Butterfly bushes. They come in a variety of colors..mine is dark purple. They’re hearty, too. They also attract beautiful butterflies (hence the name).
Plant lots of nectar-rich flowering plants in big pots.
What will work best for you will depend on where you live. Check here for more specific information by state.
http://www.thebutterflysite.com/gardening.shtml
You’ll not only want the flowering plants that they feed on, but also some of the plant that their young eat (as caterpillars), called "host plants".
And since it’s a rooftop garden, what works for you will also be limited to the plants that will take to container gardening.
Lo & Behold™ Blue Chip butterfly bush is a lazy gardeners dream. If you grow butterfly bush, you know it can be labor intensive. In order to keep old-time butterfly bushes looking neat and blossoming, you need to remove spent flower heads. This new little hybrid butterfly bush, called Blue Chip, is an exception to the deadheading rule. It will clean itself and keep on throwing out new little blue flower heads. We call it little, because this dwarf buddleia grows just 2-3 feet tall. It is perennial in USDA Zones 5-9. Once established in the landscape, it will only need supplemental watering in very dry weather. In containers, which tend to dry out quickly, you will need to give it more water but not more attention.
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I want to grow wildflowers and some flowers for hummingbirds.
I also want to grow pumpkins and I also have some soybeans and corn that I want to plant.
Where do I start??
Start small. A huge garden if you’re inexperienced will be overwhelming.
The pumpkins, soybeans and corn are relatively easy, as they have similar requirements. They want full sun, and fertile, well-drain soil. They will all be planted by putting seeds in the ground, after the ground is completely warm. The date depends on where you live. the further south you are, the sooner you can put them in. Where I am (central ohio), the official "last frost" date is May 15th.
corn and beans are generally planted in rows, pumpkins – you make little "hills" with soil, and put seeds in there. When they sprout, thin to the strongest 3 seedlings per hill. the pumpkins will sprawl a good 10-15 feet. they need lots of space.
As for wildflowers and hummingbird attractors – you might want to think about planting perennial flowering shrubs or perennial herbs. Once established, they need little care, and do their thing every year. Consider butterfly bush, lilac bush (If you have enough space). Cardinal flower (herbaceous perennial) I’ve heard will pull hummers down from the sky 9so to speak). Go to a nearby nursery, and tell them what you want, and the space, and amount of sun/shade, etc. They can show you what does well in your area, and for your specific conditions. They’ll also have seeds for your vegetables.
I would like a list of NATIVE wildflowers, not naturalized or non-invasive. For example, Butterfly Bush will not be considered. A list or resource would be very welcomed.
The site I am looking at receives full sun all day long.
Butterweed weed is a favorite of Monarchs. Asclepias Tuberosa I believe.
A Morpho Butterfly emerging from its cocoon. This video was produced as an eco-educational initiative for the students of La Escuela Hacienda Jaco in Costa Rica. This video will be used in the classroom to enhance the educational experience of the Hacienda Butterfly Garden Project. For more information on E4 and our travel services, programs, and projects focused on sustainable tourism and develpment in Costa Rice, visit our website at WWW.E4COSTARICA.COM
High quality Costa Rica video available via podcast feed on our site!
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they wanted your honey ?
Nectar Preferences
Different species of butterflies have different preferences of nectar, in both colors and tastes. A wide variety of food plants will give the greatest diversity of visitors. Try staggering wild and cultivated plants, as well as blooming times of the day and year. Groups of the same plants will be easier for butterflies to see than singly planted flowers.
Some varieties of flowers which are easy to find and grow in Kentucky, and will be attractive to many species of butterflies include:
Aster
Black-eyed Susan
Butterfly weed
Coreopsis
Daylilies
Goldenrod
Hibiscus
Lavender
Lilac
Marigold
Butterfly Bush
Oxeye Daisies
Phlox
Pink Azalea
Purple Coneflower
Redbud
Rosemary
Verbena
TO MAKE BUTTERFLY GARDENS
By Stephanie Bailey, Extension Specialist
University of Kentucky Department of Entomology
Another way to attract adult butterflies to your yard is to offer places (food plants) for females to lay their eggs. Some females are pickier about which host to lay their eggs on than others. A few specific examples of butterflies and their host plants are listed at the end of this fact sheet.
The larvae can also be very noteworthy. Some caterpillars have hairs or forked spines, which may be or may not sting (often the hairs are just for show). It’s better to be safe than sorry, so wear gloves when handling these larvae. Certain swallowtail caterpillars imitate snakes or bird droppings. Other caterpillars, like sulphers, are camouflaged, or blend into their surroundings very well. If caterpillars are eating excessive foliage from a prominent or desirable part of a plant, try moving them (with gloves on if they’re hairy) to the backside or another less noticeable portion of the plant.
All insects are cold-blooded and cannot internally regulate their body temperature. Butterflies will readily bask in the sun when it is warm out, but few are seen on cloudy days. It is a good idea to leave open areas in a yard for butterflies to sun themselves, as well as partly shady areas like trees or shrubs, so they can hide when it’s cloudy or cool off if it is very hot.
Butterflies also like puddles. Males of several species congregate at small rain pools, forming puddle clubs. Permanent puddles are very easy to make by burying a bucket to the rim, filling it with gravel or sand, and then pouring in liquids such as stale beer, sweet drinks or water. Overripe fruit, allowed to sit for a few days is a very attractive substance (to them!) as well.
Butterfly Anatomy
Adult butterflies and moths have mouth parts shaped into a long, coiled tube. Forcing blood into the tube straightens it out,allowing butterflies to feed on liquids. Butterflies get all their food from this tube, which limits them to nectar and standing water. Larvae, on the other hand, have chewing mouth parts which they use to skeletonize or totally defoliate leaves. Butterflies have large, rounded compound eyes which allows them to see in all directions without turning their head. Like most insects, butterflies are very nearsighted, and are more attracted to large stands of a particular flower than those planted singly. They do not see "red" as well as we do, but they can see polarized light (which tells the direction the sun is pointing) as well as ultraviolet light, which is present on many flowers and guides them to nectar sources. Butterflies also have a very well-developed sense of smell from their antennae. All butterflies’ antennae are club-shaped, as opposed to moths, which can be many shapes but often are feathery.
Butterflies begin their life as an egg, laid either singly or in clusters depending on the species. A very tiny caterpillar emerges and, after consuming its egg shell, begins feeding on its host plant. Caterpillars must crawl out of their skin or molt, usually around five times, before changing into a pupa. Finally, an adult butterfly emerges, spreads its wings and flies away. This type of development is complete metamorphosis.
Butterfly gardens are a great source for your own enjoyment, photo opportunities, or an outlet for artistic talent. These gardens can also be extended to interest youth in nature, by providing a small window of native inhabitants of the local environment. On a final note, it’s important to conserve butterflies when possible since their habitat is constantly diminishing due to the increasing needs and consequent development of roads and housing.
I can’t wait for them to come back to our area around mid-April…I miss them dancing in our gardens and around our feeders on our porch 
I have.
I love them too– they’ve started to come back in our area, we’re already filling up our feeders 2x a week now. Soon it’ll be daily.
Locate in a sunny area, to provide food, shelter and water. Plant Host plants such as fennel, parsley, red basil, Queen Anne’s Lace milkweed and dill. Plant Nectar producing flowers in colors of red-orange and yellow. Select single flower rather than double. Diversity is the key in the selection of plant material – the more diverse the plant selection the more butterflies will be attracted. Make a statement with color – lots of color. Plant for continuous bloom. Include damp area for ‘puddling’. Provide flat stones for basking ( butterflies need 75-110 degrees for flight ). Do not use pesticides. Plant Natives. Shelter form strong winds. Provide some artificial feeders ( rotting bananas or cut citrus). Provide a butterfly house, although the Butterfly Society claims they really do not "work"! Provide a puddling saucer of damp sand.
nfd♥