• The butterfly week attracts the monarch butterfly.monarch butterfly on flower image by David Sexton from Fotolia.com
  
  Butterfly gardens possess a romantic charm enjoyed by homeowners. Creating a butterfly garden is not difficult. Some species of butterflies are attracted to various types of flowers, either to lay their eggs or collect nectar. Adding these flowers into a garden will attract certain species of butterflies, regardless of the garden's size.
  
  

Asclepias (Asclepias tuberosa)

• More commonly known as the butterfly weed or butterfly flower, many gardeners consider the Asclepias tuberosa plant a weed. For those planning to create a butterfly garden, this is one of the integral flowers to include.
  
  The most common variety available has bright orange flowers. It's a favorite of the monarch butterfly and serves as a source of nectar for the adults. At the same time, it's where the Monarch butterfly lays its eggs. Other butterfly species that are attracted to this flowering plant are the Eastern tiger swallowtail, cabbage white, great spangled fritillary and pearl crescent.
  
  

Purple Coneflower (Echinacea purpurea)

• The purple coneflower is a perennial plant commonly found within the Midwestern and Southeastern parts of the United States. The plant gets its name from the cone-shaped, red-orange center of the plant's flower, with each flower surrounded by lavender or purple petals.
  
  The purple coneflower attracts the swallowtail butterfly. It also attracts other butterflies like the gray hairstreak, red-spotted admiral, the painted lady and the wild indigo duskywing. Because purple coneflower requires minimal water to survive, plant these flowers in pots that allow most of the water to drain out or simply water them sparingly if they're planted in the garden.
  
  

Marigold (Tagetes and Celandula)

• Marigold is a hardy, annual plant with a distinct, pungent odor. Marigolds grow anywhere between 5 inches and 3 feet high, depending on the variety. The most common colors of the flowers are red, orange and yellow.
  
  A highly preferred variety is the signet marigold. Apart from being able to attract a number of butterfly species like the Hayhurst's scallopwing, red admiral, American lady, zabulon and ocola skipper, the flowers of the signet marigold are edible, although they have a rather spicy tarragon flavor. It's also the least pungent, with the flowers giving out a scent similar to that of lemons.