Butterfly, Bird, and Bee Gardens – Plans and Plants – Consider Native Plants

I planted Swamp Milkweed in my New Jersey garden, and I had a host of monarch butterfly visitors who laid eggs there. It was thrilling to watch the monarch caterpillars become glorious butterflies in New Jersey, and I am ready to start my Butterfly Garden now in Mississippi. As I plant my butterfly garden, I’ll also be planting my bird and bee garden, too. Birds, bees, and butterflies are attracted to the same plants.

Milkweed is essential for the growth cycle of monarch butterflies, and several native milkweed varieties grow in Mississippi:

Image Credit: The Crosby Arboretum – Mississippi State Extension Service
http://www.crosbyarboretum.msstate.edu/mississippi-milkweeds

In the above brochures, both Swamp Milkweed and Butterfly Weed are listed as native to Mississippi, and I have ordered 3 of each of those plants to grow in my 2024 garden in Water Valley, MS. Following are the plants I have ordered for my Butterfly Garden from American Meadows.

Images Credits: American Meadows

Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
Height: 30-36″ tall
Image Credit: American Meadows

Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)
Height: 36-48″ tall (3-4 ft)
Image Credit: American Meadows

Aster ‘Purple Dome’ (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)
Height: 36-48″ tall (3-4 ft)
Image Credit: American Meadows

Red Switchgrass ‘Shenandoah’ (Panicum virgatum)
Height: 36-48″ tall
Image Credit: American Meadows

American Meadows Pre-Planned Monarch Butterfly Garden Plants

Butterfly Weed
Image Credit: American Meadows (Asclepias tuberosa) – 3 plants
Height: 24-36″ tall

Soulmate Swamp Milkweed (Asclepias incarnata) – 3 plants
Image Credit: American Meadows
Height: 24-36″ tall

|
Purple Dome New England Aster (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae ) – 3 plants
Image Credit: American Meadows
Height: 24-36″ tall

Shasta Daisy ‘Becky’ (Leucanthemum superbum) – 3 plants
Image Credit: American Meadows
Height: 36-48″ tall

Catmint ‘Walker’s Low’ Nepeta (Nepeta faassenii) – 3 plants
Image Credit: American Meadows
Height: 24-30″ tall

Bee Balm ‘Jacob Cline’ (Monarda didyma) – 1 plant
Image Credit: American Meadows
Height: 36-48″ tall

Coneflower ‘Magnus’ (Echinacea purpurea) – 1 plant
Image Credit: American Meadows
Height: 28-40″ tall

Coneflower ‘PowWow Wild Berry (Echinacea purpurea) – 1 plant
Image Credit: American Meadows
Height: 20-24″ tall

Buttonbush (Cephalanthus occidentalis)
Height: 4-8 ft tall
Image Credit: American Meadows

Cardinal Flower (Lobelia cardinalis)
Height: 30-36″ tall
Image Credit: American Meadows

Boneset (Eupatorium perfoliatum)
Height: 36-48″ tall (3-4 ft)
Image Credit: American Meadows

Aster ‘Purple Dome’ (Symphyotrichum novae-angliae)
Height: 36-48″ tall (3-4 ft)
Image Credit: American Meadows

Red Switchgrass ‘Shenandoah’ (Panicum virgatum)
Height: 36-48″ tall
Image Credit: American Meadows

Joe Pye Weed ‘Baby Joe’ (Eupatorium dubium)
Height: 24-36″ tall
Image Credit: American Meadows

Because American Meadows offers deals on groups of plants, is a great place to shop for natives.

Lively Butterfly Meadow Native Pre-Planned Garden
Image Credit: American Meadows

Swamp Milkweed ‘Cinderella’ (Asclepias incarnata)
Image Credit: American Meadows
Height: 36-48″ tall

Common Ironweed (Vernonia fasciculata)
Image Credit: American Meadows
Height: 36-72″ tall

Creeping Flox ‘Scarlet Flame’ (Phlox subulata)

Image Credit: American Meadows
Height: 4-6″ tall

Black-eyed Susan ‘Goldstrum’ (Rudbeckia fulgida )

Image Credit: American Meadows
Height: 24-36″ tall

Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum)

Image Credit: American Meadows
Height: 8” tall

Prairie Smoke (Geum triflorum)

Image Credit: American Meadows
Height: 8” tall

Helenium Mariachi™ Siesta)

Image Credit: American Meadows
Height: 18-20” tall

Aster ‘Smooth Blue’ (Symphyotrichum laeve)

Image Credit: American Meadows
Height: 18-20” tall

Purple Love Grass (Eragrostis spectabilis)

Image Credit: American Meadows
Height: 12-24” tall

Prairie Blazing Star (Liatris pycnostachya)

Image Credit: American Meadows
Height: 24-60” tall

Tufted Hair Grass (Deschampsia cespitosa)

Image Credit: American Meadows
Height: 24-36” tall

‘

Carolina Jessamine (Gelsemium sempervirens)
Image Credit: Woodie’s Garden Goods

Image Credit: Bob Tyler Fish Hatchery

Coral Honeysuckle – Jacki Kellum Garden

Coral Honeysuckle – Mississppi Native Plant – Focus on Flowers

Better Homes and Garden Plan

Image Credit BHG
A. Sedum ‘Vera Jameson’ – 2 plants
B. Catmeint ‘Walker’s Low’ – 4 plants
C. Butterfly Weed – 2 plants
D. Bee Balm
E. Black-Eyed Susan – 1 Plant
F. Liatris Blazing Star
G. Anise Hyssop – 2 plants
H. Purple Dome Aster – 2 plants
I. Purple Conelower ‘Ruby Giant’ – 2 plants R
J. Joe Pye Weed – 2 Plants
K. Butterfly Bush – 2 plants

Image Credit: BHG

A. Alum giganteum
B. Purple Dome Aster
C. Tickseed – 3 plants
D. Purple Coneflower – 3 plants
E. Native Blue Flag Iris – 2 plants
F. Shasta Daisy – 1 plant Or Gayfeather
G. Catmint – 3 plants
H. Sedum Stonecrop

Image Credit: BHG

A. Aster
B. Coreopsis
C. Coneflower
D. Liatris Blazing Star
F. Butterfly Bush
G. Russian Sage
H. Sedum Autumn Jo
I. Native Blue Iris

Image Credit: BHG

Image Credit: BHG

A. Mexican Sunflower
B. Daylily – 1 plant
C. Salvia Marcus – 3 plants
D. Creeping Thyme – 3 plants
E. Penstemon Red Riding Hood – 3 plants

A. Monkshood
B. Sedum ‘Autumn Joy’
C. Purple Fountain Grass
D. 3 red
E. Black Eyed Susan
F. Russian Sage
G. Karl Foerster Feather Reed Grass

Image Credit: BHG

Image Credit: BHG
A. Phlox – 3 plants
B. Penstemon – 2 plants
C. Bee Balm – 2 plants
D. Butterfly Bush
E. Coreopsis
F. Sedum
G. Shasta Daisy

Image Credit: BHG

A. Veronica Spicata ‘Goodness Grows’
B. Yarrow ‘Moonshine
C. Chrysanthemum ‘Foxy Natasha’
D. Aster Purple Dome
E. Aster Dwarf White
F. Goldenrod ‘Fireworks’
G. Blue Fescue ‘Elijah Blue’
H. Lamb’s Ear
I. Aster