Creating a Frog Friendly Habitat

Frogs are highly beneficial in the garden acting as nature’s pest control and indicators of a healthy environment. A single frog can eat over 100 insects a day, including slugs, beetles, caterpillars and mosquitoes.

Frogs, toads, newts and salamanders are amphibians that spend their life cycle on both land and in water. The word amphibian is derived from the Greek word “amphibious” which means double life in reference to their two staged life cycle. Amphibians  are typically born in water with gills and undergo metamorphosis into air breathing adults with lungs. They are ectothermic, cold-blooded creatures that regulate their body temperature with the weather conditions.

 In order to create a frog-friendly habitat you need a water source with plants, a shady spot and a pesticide-free environment.   

Water Source with Plants

You will need a water source or “pond” to provide an environment for the juvenile or tadpole stage. This can be constructed using a rigid plastic tub, shallow preformed pond or pond liner. Use rocks and driftwood inside your pond to provide places for them to hide from predators. Pond plants can also provide shade, cover, filtration and can help to oxygenate the water. I do recommend using an aerator system if possible as plants use and consume oxygen. Plants that are considered oxygenators look like water weeds and can take over the pond if not maintained. Hornwort (Coon’s tail) and Vallisneria popular oxygenating plants that are legal in the State of Washington (many are not and are limited to aquarium use only). I like using Mare’s Tail, either Common (Hippuris vulgaris) and Feathery (Hippuris sp. ‘Feathery’) varieties. Mare’s tail (not horsetail Equisetum spp.) has a dual purpose with branches growing above the water surface and others growing submerged acting as an “oxygenator”. Other plants that are helpful in the water:

Short ground covers grow in shallow water near the surface. These plants can help to provide coverage, protection and act as filters. Good choices are typically part sun to shade lovers: Blue Moneywort, Chameleon Plant, Creeping Jenny, and Bugleweed (Ajuga spp.). Low growing aquatics choices would be: Bogbean, Dwarf Sweet Flag, Blue-Eyed and Yellow-Eyed grasses.

Mid-Range – Tall Plants. These plants can grow with their roots submerged and the crown above water, often considered bog plants or those that prefer wet soil. Bog & Pond Plants- Blue Lobelia (L. siphilitica), Calla Lily, Japanese Primrose, Lizard’s Tail, Monkey Flower, Spider Lily, Umbrella Palm, Rushes and Sedges. Plants that like moisture- Astilbe, Hosta, Ligularia and Royal Fern.   

Trees and Shrubs for Shade

Trees and shrubs can help keep water cooler and reduce algae blooms by providing shade. Plant easy care plants that aren’t too messy that would otherwise contribute to excessive debris from leaves and flowers that may drop into your frog habitat. Choose plants with varying heights that are native to your area may be good choices or plant what appeals to you. Taller plants will provide shade, while shorter varieties grow under the canopy of shade providing additional cover, protection and visual appeal.

Some of my favorite shrubs: Azalea (Evergreen: Encore series or Satsuki: Deciduous: Exbury types: Gibraltar or Lights types: Mandarin Lights) , Dogwood (Midwinter Fire or other with colorful winter stems) Hydrangea, Lilac (Miss Kim or Boomerang Dark Purple), Mock Orange, Pieris (Flaming Silver or Valley Valentine) , Rhododendron (PJM types or new varieties that don’t produce seed pods), Viburnum . They all produce flowers so pollinators will benefit from them as well.

Some of my favorite trees: Dogwood (Korean or Pagoda), Little Leaf Linden,  Magnolia (Star or ‘Susan’), or upright Japanese Maples (Butterfly, Seiryu, Ukigumo).

Additional items that you may consider is adding a pump or aerator to provide oxygen into the water. I highly recommend this practice to keep the algae blooms at a minimum, as well as adding beneficial bacteria products for healthy water quality. 

We have the supplies you would need to create a pond friendly habitat. Stop in and see what we have!