by Lydia Holley                                         August 25, 2025

Many gardeners like to attract birds or butterflies to their gardens. I have chosen a different animal to entice: frogs. Why frogs? Amphibians are experiencing a decline in their populations, with the U. S. Geological Survey stating a 3.7 percent decline yearly. The problem is there are several reasons cited as potential sources for the decline. 

I cannot stop a fungal disease. But I can make my garden more welcoming to a species that is often overlooked, but extremely beneficial. According to the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research, frogs and toads eat beetles, cutworms, flies, grasshoppers, mosquitoes, slugs, snails, and spiders, and that they can eat up to 100 insects per night. Plus, if they were to disappear, I would miss their songs at night and the surprise of running into one perched on a rose bud, climbing a tree, or jumping across the pathway. 

What can you do to attract frogs to your garden? It is easier than you may expect. Think: damp. Frogs like a damp habitat. So, adding areas that hold in moisture is appreciated by them. Toad houses, to my surprise, are actually useful, not just ornamental. If you are not the whimsy type and do not want a toad house, piles of logs or leaf litter, overturned pots, and even low-growing shrubs with damp shade underneath will do. Keep your garden watered, something that is necessary in East Texas anyway due to our almost-yearly droughts. 

Water is also vital for frogs to reproduce. Years ago, I built a koi pond and when the koi died from a pH imbalance noticed too late, frogs moved in. We put a small log in the pond jutting out so the tadpoles could form legs and climb out. What would be better is if you carved out a shallow pond with sloping sides for easy access. It does not have to be large. Even a small sink-sized pond will do as long as it does not dry out completely. Then be patient. The Royal Horticultural Society warns there is risk of disease if you transfer frogs into your pond. Let them come naturally. 

Plant native plants to attract the insects frogs need to survive. Lastly, go as organic as possible. Frog skin is different than ours. The Environmental Protection Agency says frogs are extremely sensitive to toxins because a frog’s skin absorbs oxygen and water. Unfortunately, they also absorb any chemicals present. And their eggs do, too, since they do not have a hard shell covering.

In gardening for the frogs, I’ve also attracted a multitude of lizards. You may recall in an earlier article about my indoor cat, Daisy, who would “hold hands” through the glass window with a lizard. We have noticed a change in their relationship. Now, the lizard twirls in a circle and Daisy will jump down from the windowsill, turn around, and jump back up to gaze at the lizard. Their budding romance has progressed from holding hands to dancing. 

Garden for the frogs. Not only will the frogs thank you, so will the lizards. And possibly even your cat. 

For more information, call 903-675-6130, email [email protected], or visit txmg.org/hendersonmg.