I always grow marigolds in the garden and on my veggie plot - lovely to look at and they help to keep pests away.
Butterflies love shrubs like buddleia but they have to be kept well pruned each year. For late summer - and benefitting from the Chelsea chop - plant Sedum Spectabile which bees and butterflies love. An easy plant and a good self-seeder is Verbena bonariensis. Butterflies will flock to the flowers and be so happy you can photograph them easily. We get these beautiful swallow tails each year.
Some experts say that single flowers are preferable to doubles as the bees can get at the nectar easier.
There are so many choices of plants that it has to be a personal preference. When I had my first garden, over 40 years ago, I went down to the local library and spent many happy hours looking at gardening books and choosing plants which looked nice. Had lots of disasters and lots of successess and 40 years later still don't know half of what's to know about gardening. By just looking through all the threads on the forum you will get masses of ideas for your border.
Happy digging.
