Aromatherapy Hacks: Create a Butterfly & Herb Garden
Spring is in the air—and it’s the perfect season to start thinking beyond four walls and take inspiration from nature itself. Whether you’re a business owner in the home fragrance or wellness space, or simply a fragrance lover seeking eco-minded lifestyle inspiration, planting a butterfly and herb garden offers beauty, function, and a surprising aromatherapy twist.
At Belle Aroma, we’re all about helping people connect with scent in meaningful ways. And what better way to do that than by creating a space that not only smells amazing but supports pollinators, personal wellness, and even your kitchen?
Why a Butterfly Garden?
Beyond their delicate beauty, butterflies are essential pollinators. They help ensure the reproduction of flowering plants and even contribute to food crops. But with pollinator populations declining, creating a haven for butterflies can have a real environmental impact.
A few of our favorite butterfly-attracting plants include:
Asters
Black-eyed Susans
Butterfly weed
Coreopsis
Joe-Pye weed
Lantana
Liatris
Purple coneflower
Yarrow
These vibrant plants are rich in nectar and will draw butterflies in droves. And just like fragrance lovers are drawn to beautiful blends, butterflies love bright colors and scented blooms—especially those with natural essential oils, like lavender, lemon balm, and peppermint.
The Secret: Host Plants Matter
If you're serious about encouraging butterflies, it's not just about the flowers. You’ll want to plant “host plants” where butterflies can lay eggs, and caterpillars can safely feed and grow. Don't worry—caterpillars are temporary visitors, and they won't destroy your garden. Still, it’s smart to plant these hosts a little distance from your main display for aesthetic and practical purposes.
Great host plants include:
Milkweed (essential for monarchs)
Fennel
Dill
Parsley
A Wellness Bonus: Add Medicinal Herbs to the Mix
Here’s where the aromatherapy magic happens. A well-planned butterfly garden can double as an herb garden. That means fresh, fragrant herbs at your fingertips—ready to enhance your cooking and support your well-being.
Consider adding:
Thyme (antibacterial and a flavor booster)
Basil (uplifting and immune-supportive)
Oregano (antioxidant-rich)
Sage (clarity and purification)
Garlic (great for heart health)
Peppermint (energizing and cooling)
Lavender (relaxing and purifying)
Many of these herbs are sources of essential oils used in Belle Aroma® products and other natural home fragrance systems. For example, peppermint and lavender are a classic duo known to purify air and help ease tension.
From Garden to Wellness
This kind of garden is more than just a pretty patch of earth—it’s a natural extension of the home fragrance and wellness trends that continue to drive consumer interest. Business owners, consider how your brand could tie into the values this kind of garden reflects: sustainability, holistic wellness, and sensory enjoyment.
As for me? I’m officially on a mission this year to build a butterfly and herb garden that’s as functional as it is fragrant. It might take a few months, but I’m excited by the idea of supporting biodiversity and harvesting natural wellness remedies from my own backyard.
Here’s to a season of growth—for all of us. 🌿🦋
Jean Greco for Belle Aroma Brand