'I'm a landscaper and this easy tip will fill your garden with butterflies this summer'

If you're looking to add some life and colour to your garden, there's no better way to do it than making your garden into the perfect space for wildlife. Butterflies are an exciting insect to have in your outdoor space and there's an easy way to entice them.

Butterflies are vital pollinators that help plants to grow and thrive, but sadly, many populations are shrinking. An expert has provided tips on how you can create safe spaces for them to eat and rest in your garden. Creating a garden that attracts butterflies is about more than just adding pretty flowers, and this guide by garden design expert Harry Bodell at PriceYourJob.co.uk will take you through some simple, effective steps to turn your garden into a butterfly paradise.

Harry says flowers are vital in bringing butterflies to your garden as they provide nectar, their primary food source for keeping their energy up.

Butterflies are drawn to vibrant colours such as red, orange, yellow and purple, and they can see ultraviolet light reflected by petals.

Other factors that will make plants appealing include sweet nectar, accessible shape, and scent.

Some of the best flowers for attracting these pollinators to your garden are aster, lavender, milkweed, sage, and sunflowers so look to plant these.

Butterflies start hatching and showing up in spring and leave again in autumn once flowers are growing sparse and the temperatures are starting to cool.

To attract them during that time, you will need a consistent source of nectar for them to feed on.

This will mean planting various perennials (plants that regrow every spring) and annuals (plants that last only one growing season each year).

In providing this variety of plants for butterflies to feed on, you are ensuring blossoms for them to enjoy all year round.

One other crucial tip is to remove dead blossoms. Butterflies need fresh flowers, as old ones have little to no nectar.

When you remove dead blooms from your flowers, known as deadheading, you free up energy and space for the plants to create new blossoms, meaning more nectar for butterflies.

To deadhead flowers, you need to remove the faded or wilted blooms from the plant. Pinch or cut off the flower stem below the spent flower and just above the first set of full, healthy leaves. You can use your fingers, pruning shears, or scissors to do this.

By following these simple tips, you can create a comforting home for butterflies and attract these pretty insects to your outdoor space.