From lawn to life: How native plants attract beautiful butterflies to your front yard

Alex Calamia spotlights what to add to your garden that will help turn lawns into flowering native plant meadows.

Alex Calamia

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Aug 20, 2025, 11:28 AM

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Updated 1 hr ago

It’s a growing trend around the country. Front yards that were once lawns are now becoming flowering native plants meadows. I visited John Esposito, a gardener in Huntington who changed his front yard into a native plant garden. It’s changed the neighborhood.

“When people walk by this garden, they look and they say, ‘Wow,’ because they see all kinds of life,” John said as butterflies danced between blooms.

These flowers aren’t for us. They’re designed for all the bees, butterflies, and birds to enjoy. At one point, a monarch butterfly was dancing around the camera in the middle of the shoot.

If you want scenes like this at home, here are some of the native plants you might want to try:

Native plants featured in John’s garden:

Sweet pepperbush (Clethra alnifolia) – Delivers beautiful fragrance and nectar for pollinators. It’s a fragrant alternative to the non-native butterfly bush
Butterfly weed (Asclepias tuberosa) – A must-have for monarch butterflies. It’s one of their primary host plants. It’s a member of the milkweed family and has bright orange flowers.
Pokeweed (Phytolacca americana) – You probably have this plant in your garden. They pop up everywhere. It’s unfortunate they are often mistaken for weeds. This native plant supports birds with its berries and offers flowers bees love. It’s pretty too!
Rattlesnake master (Eryngium yuccifolium) – Spiky, architectural, and a butterfly magnet. This is an exotic-looking plant that our native animals love.
Joe Pye weed (Eutrochium spp.) – Towering blooms that draw in bees and butterflies by the dozens. This perennial would look great in the back of a border.
Bee balm (Monarda spp.) – A pollinator favorite with vibrant color and unusual flowers. Spotted bee balm is a rare variety with memorable blooms.
Echinacea (Echinacea purpurea) – A classic plant for both people and pollinators.
Coreopsis (Coreopsis spp.) – Cheerful yellow flowers that bloom for weeks and provide nectar for native bees. Stays nice and small and has really pretty needle-like foliage.

John's garden has inspired his neighbors to add native plants to their yards.

“I love being out here at 6 in the morning pulling weeds,” John added. “Because I see things. It’s a whole new experience.”

Native gardens like this one don’t just save water and avoid chemicals — they’re a home for busy bees and colorful butterflies, and they will change the way you think of going green. Check out one of our local native plant societies for more insight on plants that are native to our area.