Cathy,
The blanket flower is supposed to be a really good nectar plant for butterflies here in Texas, but I haven't had it in my garden. I have never seen anything but honeybees on the heather that is grown in this area, but you never know. Are you looking for good nectar plants? I have had great success with the Mexican sunflower, Tithonia Torch, grown from seed, I have never seen it in the nurseries. Even the hummingbirds went after this. Good luck

Mechelle, It sounds like you've had the same results with the blanket flower then as what I have. It's a really pretty flower and I don't want to get rid of it, but if I'd base its attraction to butterflies on what I've seen here, I'd have to say it's not a butterfly attractant. I also tried shasta daisies and they were a bomb too. It's funny you mention Tithonia. That's one of the flowers that I've started inside this year. I bought it at Walmart. They're actually Burpee seeds. On the package it says, "Mexican Sunflower Tithonia, Sundance", so I hope that kind will also attract them. It's the only Tithonia I could find in my area. Some other nectar plants I'm planting this year are Blazing Star Liatris, Hyssop Anise, Lupines (Russell's, Texas Bluebonnet, and Lupinus perennis, Convolvulus (I hope that is a good one), Linum (Blue Flax), Aubrieta (Rock Cress), Zinnias (Scarlet Flame, Red King, and Violet Queen), Snapdragons, Tropical Milkweed (compliments of tdogmom), Verbena bonariensis, and Cleome (Sparkler Blush). Those are most of them that will be new here this year. I've also gotten a bunch of host plants. I start almost everything from seed because it's cheaper. Boy oh boy, will I be busy this year!!!

If you get a chance to get some hardy lavendar, Cathy, that's always a biggy here. They seem to like the herb flowers, and the Anise hyssop should be a big draw, too. You might want to check out Pennsylvania native plants, because I'm finding that most of them really like the natives best. If you get some of those native asters, they will probably love them, too. But, all of those you listed look promising to me.

Susan

Susan, I saw different places have lavendar seeds but there were different kinds and I wasn't sure which to get. Maybe it's just as well because I was reading on the herb forum that they take a long time to mature from seed and some don't give you back the same plant. They said it's easier and faster to take cuttings of the plant and pot them up. They also said you could tie a long lavendar stem to the ground, put soil over top, keep it moist, and it will eventually grow roots and you'll have another plant. Of course, I don't have any to do that with so might buy one around here someday. Believe me, if all of the plants come up that I started from seed, I'll be planting here for a couple months because I still have to dig the flower beds, put down landscape fabric (don't even have it yet), etc. I think you and I will both be outside a lot in the coming months.

I guess I'll do a google search on Pennsylvania native plants. I actually don't know much about that so have to do some research. I told my daughter our garden will be "weedy"-looking from now on because that's what the butterflies like, native plants, and they aren't these neat little compact mounds like you see in the stores. Oh, I'm really glad to hear you say that the plants I listed seem like the butterflies would like them. I sure hope so, and I'll report back with my "scientific" (lol) findings as the season progresses.
Cathy