Ragged leaves, untidy corners and no pesticides: how to plant a butterfly garden

A butterfly-friendly back yard is not neat, but what is lost in nibbled leaves is made up for in fluttering colours, and an aid to conservationGet our weekend culture and lifestyle emailThe Richmond birdwing is a show-stopping butterfly. Males are black and dazzling green; females are black and white with a flashy gold trim. They are not easily overlooked as they flutter around subtropical rainforests between Ballina and the Sunshine Coast. For 80 years, the Richmond birdwing population declined precipitously as natural habitat was diced by farming, forestry and urban expansion. Then a concerted effort by community, scientists and government brought the species back from the edge.The Richmond birdwing is a conservation success story, and it was achieved in the gardens of south-east Queensland. Continue reading...