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Post by rowanberry on Nov 8, 2017 8:55:11 GMT
I tried growing them in pots, and the slugs still managed to find a way in despite the eggshells and copper wire (I honestly think they paraglide in, or something.) Since our pond is surrounded by earth, I now just try to find things to provide groundcover for the frogs that aren't tasty for the slugs. Bugle is one of my favourites, because it provides such a good colour contract to all the greenery around it. Purple Bugle Nov2017 by Wabi Gallery, on Flickr Water Forget-me-not is a good one for around the pond and in it... I recently moved these into a larger pond basket, and if they carry on doing well I might divided them next year and plant some of them out as well. I really like their blue flowers in the spring. Water Forget-me-Not Nov2017 by Wabi Gallery, on Flickr
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Post by NellyDee on Nov 8, 2017 12:01:03 GMT
Alexis can you show a photo of your homemade frog hibernaculums. I have a new pond and think it might be a good idea if I had some of these dotted around. Re: Hosta. I have the odd situation of the Hosta in the garden never gets slugs on but the one I have in a pot near the deck get attacked, despite copper round the pot and gravel round the plant in the pot. It has me puzzled but have decided it might be where they are - in the garden it is on a very seep slope facing East and the one in the pot is at the back of the house and faces West, itt only gets full sunlight (when we have it) from midday onward. Love your dog by the way.
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Post by Tringa on Nov 8, 2017 13:42:37 GMT
Excellent looking ponds there, Alexis, and a great looking dog.
Dave
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Post by alexis on Nov 8, 2017 20:04:10 GMT
I do like the colour contrast of that bugle rowanberry, will have to look at planting some in the spring. NellyDee, here are some photos I took this afternoon of my frog hibernaculums. Most of them are just old growing bags stuffed with moss, leaves, dried grass, twigs etc. This one is at the edge of the wildlife pond and has two separate rooms with en suite watering hole IMG_20171108_140539 by Alexis Williams, on Flickr A closer view from the right side, there is a roof of sticks intertwined with fern branches and this is supported by a piece of tree trunk and sturdy rock IMG_20171108_140517 by Alexis Williams, on Flickr Its quite difficult to see but I placed a piece of hessian under the log here and bits of a broken weathered terracotta plant pot complete the structure. I regularly put dead leaves, twigs and pond plant cuttings on top to keep it hidden IMG_20171108_140526 by Alexis Williams, on Flickr
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Post by alexis on Nov 8, 2017 20:24:18 GMT
This is one hibernaculum but you can't really see it properly I'm afraid. Its a sunken growbag stuffed with grass and leaves etc then a few logs and sticks criss-crossed as a sort of roof. It is 2 feet deep in a flower bed at the bottom of the garden hidden behind a shrub, the dog has been pinching some of the sticks but the logs are a bit too heavy for him and there are a few hollow sticks sunk vertically to provide oxygen. The photo doesn't do it justice but there are always frogs of all sizes in and around here throughout the year. IMG_20171108_140423 by Alexis Williams, on Flickr This is another growbag behind the washing tub on the path weighted down with an old weathered brick, filled with the same materials and access is via the flower bed further back. There was a hedgehog in here recently but it moved on after a week, possibly disturbed by the dog. I tried to get photos but it only came out after dark and I try to keep away from the hibernaculumss in daylight IMG_20171108_140455 by Alexis Williams, on Flickr . . . another view of it from the lawn IMG_20171108_140441 by Alexis Williams, on Flickr Here's another very basic hibernating place but it has been a froggy home for the past two winters. The vertical paving slab has the power sockets for the ornamental pond fixed to it, you can see the grey box, the green growbag behind is secure between the slab and the border fence IMG_20171108_140351 by Alexis Williams, on Flickr IMG_20171108_140359 by Alexis Williams, on Flickr
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Post by alexis on Nov 8, 2017 20:27:48 GMT
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Post by ianr on Nov 9, 2017 7:56:52 GMT
Time to clean the camera lens alexis
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Post by alexis on Nov 9, 2017 11:29:28 GMT
Time to clean the camera lens alexis So annoying! it was my phone but yes the lens does need a good wipe! I'll have to get my digital camera charged and in use now that I can do Flickr
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Post by alexis on Nov 10, 2017 19:11:21 GMT
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Post by rowanberry on Nov 10, 2017 20:42:47 GMT
Much clearer, Alexis... and that is one photogenic Jackapoo! Your garden looks like a little paradise- those ponds are really lovely.
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Post by alexis on Nov 11, 2017 9:36:14 GMT
He's such a little show-off and he loves sitting by the pond watching the fish, we'll have to keep him away from there when the mid-winter Frog Invasion starts!
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Post by alexis on Nov 11, 2017 9:46:47 GMT
Much clearer, Alexis... and that is one photogenic Jackapoo! Your garden looks like a little paradise- those ponds are really lovely. It is paradise to me rowanberry, all the gardens that border ours are lovely and both neighbours either side have ponds too so we are certainly doing our best for wildlife in this street! I see myself as a complete amateur but I do try, I will have to visit the plant id thread soon.
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