Published on July 6, 2025

"Obsessed" is a loaded word and not one to be bandied about. I certainly wouldn’t want to wrongfully use it to describe the actions of anyone. So let me just say that when it comes to designing and planting containers, Pamela Crawford is extremely committed.

How so? Well, 26 of them, overflowing with flowers and foliage, accent the deck and windows of her home in Big Canoe, Georgia. And by my count, she has written seven books about planting in pots, the latest being Container Gardening for Butterflies. So, because people enjoy that kind of thing and go absolutely nuts over butterflies, we paid her a visit for tips on adding a bit of her magic to your place.

At first glance, you may not think her property is conducive to insect pollinators. It’s surrounded by dense forest with no bloom-covered roadsides or meadows nearby to attract them. But many butterflies depend on trees to reproduce. Adult swallowtails, viceroys, hairstreaks, mourning cloaks, skippers, red-spotted purples, and others seek out the foliage of such hardwoods as oak, willow, sassafras, hackberry, pawpaw, black cherry, serviceberry, and tulip poplar to lay eggs that hatch into hungry caterpillars. Once they transform into adults, nectar becomes their sole nourishment. And where do they find that? In blossoms like those gracing Pamela’s deck. "I'm astounded by the sheer number that come," she admits. "They look like flying flowers."

But all that wonder needn't be limited to Pamela's yard. According to the North American Deck and Railing Association (yes, there really is one), over 60 million decks exist in the U.S. If just a fraction of these were decorated with flowers, the declining numbers of butterflies due to loss of habitat might be slowed. She and others maintain that home gardens are the only hope for increasing populations. Planted porches can play a significant role. Here, Pamela shares her expertise for cultivating containers that call these winged beauties to your yard.

First off, no one expects you to adorn your deck with 26 pots. It takes a while to build up to Pamela’s level of engrossment. So start with a few, see how you like them, and add to the number at a comfortable pace.

Here are some of her tips for cultivating containers that will attract the cheery insects.

1. Will deer eat your blooms? Absolutely, unless you find a way to stop them. You can spray them with a deer repellent, put up a protective fence, or even resort to buying plastic flowers from the thrift store. Pamela frowns on the latter.