The Right Plants to Attract Those Winged Works of Art

· Cosmos has the distinction of being an annual that seeds itself dependably and grows back annually, just as you want the butterflies to do.

· Butterfly bush (Buddleia) is a flowering shrub with purple or white spiked flowers in the summer and fall. It grows tall and wide. To keep it as a low shrub, prune back to 12 inches before it leafs out in spring.

· Butterfly weed or milkweed (Asclepias) gained popularity because it attracts butterflies. Plant it in a natural, moist setting.

· Goldenrod (Solidago) has received a lot of bad publicity because its showy golden flowers open the same time as ragweed, to which many people are allergic. This plant does not produce an allergen and attracts many butterflies.

· Joe-pye weed (Eupatorium) likes moist sites and has a tall (five- to six-foot), coarse-textured habit. It will flower in August and September and is best used to the back of the perennial border.

· Lantana grows in hot, sunny locations. This free-flowering, drought-tolerant, butterfly-attracting plant must be replaced annually, but it's worth it for a summer of flowers.

· Lavender (Lavandula) stays green in winter and offers flowers that we use for sachet and that butterflies love for nectar.

· Purple coneflower (Echinacea purpurea) will cure the common cold, some think. Butterflies act as if it has curative qualities for them.

· Sage (Salvia) offers pink and low blue to purple spiked flowers for the front of your perennial border in spring and summer. The cultivar "Mainacht" has kept the butterflies busy in our garden.

· Mint (Mentha spicata) has leaves for our tea and flowers for their nectar. It's a perfect match.

· Thyme works well as a ground cover cascading over walls, or as filler for joints of walls and patios. It will keep your "winged flowers" flitting around your feet and hanging on your retaining walls.

· Verbena is one of the most butterfly-attracting plants I know. Every butterfly in our yard loves its purple rounded clusters of flowers that last all summer, until first frost.

Not all butterflies have appetites for flower nectar. Some will feed on tree sap, rotting fruit and other juicy debris. Fermenting fruit is a part of their diet in nature. They will feed on overripe bananas nailed to a stick.

From today through Sept. 21, Asian, Costa Rican and North American butterflies are featured in a live exhibit at Brookside Gardens Conservatory in Wheaton, called "Wings of Fancy, World of Flight." It will inspire you to plant a butterfly garden. Adjacent to the indoor exhibit is a terrace of nectar plants to attract local varieties. For hours, fees and other information: 301-962-1400, http://www.brooksidegardens.org.

The Butterfly Pavilion at the National Museum of Natural History is now open daily, 10:15 a.m.-5 p.m. Unlike at the rest of the Smithsonian's exhibits, there's an admission charge most days. For information: 202-633-1000; http://www.butterflies.si.edu.

Joel M. Lerner is president of Environmental Design in Capitol View Park, Md. Contact him through his Web site, http://www.gardenlerner.com.