Did you know that there are roughly eight nineteen species of moth for every species of butterfly? Butterflies get a considerable amount of attention but I personally think moths are cooler.
Some additional advice (supported by Dr. Doug Tallamy’s work among others), regardless of which variety of Lepidopteran you may prefer:
Showy cultivars do not have the same ecological impact - Many of the traits selected for change leaf or bloom color, which means that the carotenoids and other plant metabolites differ from the more natural varieties. As such, species for which it is a host plant may not be attracted to it, and will not receive the same nutrients they are adapted for.
Leaf damage is good - Most caterpillars rely on the leaves of plants for food. If your plants are free of damage, you are not feeding them. In addition, the diet of most hatchling and fledgling birds is predominantly comprised of caterpillars. If there are enough caterpillars to denude the plant, there are enough to attract the attention of your local bird population. If you leave them be, you’re increasing the ecological value of that plant (some exceptions apply).
A focus on specialists is a focus on generalists - There are many species of Lepidoptera which rely on one species of plant to complete their life cycle. Milkweeds and their relationship to Monarchs (and other highly specialized insects) is just one example; this year our gardens were graced by the appearance of Spicebush Swallowtail butterflies and their young completely depend on the existence of Lindera benzoin. These critical host plants will also provide leaf forage for generalist species in many cases, and pollen and nectar forage for many others.
is a guided tour through the pollinator/research garden at the University of Delaware, where he works as a teacher and researcher. One of the first things he says makes a fibber out of me so I’m going to go edit my earlier comment
Witch Hazel can take a few years to bloom and the leaves can look raggedy with all the insect action. But I did see a witch hat gall this summer which was really neat!
Spicebush could be an option. Black chokeberry too, it has awesome fall color.
Thanks for the ideas! I didn’t know that about witch hazel, I really like the yellow flowers but have never been close to one. That’s moving sspicebush to the top of the list. Laurels are intriguing - no kids, and the only animals are wild, so should be safe?
We have a small strip between our garage and ally that is similar size so we don't have to deal with spread. We have done lots of different flowers from Prairie Moon. We have brown eyed susans, purple prairie clover, partridge pea, smooth asters, pussie toes. Most we just planted so we will see how it looks in a few years when they are all established. So you can go with a mix.
However, if you want to keep things small take a look at Flawn which sells flower lawn replacements. We've had white Dutch clover for a few years in the grass which we love. We're seeding self heal now so we will see how it looks in the spring
Picea mariana (Black Spruce) might fit the bill for the new tree. Native Plant Trust lists it as a “pollinator powerhouse plant” among other wildlife benefits.
As for shrubs, Lindera benzoin (Spicebush) has yellow early spring blooms and is a host plant for a number of species - not least of which is the Spicebush Swallowtail butterfly. It’s not going to provide you any privacy but my favorite plant, Ceanothus americanus (New Jersey Tea) is also native to the region. Michigan State’s extension office has three lists of native plants depending on your specific region of MI with consideration given to the different soil types throughout the state.
Thanks for your thoughts! My urban yard is unfortunately too small for a black spruce, I should have mentioned that in my original post. But the spicebush and New Jersey Tea will look great in my garden when I find a local source.
I like the sedge idea, but maybe mix in joe-pye weed for some color and maybe butterfly action and new jersey tea (ceanothua americanus) for a low maintenance shrubbery and more butterflies. The shrubs may need some pruning to stay narrow, but probably a twice-yearly thing, they aren’t crazy.
If you like the look of long grass, try a sedge. It’s native, looks nice, and you can find a variety that grows in those conditions. If some spreads to the neighbor’s yard, it will just get mown down.
I’m nervous of the maintenance of rock. I know that sounds silly because rocks lol but I have several large leafy trees and the little rock area I have now always gets matted with leaves no matter how hard I try to keep them out!
@kurdunkaroo After spending a vacation in the middle of the Belizean jungle and seeing the amazing biodiversity there, I became obsessed with native habitat restoration at home. I live on a small piece of land, but have filled it with gardens of native plants. I have also been working to replace what turf is left with native ground covers. This is the most rewarding hobby I have.
Part laziness and part love of nature. I hate watering, so anything that thrives in my garden has to be fine with weeks or months of neglect, so natives are the obvious solution. I also got tired of trying to keep exotic grass alive through drought conditions, so I started replacing my lawn with native groundcovers. Then I got into milkweed to save the monarchs and started looking into host plants for other native butterflies. It’s a source of joy to see my backyard alive with pollinators and all sorts of wildlife.
How important is it to focus on native vs non-invasive plants in a European context? I live in Scandinavia but come originally from North America and in NA there can be a pretty intense ideal of native plant gardening that I don’t experience the same way here. Ex, lavender is not native to Scandinavia and nobody seems to care.
If you have anything to say on the subject of drought tolerant plants and grasses suitable for Northern Europe I’d love to hear it.
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