Planning of the garden is not just about plants. Now is the time to get the ideas pumping for attracting all the beneficial wildlife such as various insects, butterflies, bees, birds, and of course the frogs and toads. As with last years post about the toad houses, I hope this one will inspire many of you to incorporate a water feature to quench their thirst. Below is a rough sketch of this years garden:
Not everything is done with the sketch or in exact size, but it gives the general idea of how we picture it...
We will be adding a small kiddie pool based pond to the middle. Since we are fencing the area in which will extend to include the play area around the Magic tree, this will also serve as a lounge area for the kids and I. The plan is to put the fence up preventing the children from running around everywhere with Frog in tow. The square top arch will also have a wooden gate with a latch on the outside- up high. One way in-One way out.
I found this great solar fountain for just$20! It will be the water feature for the pond. The plan is to line the pond with "Silo cap" like the author at this post*.
We are lucky to have found live "lucky bamboo" at the local Flower Factory for a few dollars- which for that we get a handful amount. "Panda" will have her bamboo...te he hee.They will also serve purpose as a water filter/oxygen adder for the fish.
This site would be a useful read if you are interested in making your own backyard wildlife pond. Gives helpful tips and ideas.
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/waponds.asp.
Although our pond will not be deeper then 12-18 inches, we will still add the goldfish to it. A few small size terracotta pipes laid in the bottom will serve the purpose as a hideout for the many visitors in the water. A large hosta off to the side and potted wild strawberry and herbs for shade depending on time of day. And spots of earth with hidden Toad house tubes-with a back door for escaping of course. The paths will go around in a circle but my picture does not show that. I hope we have enough big stones to go around the pond edging and brick for the circle portion of the path. Wooden benches are in the woodworking shop "to do" list. A few not so wide or high like my others, but more low to the ground adding the feeling of closeness to the habitat. Plus a short long table for eating in the garden or maybe a board game or two :) . As I have mentioned before, we live in our garden during the warmer seasons.
I look forward to getting out there and starting the whole process. I crave to smell the fresh greens mixed with earth, feeling the fresh turned dirt beneath my bare feet. Hear the birds singing and swooping down for bits of nest materials here and there. Spring should be here soon to ease the ache for Mother Natures company. I hope.
I wonder what creatures we will get as visitors this year. The plan is to go tadpole hunting again at the local park. We would like to watch some of them grow in the pond. You never know if they will be toad or frog. It makes it so much more exciting to get them early.
~~~ Did you know that Toads are smarter (in some ways) then frogs? Yep. According to my current morning reads "The Book of the Toad: A Natural and Magical History of Toad-Human Relations"by Robert M. DeGraaff . In Edward Greding's Laboratory test- 3 Bufo (the toad species) was able to acquire information more rapidly and retain it longer then the 3 species of Rana (frog species). but of course as common sense would lead one to expect, some toads are smarter then others. According to C.T Colby(warty toads) "The toad reacts more promptly and learns more readily. Toads can figure out a maze far more quicker then frogs can. They discover after 8 or 9 trials that a glass barrier cannot be passed, whereas frogs keep bumping their noses against it. When set on a high table, toads will peer cautiously over the edge, appearing to estimate the drop, and then refuse to jump. Frogs will fling themselves off anything....Another indication of the toads mental capacities is that he is easily tamed. Toads in captivity learn to come out of hiding when called and to feed from the hand. They also seem to enjoy being petted and stroked."~~
Yep..I am officially weird in The Captain's book. He wonders sometimes about the stuff i seem to spout out. ( A little fiction or fact from Tammie's Almanac...) I got that line from my beloved Father in law. he likes to spout out with things like that too. Panda has been big into Frogs lately, so i decided to pick a few books up and inform myself on bits i could share with her throughout the day..At least she doesn't mind my oddness... smiling...
Sweetest Dreams,
~Tammie
Not everything is done with the sketch or in exact size, but it gives the general idea of how we picture it...We will be adding a small kiddie pool based pond to the middle. Since we are fencing the area in which will extend to include the play area around the Magic tree, this will also serve as a lounge area for the kids and I. The plan is to put the fence up preventing the children from running around everywhere with Frog in tow. The square top arch will also have a wooden gate with a latch on the outside- up high. One way in-One way out.
I found this great solar fountain for just$20! It will be the water feature for the pond. The plan is to line the pond with "Silo cap" like the author at this post*.
We are lucky to have found live "lucky bamboo" at the local Flower Factory for a few dollars- which for that we get a handful amount. "Panda" will have her bamboo...te he hee.They will also serve purpose as a water filter/oxygen adder for the fish.
This site would be a useful read if you are interested in making your own backyard wildlife pond. Gives helpful tips and ideas.
http://www.dnr.state.md.us/wildlife/waponds.asp.
Although our pond will not be deeper then 12-18 inches, we will still add the goldfish to it. A few small size terracotta pipes laid in the bottom will serve the purpose as a hideout for the many visitors in the water. A large hosta off to the side and potted wild strawberry and herbs for shade depending on time of day. And spots of earth with hidden Toad house tubes-with a back door for escaping of course. The paths will go around in a circle but my picture does not show that. I hope we have enough big stones to go around the pond edging and brick for the circle portion of the path. Wooden benches are in the woodworking shop "to do" list. A few not so wide or high like my others, but more low to the ground adding the feeling of closeness to the habitat. Plus a short long table for eating in the garden or maybe a board game or two :) . As I have mentioned before, we live in our garden during the warmer seasons.
I look forward to getting out there and starting the whole process. I crave to smell the fresh greens mixed with earth, feeling the fresh turned dirt beneath my bare feet. Hear the birds singing and swooping down for bits of nest materials here and there. Spring should be here soon to ease the ache for Mother Natures company. I hope.
I wonder what creatures we will get as visitors this year. The plan is to go tadpole hunting again at the local park. We would like to watch some of them grow in the pond. You never know if they will be toad or frog. It makes it so much more exciting to get them early.
~~~ Did you know that Toads are smarter (in some ways) then frogs? Yep. According to my current morning reads "The Book of the Toad: A Natural and Magical History of Toad-Human Relations"by Robert M. DeGraaff . In Edward Greding's Laboratory test- 3 Bufo (the toad species) was able to acquire information more rapidly and retain it longer then the 3 species of Rana (frog species). but of course as common sense would lead one to expect, some toads are smarter then others. According to C.T Colby(warty toads) "The toad reacts more promptly and learns more readily. Toads can figure out a maze far more quicker then frogs can. They discover after 8 or 9 trials that a glass barrier cannot be passed, whereas frogs keep bumping their noses against it. When set on a high table, toads will peer cautiously over the edge, appearing to estimate the drop, and then refuse to jump. Frogs will fling themselves off anything....Another indication of the toads mental capacities is that he is easily tamed. Toads in captivity learn to come out of hiding when called and to feed from the hand. They also seem to enjoy being petted and stroked."~~
Yep..I am officially weird in The Captain's book. He wonders sometimes about the stuff i seem to spout out. ( A little fiction or fact from Tammie's Almanac...) I got that line from my beloved Father in law. he likes to spout out with things like that too. Panda has been big into Frogs lately, so i decided to pick a few books up and inform myself on bits i could share with her throughout the day..At least she doesn't mind my oddness... smiling...
Sweetest Dreams,
~Tammie
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