Butterfly garden

Paraphrasing a well-known saying, I will say that in our family, the husband proposes, but the wife disposes. For example, my beloved wife wanted to organize a recreation area on the plot where she could sunbathe and lounge with a book. And butterflies must flutter around! Who would bring this fantasy to life? It became immediately clear to me as well. Although, to be honest, I was a bit sorry about the area where I had planned to install a barbecue grill for shashlik parties with friends. But butterflies—you’ll agree—are more important!

My wife went to the city for a few days, the deadline for creating a tropical oasis on a separate Moscow region dacha was limited, so I had to think quickly and creatively. First, I went to a neighbor who always has a lot of useful things behind his bathhouse. I brought back a couple of decking grates—they had darkened a bit over time, but the boards turned out to be excellent (photo 1). I tapped in the nails a bit, cleaned and refined them, straightened and trimmed the edges—the central part of the installation is ready.

The location was already determined (the sunniest clearing on the plot), and I began preparing it. I cleared a patch about 3.5×3.5 m down to the ground and covered it with mulch, several bags of which, purchased on occasion, had been lying dead weight in the shed for several years. I formed 10 cm high borders along the contour, and covered the area itself with a 5 cm layer—this will protect against weeds and grass.

Looking at my creations from the side, I rounded the edges of the area, shaping them like wings, and added a “head” to the central decking-“body” (photo 2). For this purpose, I used a stump from a thick log (from behind the bathhouse, of course). I stuck two rusty M8 studs into it and put old tennis balls on them. I sprayed them with black paint from a can—got “antennae-antennae.” What’s not a butterfly?

So, we have a lattice decking—it will serve as a beach lounger, and a table for drinks or suntan cream. Let’s proceed to “decorating” the territory. A neighbor who grows flowers helped here and gave me several bushes. I’m not a botany specialist, but according to her, these are perennial plants adapted for our region. I planted the flowers in the “wings,” following the recommendations of an experienced person: what to fertilize with, how to water, and other subtleties.

The main task seems to be done, but the theme of fluttering butterflies remained unaddressed… First, the insects need to be attracted somehow. Second, they need somewhere to live. I made a feeder from an old bowl. I put pebbles in it, poured water, and placed various fragrant sweets—pieces of strawberries, bananas, and grapes (photo 3). A complete imitation of a paradise corner on the lake shore! And I built a “bungalow” from boards like a small birdhouse. I cut entrances in the front wall in the form of narrow vertical slits so rain wouldn’t flood it and birds couldn’t reach it (photo 4). The roof is removable, and under it are thin dry branches-perches. I installed the house and bowl on opposite sides of the “oasis” half a meter from the ground.

My wife returned to the dacha in the heat of a hot day and was speechless for a while. Sun, flowers, cold lemonade, and… butterflies! The effect was achieved!

And do you know which insects soon became the main ones in our garden? Bees. And I’m incredibly happy about that. Although we don’t have many plantings, butterflies—their larvae—are pests. Bees, as pollinators, are much more useful.

«Modelist-Konstruktor» No. 4’2025, Sergey OVCHINNIKOV