Garden design 

 

Getting the garden right is the key to encouraging butterflies into your school grounds. There are a number of factors that need to be considered such as plant selection, the positioning of plants, and the use of gardening chemicals.

 

For more information on establishing a butterfly-host garden refer to:

• Hay, R., Houston, T., Williams, R. & Williams, M. 1994. Bring back the butterflies: butterfly gardening for Western Australians. (edited by Terry F. Houston on behalf of the Western Australian Insect Study Society). Published by the Western Australian Museum.

• Butterfly-Friendly Gardens (Perth Zoo)

• Butterfly-Friendly Gardens PDF (Perth Zoo)

• Turn Your Backyard into a Butterfly Garden (Gemmill Homes)

• 10 Steps to a Butterfly garden (Melbourne Zoo)

 

 

Identifying butterflies and matching plant selection

 

Butterflies will require different plants to support each life-cycle stage. For this reason, it is important to build a garden that has a range of native plant species which, together, provide leaf food for caterpillars, shelter for the chrysalis and nectar for butterflies.

 

There are over 50 native species of butterfly that can be found in the Perth and South-West region of Western Australia. Each variety has its favourite native plants. It is recommended, when possible, to include these plants in the butterfly garden design. For images of the common native butterflies and their food plants go to the Department of Parks and Wildlife's Butterfly Identification Chart.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

While it is always advised to match the plants to the local native butterflies' prefered food sources, some of these plants can be difficult to source. There are, however, a range of alternative native plants that are known to attract butterflies. These include:

• Red-eyed Wattle

• Coojong

• Feather Speargrass

• Honey Murtle

• Gravillea Crithmifolia

 

For a comprehensive list of suitable butterfly-attracting plants go to the SERCUL's (South East Regional Centre for Urban Landcare) Publications:

• Coastal - Grow Local Plants Guide

• West Coastal - Grow Local Plants Guide

• Central Coastal - Grow Local Plants Guide

• East Coastal - Grow Local Plants Guide

• Scarp - Grow Local Plants Guide

 

 

Cotton Bush alert!

 

The Cotton Bush, also known as the Swan Plant or Milkweed, is the host plant needed to raise caterpillars of the Monarch Butterfly. In Western Australia, the Department of Agriculture and Food has declared the Cotton Bush a noxious weed and is taking steps to eradicate it within the state's borders. Therefore, it is recommended that this plant remains in pots and any seed pods be cut off and disposed of carefully to minimise the risk of it spreading into agricultural regions and native bushlands. For more information on this poisonous, invasive plant, please refer to the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development website.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

                 Narrow Leaf Cotton Bush

 

The Redhead Cotton Bush (Asclepias curassavica L.) is of lesser biohazard concern, but has also been declared a pest and is an alternative food source for Monarch Butterflies. The same biosecurity precautions described above should be followed if growing this plant as a food source for Monarch Butterflies. For more information go to Queensland Government webpage, Weeds of Australia, Biosecurity Queensland Edition.