The butterfly lady

Noyons has always had an interest in gardening from her early life which took her from the meadows of the Netherlands, to the tropical forests of Borneo and Java, to her later life in South Africa.

When she was just a girl Noyons “met” a painted lady butterfly in her home country, the Netherlands, and since then her interest in butterflies blossomed.

Even with the limited space her garden in Riverglades Estate offers, Noyons was able to plant 300 species of indigenous plants which each attract a different butterfly. She confessed that the idea of ‘landscaping with butterflies’ came to her after she bought wooden butterflies from a seller in the Bryanston organic market who asked her questions about which plants butterflies liked.

Noyons realised that there was a long list of plants that attracted certain butterflies, and compiled her research into a booklet. In 2012, Noyons published an expanded version of her original booklet called There’s a Butterfly in my Garden… which pairs beautiful photography with interesting information about how to care for your garden and how to attract butterflies and bird life.

Noyons also had some advice for residents wanting to start a garden, especially in a complex.

“In a complex, the space for a garden is usually small and your neighbours are close by, so the best thing to do is to start with a few small trees without big root systems,” she said. “The trees will also offer you some privacy.”

Noyons advised residents to choose bushes and plants that flower at different times of the year. “Be especially careful not to plant poisonous plants that look nice, especially if you want a a child-friendly garden,” she said.

Noyons is often called in to advise individuals and companies on butterflies and how to attract them. “I’ve made so many friends through my love of butterflies,” she said.

For more information on landscaping with butterflies or for queries contact Lieveke Noyons.

Details: 011 658 0173, lieveke@iafrica.com