Butterflies

Feeding butterflies takes a two-step approach. Like bees, adult butterflies love to flutter from flower to flower, lapping up nectar with their long, tongue-like proboscis. Most are active in spring and summer, but a few hardy species can stir on warm winter days. By filling our gardens with open, nectar-rich plants that flower throughout the year, we can put on a buffet for passing butterflies.

But to truly welcome these incredible insects into our gardens, we need to serve up a feast for their caterpillars. Some caterpillars can be picky eaters, only satisfied by a few specific species of plant, whilst others will happily munch on a much wider variety of leaves. We've pulled together some top tips on the best plants to turn your garden into a caterpillar crèche...