Butterfly gardening in the foothills is different from butterfly gardening in California's Central Valley. In the Valley, most of the butterfly species are weedy, highly dispersive, multiple-brooded, reach highest densities in the autumn, and depend on a combination of introduced plants (weeds and cultivated species) and irrigation for their continued presence. In the foothills, though some of these weedy species still occur, most of the butterflies are native, adapted to the foothill climate, and thus restricted to one or two broods a year in spring, and less likely to feel at home in a garden. You have many more species nearby in the foothills, but may have a lot less action to see in your garden!
