Frog pond design tips with an expert landscape gardener | Garden Design | Gardening Australia

Costa meets a gardener who has created a haven for frogs and gets his tips for pond design. Subscribe 🔔 ab.co/GA-subscribe
Sean is a garden landscaper and his own backyard is a 2.5-hectare block in the Noosa hinterland.
Here he has been able to explore his habitat hobby - building frog ponds. He has more than 50 here already and through his work reckons he has created about 600.
Sean has been creating habitat for wildlife since he was a young boy (he’d already built three by the time he was seven!) and he’s been learning about his current home environment and its flora and fauna for more than 20 years, transforming a barren horse paddock to a diverse paradise. He watches how the animals use the environment, then follows their lead to create better habitat for them.
He observed and followed the natural contours of the land to create water channels, adding mulch-like rocks and logs for extra habitat, and layers of plants, “because frogs exist in all the layers of vegetation, from trees to palms, grasses and groundcovers,” Sean explains. He has counted 17 different species of frog in his backyard.
Sean says that no matter what the type of pond or frog you want to cater for, in most climates you want the pond to receive a reasonable amount of sunlight but not too much. “Full sun will just lead to full on algae growth”
Cane toads don’t like moving through thick grass layers so he plants densely to try to keep these out.
To avoid breeding mosquitoes, Sean recommends installing a pump or waterfall to keep the water moving, but long-term he says you need patience to allow the natural ecosystem to build up, so predators will control their numbers.
Sean also grows lots of fruit and vegetables, keeping his family fed through the year, because he’s keen to show you can have both habitat and healthy food production.
Featured Frogs and Toads:
CANE TOAD - Rhinella marina
CASCADE TREE FROG - Litoria pearsoniana
GREEN TREE FROG - Litoria caerulea
EMERALD-SPOTTED TREE FROG - Litoria peronii
EASTERN SEDGEFROG - Litoria fallax
STRIPED MARSH FROG - Limnodynastes peronii
Featured Plants:
FLAX-LILY - Dianella sp.
CREEK MAT-RUSH - Lomandra hystrix
Filmed on Kabi Kabi Country | Pomona, Qld
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[@planterbanter]

We need more people like this in the world - passionate about nature and good stewards of the land.

[@SamDoeckeAussiebonsaibloke]

Dead right mate 👌

[@sandgroperwookiee65]

Love it!❤ Ah to have property. Great stuff👍👍 🦎🐸

[@GardeningAustralia]

The dream! Thanks for watching.

[@mrbanjofrog]

As a frog pond person this is know this gonna be good

[@friendlyfinancebrokers]

Amazing ! So inspiring. Thanks Sean 🙂

[@lyrebird9749]

Would love a segment on creating temporary frog ponds in small gardens or courtyards, including for renters.

[@Thatsnarly]

I love frogs there my favourite. But i live in a small place but im working on a frog pond ❤

[@Katie_v]

Hey, this was a great video, thanks! It would be great if you could do a video about how to install a frog pond in a smaller garden, e.g. what is the minimum recommended size? Do they need protection from frost? Also what are good plants for the southern states? I live in Victoria. Many thanks!

[@HGCUPCAKES]

There are those videos on the channel. Have a look at playlist.

[@annettebanks6022]

Beautiful.

[@GardeningAustralia]

Thank you!

[@deadmanfishing7468]

Is Gerry on hollidays?

[@noelleon8033]

nothing to do with the video but for citrus fruits what do you do to counter biting butterflies ?

[@liammcnally9572]

Almost everyone can have some version of this. If only people had habitat and food filled gardens instead of ugly, monoculture lawns.

[@HGCUPCAKES]

You wouldn’t I like to be told you’re not allowed to have a pond or to get rid of your pond. So don’t speak that way about people own lawn. What’s good for you is good for them regarding their choice.

[@lachielil456]

God i wish I owned a property so that I could do this. So limited in a rental, but who can afford do buy a 1.5million dollar acerage these days.

[@reed133]

Feels. Start a verge garden man, I'm on my second of two rentals. Check your local council, but because they're owned by council and not the owner, it can't be pulled up on your exit report. I love the idea of leaving a smattering of verge gardens at every rental I live in.

[@HGCUPCAKES]

Vote the smaller parties in and stop letting the commies take things away from you.