It's mid-October and things are looking better than I thought they would. I still see a few bees here and there and the occasional butterfly. This one really seemed to like the purple coneflower. It stayed long enough for me to take about a dozen or more pictures at fairly close range. I did a little reading and apparently purple coneflower is one of the top butterfly-attracting flowers. Others are phlox, verbena, and the aptly named butterfly bush. Purple coneflower is perennial and likes full sun. You can get it in a dwarf size, like this one, that's best suited for containers. It's not too late to plant perennials here in zone 7, in fact, you might still find some good deals at your nursery or local big box store. Just make sure your container is large enough because perennials multiply in their second and third years. You don't want to have to repot too soon.
Bookshelf: Container Gardening Books
