As I was planning to plan my 2012 garden, I was really only thinking of vegetables. But I came across this post on the University of Minnesota Extension website regarding butterfly gardening.
http://www.extension.umn.edu/distribution/horticulture/components/DG6711e.html
And non-vegetable gardens deserve as much planning as vegetable gardens. Although I feel that by producing vegetables, I am providing for my family. However, there is an aesthetic property to having a beautiful yard that will provide season-long enjoyment for me and my family. I bet the neighbors will be thankful for a nice plot of flowers, too.
My past leanings have been for perennials. I think that was mostly driven my my frugal nature. But in the Extension's publication, I learned that butterflies mostly want nectar and that since annuals tend to bloom for long stretches of the summer, they can provide well for them. There is also a need for perennials, as they can provide variation over many seasons. Additionally, a divers planting can provide a flower bed that is more resistant to any single environmental problem.
As I continue on my planning journey, I will be considering placement of a butterfly garden.
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