Amphibian friendly garden plants

[froggy]

In my garden at home, we have a section of flower bed that is due to be planted up sometime next year. I have already succeeded in creadting a small amphibian-friendly but aesthetically pleasing pond area, and want to influence the choice of bedding plants in the same direction.
The flower bed is moderately shady and moderately damp (neither very wet nor very dry), and is alongside a fence.
What are a good choice of plants that will be good for amphibians, look fairly nice in terms of flowers and not require too much attention with regards to weeding etc?

I live in southern England, just south of London.

Chris

 

[Otterwoman]

I don't know about nice looking, but something with a lot of leaves in the water for them to lay their eggs on. Water lettuce is popular here (I know it's invasive but people use it in gardens) and has a lot of floating roots, they might be easy to lay eggs on.

 

[froggy]

Sorry, I meant terrestrial plants for the flower bed near to the pond, rather than in the water itself.

 

[berksmike]

Certainly in my garden hostas seem to attract slugs from the next county! A few sacrificial hostas deep in the bed (away from sight if they get too battered) certainly would provide a food supply.
I always keep a pile of logs in a corner and let them rot - this attracts so much wildlife particularly invertebrates but also things like frogs, toads, newts and slow worms. I saw on Autumnwatch on BBC2 that you can use logs to construct a hibernaculum for amphibians to overwinter in.
I am also thinking about building a pond but that may have to wait a while in this weather!

 

[optimist]

Creeping jenny does well, and ferns. im in hampshire -- so same climate -- and frogs, toads and newts use my pond.

 

[Tappers]

Hostas and ferns are always great. I use Bergenia (elephant ears?) as well - great evergreen cover for amphibians as well as Carex 'bowles golden' planted with Heuchera 'plum pudding' all slug proof and good looking.

 

[Azhael]

I would add Fragaria(strawberry) to the list, it´s not slug proof but it provides great cover, as it is short but dense. Plus you get to eat some strawberries which is always nice xDD

 

[hunter]

I would like to emphasize the idea of placing some debris and small logs in the back of a garden.
I keep a nice pile of logs, old timbers, broken pots, etc. along the back fence. I leave them alone and undisturbed. They are completely unnoticed, except by lots of lacal critters. I do not get worse pest problems, but I am getting lots of rio grande chriping frogs(Syrrhopus cystignathoides campi), green tree frogs (Hyla cinerea), various local toads, lots of mediterranean geckos, and small brown snakes and skinks. The numbers have increased noticeably since I started this. I think they are not only attracted to the living space, but to the inverts that live inthe debris. Another important aspect is to not use many harsh chemicals.

 

[Peter Parrot]

Hi Chris,

Have a look here; http://www.aqualifeltd.com/

He`s a pretty knowledgeable guy when it comes to amphibian friendly native plants. :happy:

 

[froggy]

Thanks for all the info