Without bees and butterflies a gardener can not enjoy an abundant harvest. It is important to help provide for their daily needs (food, water and shelter) to ensure bees and butterflies remain nearby and help take care of our gardening needs.
Bees and butterflies need water which is often obtained from morning dew, puddled raindrops, water baths, water gardens and irrigation systems. Be sure your yard and garden has a system in place that ensures moisture is readily available.
Shelters for windy and inclimate weather can consist of shrub and tree foliage, awnings or sunbrellas. You can build or buy butterfly houses which are thin hollow boxes made of wood with louvered entrances/exits for butterflies to fly into when they become overpowered by wind and need a place to rest.
Flowers are the main attractor to keeping bees and butterflies nearby. Bees prefer flowers that are blue and purple but will pollinate most any colored flower. Butterflies are attracted to bright-colored and fragrant flowers. Bees and butterflies will visit your garden and yard numerous times throughout the day if you simply incorporate their favored flowers within your landscaping.
BEE AND BUTTERFLY FAVORITES
Perennials
Asclepais tuberosa – butterfly weed
Buddleia – butterfly bush
Digitalis – foxglove
Hesperis – rocket
Lilium – lily
Lupinus – lupine
Annuals
Cassia – cassia
Cosmos bipinnatus – cosmos
Helianthus annus – sunflower
Ipomoea – morning glory
Tagetes – marigold
Tropaeolum majus – nasturtium
Viola – pansy
Zinnia – zinnia
Seduce bees and butterflies into your yard with the simple baby step of caring for their needs.
HOMESTEADING - Downsized 
Nice post. We get a lot of butterflies on our lavenders and centranthus, and later on the sedums.
Thank you. Beautiful flowers attract many beautiful things.
I didn’t know bees liked blue and purple flowers! I like blue flowers and have a blue theme in my yard. But alas, I only had one bumblebee. He really liked my thyme when it was flowering like crazy! I had smaller bees or whatever they were, I couldn’t tell. Thanks for sharing!
Thanks – The word or “buzz” will get out to the rest.