Welcome to my website where you can find information obtained from my garden located in Silver Spring, Maryland, USA (a suburb of Washington, D.C.). I hope you use it to create your own butterfly garden.

If you're interested in watching butterflies, I strongly recommend creating a butterfly garden. During my first year of butterfly gardening (1993) with just a few plants specially for butterflies, I saw 14 butterfly species in the garden. Since then, I have added many plants to attract butterflies. In 2007, I observed 36 butterfly species (out of a total of 56 seen in the garden since 1993). Creating a butterfly garden also attracts other interesting plants and animals.

You don't need to live in the country or next to a natural area to attract butterflies. Small suburban lots with mowed-grass lawns and a few trees and shrubs surround my garden. Rock Creek National Park is about a half-mile away.

         Eric Raun