Britons have been given some advice on how to make their gardens more attractive to butterflies as the nights darken and nature prepares to hibernate for the winter12:03, 02 Sep 2026September is a pivotal month in the calendar as the summer ends, with longer nights and shorter days becoming even more noticeable. It is also a time when temperatures start to drop a little and nature begins its slow walk towards hibernation for the winter, as the leaves turn from green to brown before falling away.‌However, it is still a very active time for gardens, as insects, including butterflies, and other wildlife continue to flourish in verdant areas.‌But there is a way to ensure butterflies will flock to your garden, by making your outside space even more attractive to them, especially at a time when a warming climate means the butterfly population is declining in many areas. According to the UK Butterfly Monitoring Scheme (UKBMS), of the 59 species native to the UK, 33 have been declining and only 25 have improved.‌Whilst the hotter months are behind us, during which time some butterfly species have migrated from Africa to the UK, butterflies are still very much active in September, with the black and orange Painted Lady variety emerging in August as well as September.What should you place in your garden to attract butterflies?According to Wild Yards, butterflies are attracted to sugars, bright colours and “sweet scents” due to the tastebuds on their feet, meaning they find oranges particularly appealing.They state that the best way to attract butterflies, such as the Painted Lady variety, to your garden is to place oranges "out someplace where the colours are visible, the scents can carry on the wind, and the butterflies can land easily to have a taste”.‌Alternatively, they suggest taking an orange that has been cut in half and placing it on a thin pole, or hanging it from a tree.They added: “Alternately, lay the orange slices in a shallow dish of water. Ants will be unable to reach them, but butterflies will have no trouble.”‌What about pests?Although placing oranges in your garden will attract butterflies, it may also prove to be inviting for pests, like mice and rats.In this case, the website suggests hanging the fruit high up, if possible, in a special butterfly feeder. This will make it harder for any creatures that can’t fly to access.‌Are there any other creatures we should be attracting?As well as attracting butterflies, people have also been encouraged to make their gardens more palatable for hedgehogs to help them survive through the autumn and winter months.According to the Instagram account Plant Gardening Ideas, there are some steps you can take to make your garden more habitable for the cute creatures.Writing from the perspective of the hedgehog, they said: “A shallow bowl of fresh water can help me more than you know.Article continues below“If you’d like to feed me, offer a little suitable hedgehog food. "Please don’t give me milk. My body can’t digest it, and it can make me seriously ill. Avoid pesticides, poisons and traps. They harm the insects I rely on and can hurt me directly.“I’m one of nature’s gardeners, helping to control many unwanted pests in your yard. If you spot me near a road, slow down and, if it’s safe, help me reach the other side.”