Plants for herptiles

[GCN lova]

Hello all,

Just wanted to know what plants around the pond will help provide shelter and attract insects for herptiles. I thought i may as well make a list now so i can buy seeds/ plants whenever its warmer. I'm looking for bog plants and just a few that will provide shelter from the cat. Here is a picture of the pond in the summer (i haven't got a newer one) and as you may be able to see there is some space around the pond for plants on the leftish side. I've already got (now) some lavendar but i think i'll need more to attract more hoverflies because my froglets loved them.

thankyou, GCN lova

[Kayleigh]

You could grow something up the fence some climber like honeysuckle to give cover and hide the fence the flowers attract a lot of insects and birds love the berries they produce.
Ivy would grow up the fence too.
As for other plants grow things what you like ragged robin, and oxeye daisy and astilbe are ones I have hostas have nice flowers and attract bees all love moist soil.

[marvin]

hi

this sedge Buy Japanese sedge Carex oshimensis 'Evergold': Delivery by Crocus.co.uk provides cover all year round and would look very attractive overhanging the pond.
you can contrast it with these for further visual impact Buy black lilyturf Ophiopogon planiscapus 'Nigrescens': Delivery by Crocus.co.uk and Buy coral bells Heuchera villosa 'Palace Purple': Delivery by Crocus.co.uk

To attract hoverflies etc sow some Thompson-Morgan - Search Results for calendula seeds

they are annuals but self seed prolifically so for practical purposes its like having a perennial

these Californian Poppy 'Sun Shades' - Hardy Annual Seeds - Thompson & Morgan work well and self seed too.

good luck
tim

[King Edward]

If you look through the Wildlife Gardening section, there are various threads about plants to attract insects etc. (e.g. this one: Which plant in your garden attracted the most bees today?). Your amphibians won't be too worried about which plant species you have, so long as there's plenty of cover for them to hide/hunt in (including dead leaves, dead wood etc. on the ground, not just live foliage).

You also need plants that will grow well in your soil conditions - might be worth having a look to see what plants/flowers are growing well in other gardens nearby to see if any look suitable.

[Billabong Karen]

Never seen a photo of your pond before GCN lova! I agree with Kayleigh that ivy would look good growing against the fence, and ivy is a bit hit with insects and butterflies in the autumn, with birds liking the berries too. I have also had success with firethorn, which provides cover, flowers in the spring, and berries in the autumn/winter.

[GCN lova]

Thankyou so much.

I'll definitely try that kayleigh with some ivy or honeysuckle. Marvin, thankyou for those ideas i must add more flowers as last year we only had cosmos and sunflowers as well as some wildflowers. King Edward i will have a look at those threads and thankyou BK, this a rather old photo and it looks much different with more plants.
It's just that it is a new housing developement and we just literally had grass at first. We're also thinking of a tree in the 'muddy bit' which you can just see in the picture, any ideas? I thought the area may need planting more to provide more cover etc because there isn't as much insects as other gardens that aren't new.

Thankyou again,

GCN lova

[King Edward]

I also agree with the recommendation for some climbers to go up the fence (and wall?) - bare wood/brick don't provide much of an invertebrate habitat, so the more vegetation cover you can get the better. Keep in mind that while Ivy and some other species will cling to walls, others will need some kind of support like wires or trellis to hold on to.

[GCN lova]

There is a brick wall on the right side of the garden and on the left is a fence separating the neighbours garden from ours. Thing is that the neighbours would probably kill any frogs or newts that got to the other side so i'll have to keep that in mind. Which climbing plants would you recommend?

[Kayleigh]

Originally Posted by GCN lova

There is a brick wall on the right side of the garden and on the left is a fence separating the neighbours garden from ours. Thing is that the neighbours would probably kill any frogs or newts that got to the other side so i'll have to keep that in mind. Which climbing plants would you recommend?

OMG what sort of neighbours do you have..

A climbing hydrangea would look good and self cling to walls.

[~T~]

Clematis is another good climber. Last year I planted nasturtiums which not only attract lots of insects (white butterflies will lay eggs on them) and provide loads of cover but also look really cool