If your mom enjoys gardening or spending time in her yard, creating and caring for a garden that attracts butterflies could be a great activity for her to do with you or her elder care provider. Gardening offers your mom a way to remain physically active and gives her a way to relieve boredom. A butterfly garden full of colorful flowers and beautiful butterflies adds beauty and enjoyment to her life.
Start with the Right Plants
One great way to attract butterflies and make the garden easy to maintain is to use native plants. The butterflies that live in your area are naturally feeding from the plants that normally grow in their environment. Look for plants with brightly colored flowers. Butterflies like red, yellow, orange, purple, and blue. They also like flowers that are flat topped because the nectar is easier to get to. Choose a variety of plants that will provide flowers throughout the summer. Plan so that when one plant stops blooming, another plant will start. If you want to attract monarch butterflies, be sure to plant some milkweed. You’ll also need to include some plants that caterpillars like to feed on. After all, you can’t have butterflies without caterpillars!
You may have to take mom to the library to do some research about the kinds of butterflies that live in your area and what their caterpillars like to eat. Once you’ve done your research, spend some time with your mom making a list of plants to purchase for her garden. Your mom’s elder care provider can drive her to the greenhouse and help her shop for the plants.
Create Spots for Puddling and Perching
Butterflies like to spend time puddling, which means that they like to sit in damp areas with sand or mud where they can rest and drink some water. Place some shallow pans around the garden with a little sand in the bottom. Keep them wet by watering them when you water the plants. To make puddling areas more attractive to humans, you can dig a hole for the pan and set it down into the soil for a natural look.
Butterflies also like to sit in sunny spots. They like flat areas for sunning themselves. Place some flat rocks in the garden. Tables and chairs also work well, and they have the added benefit of giving your mom a place to sit and chat with family members or elder care providers while she enjoys the butterflies flying around her.
Butterfly Feeders
If you mom wants to boost her chances of attracting butterflies, there are commercially made butterfly foods and feeders available from most gardening stores. Your mom’s elder care provider can help her set them up and keep them filled.
Sources
http://www.onegreenplanet.org/lifestyle/attract-more-butterflies-to-your-garden-and-save-them-from-extinction/
http://www.nwf.org/Garden-For-Wildlife/Wildlife/Attracting-Butterflies.aspx
http://www.hgtv.com/design/outdoor-design/landscaping-and-hardscaping/attracting-butterflies-to-the-garden
If you or an aging loved one are considering elder care in Memorial, TX, please call the caring staff at At Your Side Home Care. We will answer all of your senior care questions. Call today: (832) 271-1600.
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