A – (3) Echinacea Ruby Star EASTERN PURPLE CONEFLOWER
Vigorous grower with horizontal petals of intense, carmine red, flowers that curl back and surround a burnt orange cone center.

B – (1) Panicum Ruby Ribbons SWITCH GRASS
Ruby Ribbons’ soft blue-green foliage emerges in the spring on upright, clumping plants. The foliage takes on a wine-red color in early summer, which intensifies as the season progresses.

C – (1) Buddleia Royal Red BUTTERFLY BUSH
Spikes of fragrant, rich, wine-red flowers, 6-12" long, bloom at the end of arching canes. Very floriferous!

D – (2) Penstemon Red Rocks BEARD TONGUE
Rosy-red trumpets all summer. White throats with hot pink stripes. Deep green leaves.

E – (1) Asclepias incarnata SWAMP MILKWEED
Clusters of rosy-pink flowers. Erect habit. A North American native plant, a magnet for butterflies.

F – (1) Pennisetum Hameln DWARF FOUNTAIN GRASS
A slightly smaller form of 'alopecuroides'. The foliage green and fine textured. Seed heads appear July through September, open greenish-white, and turn a creamy tan.

G – (3) Gaura Crimson Butterflies WAND FLOWER
The hot-pink flowers are held upright by short stems slightly above the foliage.

H – (3) Coreopsis Big Bang Mercury Rising TICKSEED
Velvety wine-red flowers, up to 2" wide, boast frilly , glowing gold centers. Apple green narrow foliage spreads attractively.

J – (3) Agastache Apricot Sprite MEXICAN HYSSOP

Santa Rosa Gardens pre-planned Perennial Butterfly Garden includes 18 top-quality potted plants, full planting instructions and an easy-to-follow illustrated diagram.

Note: If a variety is unavailable, our designer will select a substitute of similar characteristics.