Benefits of Butterfly Gardens to Vegetable Gardens
1. Pollination - Butterflies are pollinators of vegetables. Butterfly gardens also attract other vegetable pollinators to the area as well.
2. Beneficial Insects - Butterfly gardens also attract other beneficial insects to the area that help combat vegetable garden pests.
3. Biodiversity - Butterfly gardens contribute to the biodiversity of the entire garden. A variety of plants adds to the choices that a garden pest has to choose from and therefore may assist in one crop from being entirely devastated because the pest has many choices.
4. Companion Planting - Some of the plants used in a butterfly garden also act as companion plants to vegetable gardens by repelling some pests.
5. Multiple Use/Edible Flowers and Culinary Herbs - Some of the plants used to attract butterflies are edible to humans and make a nice addition to a salad or as a garnish. A number of culinary herbs attract butterflies, and therefore serve a multiple purpose.
6. Cutting Garden - Having a butterfly garden nearby the vegetable garden adds to the gardener’s enjoyment if they choose to cut a bouquet.