Winter Refuge for Frogs and other Wildlife

[frogplate]

We've got about a square metre of space in the garden that we'd like to use as a winter refuge for wildlife. We have ten frogs at the moment, and more on the way, and although we have a slate frog house for the new generation it would be good to provide space for the older frogs and their prey.

I'm thinking along the lines of a log pile, perhaps held up by a dry stone wall one end, to give lots of nooks and crannies. Unfortunately the space has a concrete base, so we would have to lay an inch or two of soil first to help keep it damp.

The space is located right by an ivy that the smallest frogs like to hunt in and is partially sheltered from the weather - which is probably a disadvantage.

Any thoughts, suggestions hints and tips would be most welcome.

Thanks in advance,

Jonathan

[healfdan]

There is this adage You can lead a horse to water but you can't make it drink.
I mention this because even the best constructed wildlife garden habitats are not always the first choice of the target species. It is sometimes just as simple to dump a few logs, in varying stages of decay, pile up leaves which should be kept moist to contain them and scatter a few partly hidden containers which will collect rainwater. You failed to mention if you had a pond, but taking it that you have, just make sure there is plenty of marginal plants and good corridors of cover to allow amphibians to keep out of harms way. I have frogs that spend their days in a variety of water filled pots around my garden and their nights dining at leisure on a host of pests that strip my plants. Harmony at a bargain price.
Healfdan

[frogplate]

Thanks. We have two ponds, a 1,000 litre ornamental pond which has a mixed population of fish and frogs, and a second, much smaller pond for the tadpoles and smaller frogs. This is a trug that has been sunk into the ground.

There is also a bog garden that contains a tupperware container sunk into the ground below heavy vegetation which appears to be a favourite place for a couple of the frogs. Most of the rest of the garden provides good plant cover with some large ivies and an oregano that that smaller frogs particularly like hunting in.

The proposed site for the refuge is between an ivy and a spreading oregano that gives good cover. My main concern is that we have an increasing frog population - currently ten adults in a small garden and a load of tadpoles on the way. So I just want to ensure that they have adequate places to over winter.