Designing a Butterfly Garden with Native Plants
Designing a Butterfly Garden with Native Plants in Monmouth County
Imagine stepping outside your back door and seeing your yard alive—Monarchs fluttering by, bees bouncing between blooms, and a sense of natural beauty you didn’t have to force or fake.
That’s the power of a native butterfly garden, and it’s easier to create than you might think—especially when you work with a landscape design team who knows how to do it right.
At Plush Landscaping NJ, we help Monmouth County homeowners create butterfly and pollinator gardens that are both stunning and sustainable.
Here’s how we design them—and the native plants that make them thrive.
🦋 Why Build a Butterfly Garden?
A butterfly garden doesn’t just look good—it does good, too.
🐝 Supports pollinators (butterflies, bees, hummingbirds)
🌱 Restores balance to suburban and urban spaces
💧 Low-maintenance and drought-friendly
🎯 Perfect for families, nature lovers, and backyard upgrades
Bonus: Many butterfly-attracting plants are native perennials, which means less replanting and more blooming every year.
🌿 Step-by-Step: Designing a Butterfly Garden That Works
✅ 1. Choose a Sunny Spot
Butterflies are solar-powered—they need warmth. Your garden should get 6+ hours of full sun per day.
✅ 2. Include Host Plants + Nectar Plants
A true butterfly garden supports the entire lifecycle—not just adult butterflies. That means:
Host plants where butterflies lay eggs (ex: milkweed for Monarchs)
Nectar plants with bright, tubular flowers for feeding
✅ 3. Design in Layers
Butterflies love variety. We plant:
Tall nectar sources in the back
Mid-height flowers in the middle
Groundcovers and low perennials in front
This layered effect also creates visual depth and color from every angle.
✅ 4. Provide Shelter + Water
Flat stones, shallow water dishes, and tall grasses give butterflies a place to rest and hide from wind.
Pro Tip: Avoid pesticides! Even organic sprays can be harmful to pollinators.
🪻 Native NJ Plants That Attract Butterflies
Here are some top-performing, butterfly-approved plants we use in Monmouth County gardens:
🧡 Milkweed (Asclepias tuberosa)
Host plant for Monarch butterflies
Bright orange blooms
Thrives in sandy NJ soil
💜 Bee Balm (Monarda fistulosa)
Lavender flowers + minty scent
Attracts butterflies, bees, and hummingbirds
Deer-resistant and drought-tolerant
💛 Black-Eyed Susan (Rudbeckia fulgida)
Easy-care perennial with golden blooms
Loved by butterflies, native bees, and birds
💙 New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)
Late-season color
Critical nectar source during fall migration
Deep purple blooms
🌸 Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)
Long bloom season
Durable and drought-tolerant
Provides nectar and seed heads for birds
🎨 Want to Go Next Level?
We often pair butterfly gardens with:
Stepping stone paths for up-close viewing
Rain gardens to handle runoff naturally
Native ornamental grasses for movement and structure
Low-voltage lighting to extend enjoyment into the evening
📍 Why It Works in Monmouth County
Our area has the perfect conditions for butterfly-friendly landscaping:
Warm summers
Mix of sun and partial shade
Rich biodiversity
At Plush Landscaping NJ, we design with pollinators, property, and people in mind—creating spaces that function beautifully and support the environment.
📞 Ready to Build a Butterfly Garden That Lasts?
Let’s turn a sunny corner of your yard into a living, breathing pollinator paradise. Plush Landscaping NJ will design and install a butterfly garden that fits your home, your goals, and your budget.
👉 Schedule your free design consultation or call (848) 207-9648 to get started.
