One of the best-known nectar flowers for adult butterflies, “Butterfly Bush” produces blooms over a number of weeks between summer and autumn.

Ceanothus is a large genus of shrubs in the buckhorn family. Ceanothus varieties are North American native plants, versatile and beautiful. Many are native to California, lending the plant the common name California lilac, though it’s not a lilac at all. A Ceanothus bush is likely to be between one and six feet tall.

The bright, violet flowers will attract a range of butterflies, including the common blue and meadow brown.

“Red Valerian” or “Jupiter’s Beard” performs best in poorer, dry or chalky soils, where it forms a tidy, compact plant and won’t be overwhelmed by other, stronger plants. It often flowers early and continues well into midsummer.

If regularly deadheaded, ‘Bowles’s Mauve’ can be relied upon to flower from spring and into autumn, providing nectar for butterflies both early and late in the year.

As well as being a reliable evergreen shrub, hebes attracts a range of insects – in particular bees and butterflies.

Hylotelephium spectabile is a trusty, late-flowering favorite. The plant’s pink flowers make the perfect landing pad for pollinators such as butterflies, moths, bumblebees and honeybees.

Like knapweed, “field scabious” is another plant that will pack meadows with color. There are plenty of similar flowers to try too, including the small scabious and knautia, all of which are popular with butterflies.

“Oregano” or “Wild Marjoram” is best grown as an annual. The delicate, pink flowers are a treat for butterflies, as well as bees.

Always go for the old-fashioned pink form of Hylotelephium spectabile, which produces the most nectar when it flowers in autumn. Red varieties tend to be poor in comparison.

Tall, with lots of purple flowers on stiff, wiry stems, “Purpletop Valerian” can be grown through other plants or in a border on its own. It flowers late in the season and is extremely rich in nectar.