These are some that I have planted in my butterfly garden:
Autumn Joy Sedum
Lantana
Coreopsis
Purple Verbena
Salvia
Phlox
Yarrow
Buddelia (probably didn't spell that right - it's butterfly bush)
The butterflies also love the Dill in my vegetable garden area.

The butterfly bush will probably get too big, unless you do a lot of pruning and you start with a young one...With the exception of the coreopsis (which I know nothing about), the others should be able to fit into any of the areas. I've recently planted both verbenas and lantanas, and they all like it sunny and dry--a definite plus!

Lil

Thank you lilleyl2005 and gurley175FS for the advice. I will consider them when choosing my plants.

Thanks,
Bruce

Buddleia will need to be pruned every winter, but it is a wonderful butterfly draw, and basically trouble-free to grow; most are very tall but there are a few "dwarf" versions. My local butterflies especially like asclepia, nepeta, veronica, all marigolds, red or yellow zinnias, phlox, rudbeckia, salvia, gaillardia (sp), monarda, dill (plant successively), and parsley. Interestingly, although I do have lantana, they will ignore it to go to the marigolds and zinnias.

link is National Wildlife Federation's butterfly info - do check out their list of species-specific plants.

Here is a link that might be useful: NWF butterfly info

Don't forget the coneflowers. I have purple and white. There always seem to be butterflies around them when they are in bloom!

Happy gardening!

We had a shortage of Monarch butterflies for a couple of years, due to the death of huge numbers in the southwest, I believe. Anyway, I am doing my part to bring them back! I have Asclepia that are feeding the hungry caterpillars now. I also left the wild milkweed along the edge of the garden for them. Here is a picture of the Caterpillar; isn't he a handsome dude?

Thanks again to everyone.