He was very patient while I chased him around with my camera trying to get shots because I thought he was just so cute! After a while I resumed my gardening and he hung around to keep me company. David and I were talking about toad houses just the other day, and after seeing "Toadie" in the garden I told David we should make a house for him.
There are many expensive and elaborate toad houses for sale online, but we just used a large terra cotta pot that we found at a local thrift shop for $2. To begin, David simply chiseled out and smoothed half of the bottom of the pot to provide a back door escape hatch for the toad in case he gets chased into the house by a predator. We then buried the bottom half of the pot in a shady corner of our garden to help keep the inside of the house cool and damp. To make it look like a part of the garden, David transplanted some sedum and other plants from another location. I really like how it turned out!
Since we use organic gardening methods, we welcome the toads because they will eat insects and pests that we don't want messing with our vegetables. We also feel good that we are giving the toads a place to hang out and hopefully helping to boost their population.
Do you have any toad houses in your garden?
~Tammy
PS - We found this post very helpful in planning our toad house.
Shared with From The Farm Blog Hop, Sunny Simple Mondays, The Backyard Farming Connection Hop, Eco Kids Tuesday, Tuesday Muse, Tweak It Tuesday, What To Do Weekends, Clever Chicks Blog Hop
I do have a toad house, much like yours, and I would like more. We have lots of toads and they are so cute.
ReplyDeletei don't have toad houses, but i adore toads. :)
ReplyDeleteHow cute! We used to have a toad that lived in the flowers by our front porch, but I never thought to make him a house.
ReplyDeleteI have never heard of a toad house- this is really cool! A great idea too. We have seen many frogs around so this would be a easy thing for us to do.
ReplyDeleteOh, he's just too cute. We don't have a lot of toads/frogs in our neighborhood, so we don't have a toad house. But now I'm thinking that maybe if we made one - they would come? Hmmmmm?
ReplyDeleteYou're too sweet - a cute little house for your new friend! I love it.
ReplyDeleteYou chase toads, too? LOL! I have so many of them in my garden. I have 2 toad houses, but I really should have more.
ReplyDeleteFarmhouse hugs,
Cindy
Oh Tammy you and David are awesome I love the toads here on the farm. B
ReplyDeletewhat a great idea! I have some broken pots laying around, I could just bury the broken up side! Thanks a lot for that sweet tip!
ReplyDeleteWe LOVE toads, and toad houses!
ReplyDeleteMakes me so happy to see others loving on them, too.
(I also have hundreds of toad photos in our archives.. I love taking their picture, too!)
Is there anything you can't do? I had never heard of these - thank you! I KNOW my girls would love to do this - next to their fairy gardens this Summer! Fun! Great pics too!
ReplyDeleteIt looks very inviting for a toad! Yeah, we save all of our cracked or broken pots and plant them into the ground. I think they really help with insect control!
ReplyDeleteI love your toad house. Bunny would too! I hope you stop by and share this with us at Eco-Kids Tuesday, tomorrow!
ReplyDeleteI love frogs but our dogs won't let them come into our yard. Has he gone into the house yet?
ReplyDeleteWow I love it. But I have to admit I didn't know such a thing as a toad house exists. I do have a frog pond that my goldfish share though...:)
ReplyDeleteOh - you got some great shots of the toad! Nice idea for the toad house, I wouldn've never thought about giving it someplace to live. We have a backyard koi pond which has been taken over by frogs. This spring we were treated to a nightly concert of singing frogs. I loved it!
ReplyDeleteThat is too cute!! I love toads. I think I must make a toad house now, especially since they're so simple. Great photos!
ReplyDeletewhat a great and interesting post, my friend tammy!
ReplyDeletei love toads...they are so cute!
have a great week ahead~
big hugs~
You two are awesome. "Knee-deep, knee-deep!" Tee hee :D
ReplyDeleteHe is very handsome :) We've got a similar 'Toad Hall' in our poly tunnel. It gets so dry in there that I have to water the terracotta every day when I water the veggies!
ReplyDeleteJanie x
OH YES, we have quite a few toad cottages in our garden. The toads are well loved here and find many hide-outs for the times they're threatened, or, when they just need a cool, dark place to hang out.
ReplyDeleteLove this posting,
Sharon
Great photo! Yes, we do!! Actually, we did the same thing. Unfortunately, one night Mr. Toad was out looking for bugs and such and Oliver thought he'd be a great thing to eat. In his mouth Mr. Toad went and out he came. Oliver immediately began foaming at the mouth {from the secretions of Mr. Toad} and Mr. Toad quickly hopped back to the safety of his terra cotta palace. :) Oliver had not learned - he checks out every leaf and anything that could possibly be Mr. Toad.
ReplyDeleteOur watering can fell over on its side...and now is an abode for mr toad. Love it!
ReplyDeleteI don't have an official toad house, but they kind of like to hang out underneath the big water dish for the dogs :)
ReplyDeleteHow cool! Got to admit, I don't really like being around toads, but I think it's super cool that you guys are looking out for the little guy (or lass)!
ReplyDeleteOMGosh.. this is so fun Tammy and I will need to send this to my (now 24) year old son as he is a real nature-lover and (since childhood) would collect all kinds of toads, frogs, lizards, and the like.. and sometimes they'd get lose in the house. Great post!
ReplyDeleteWell, Tammy I think I need to make one of those.. Very creative..
ReplyDeleteThanks.. xo
No longer do we have a ton of toads like we did in the woods in our other house. We've been finding snakes. Not sure if I want a house for them!
ReplyDeleteI like this idea. I have so many pots and no idea what to do with at times. Clever.
ReplyDeleteYour toad pictures are fantastic! It's so hard to get good wildlife shots. I really like your toad house too. What a great addition to the garden!
ReplyDeleteHow fun, I am going to have the girls make some of these. They love toads :)
ReplyDeleteOh, great idea! We try not to encourage the toads into our yard though. Our ducks find them quite tasty! :sigh:
ReplyDeleteWhat a cute toad! I was just working on a toad house tonight. I broke one of my favorite pots, and was trying to find a way to re-purpose it into a toad house. I'll let you know how it turns out :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea, so creative. We don't have many toads but if we did I would make one for sure.
ReplyDeleteSo nice of you Tammy to provide your new and very beneficial friend a new house! I hope he/she moves right in and eats all those nasty little bugs. xo
ReplyDeleteThat is so cool! I haven't seen a frog or a toad in years.
ReplyDeleteWhat great shots of the toad!
ReplyDeleteLast year, a toad made itself comfortable on top of the Sony Playstation in the house. As it gets warm in there, I had to move the toad back outside!
I've seen toads in our garden but I've never thought to make them a house before. I'll have to try this out!
ReplyDeleteWhat an awesome idea!! When I was a little boy I had this toad that I kept for about a week until my mother made me release him - which broke my little ten-year-old heart but she was right. So I released him and he continued to hang around the house for a couple weekens afterwards. This post reminded me of him :)
ReplyDeleteOh my gosh! How fun! We've had a toad that lives right out in our mulch. He's been with us for 4-5 years. Comes out of the ground every spring and hangs around until it gets cold again. He's quite endearing! I love this little idea for a toad house. Never even heard of that before!
ReplyDeleteThis is an awesome idea! Super cute! Pinning now.
ReplyDelete(confession: I have a gazillion toads and frogs I'm forever fishing out of my fish pond and moving into the woods....I can't be encouraging them to stay but my non-pond-owing gardening friends will love this!)
~L
That looks like a perfect toad house!! Toads are wonderful little creatures!!
ReplyDeleteThe first time I saw a toad it was in my mother-in-law's house and I was 7 mos pregnant with my first son. I was basically a kid, had never seen a toad and was scared to death!!!!!!! He went behind the door of the room I was in, and I was scared to go past the door to get out, hahahahahahaha Isn't that all so silly? I remember being distinctly terrified though. :) You're nice to build a little toad house, and while I wouldn't wish them an ounce of harm, I think I would still run off... old habits and all of that stuff. ;)
ReplyDeleteToad houses are a good idea. I don't have any but then I'm not really a gardener. That is one very cute toad!
ReplyDeleteI have the same toad house!
ReplyDeleteThis comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDeleteJust the other day the grandbabykins said come quick. He sounded almost alarmed, which alarmed me. Turns out he spied a toad in the front part of the garage. I had recently given him my old phone with a camera so he ran inside to get it because he said he wanted to take a picture (he's 6 and I already have him into photography..haha). We also have quite a few toads around, but honestly never knew you could make them a house. I'm gonna bookmark your post so grandbabykins and I can make a house. Thanks for the info, and the cute story.
ReplyDeleteThis is an eye opening post. Didn't know about toad houses, and of course they eat insects. Good for Mr. Toad. Hope he hangs around.
ReplyDeleteTammy, Lucky toad! And wonderful pictures, too! I love your ingenuity, making a cozy house without spending a fortune! We have a resident frog or toad-I'm not sure which because I can never find him-but we can hear him. I'm so happy having company when I garden too!
ReplyDeleteAdorable critter, and I love the toad house you made for him. Nice photos too. :-) Thank you for visiting my page, returning the "visit" and enjoyed it immensely.
ReplyDeleteKathi at http://oak-hill-homestead.blogspot.com
I like the idea of using the clay pot for the toad house. It looks very cute too. I do not have any toad houses but I do have lots of toads. Great post, Tammy.
ReplyDeleteSadly, I have an empty toad house. But the house was an adorable gift from my mom. You can see it here: http://forwhatitsworth-jeannie.blogspot.com/2012/02/wood-ashes-in-garden.html
ReplyDeleteWhat a great idea! Love your shots of Mr. Toad. The one in my garden would love a house like that. I hope you'll let us know if he moves in.
ReplyDeleteOh how fun. I would love to have toads in my garden but so far none have shown up even though we live across the street from a small stream and hear frogs every night. Love your toad and the neat little house you made for it.
ReplyDeletei used to have a toad house, i had forgotten about it till now....a few houses back! cute visitor! hope he moves in :)
ReplyDeleteSuch a cute little toad!
ReplyDeleteAw, that's so sweet! I bet Toadie liked it!
ReplyDeleteI have two frogs at my place, but they tend to keep to themselves:)
Here's a really weird thing about me. I am terrified of slimy, jumpy frogs, but ADORE big fat, warty toads! I am adding "make a toad house" to our Summer Bucket List. :) Thanks for the idea!
ReplyDeleteHe is so cute! Great pictures! The toad house is something I would love to have, well and toads too, I haven't seen toads in my garden, perhaps that's what I need first :)
ReplyDeleteWhat a GREAT idea!!!
ReplyDeleteI love our farm toadies ...what a great idea, making little toadie barns :)
ReplyDeleteLove the toads! Thanks for the toad house. I pinned it to Gardens! I want to make one. I'd love to have you come over to What to do Weekends also. Following on Pinterest. Linda
ReplyDeletehttp://www.craftsalamode.com/2013/06/what-to-do-weekends-party-23.html
This is just an adorable idea. The little ones always love toads and will love making this house for them.......Thank you for sharing with the Clever Chicks Blog Hop this week; I hope you’ll join us again!
ReplyDeleteCheers,
Kathy Shea Mormino
The Chicken Chick
http://www.The-Chicken-Chick.com
What a wonderful idea! Y'all are so creative and artistic! We have many toads, and only one house, but I don't think they like it -it's actually a cocoa nut shell cut in half, with an entrance- but it's painted like Superman, so my son loves it! I have a couple chipped and broken terra cotta pots, I know what I'll be doing today!
ReplyDeleteAwesome post! I love toads and 'rehome' every one I find in our yard into my garden! I have two toad houses in the garden and shallow dishes I keep filled with water for them.
ReplyDeleteThanks so much for sharing this at the weekly From the Farm Blog Hop.
Lisa
Fresh Eggs Daily
www.fresh-eggs-daily.com
Love this! Hope to make toad homes with our playschool. Thanks for sharing at Eco-Kids Tuesday. Hope you stop by again today! http://likemamalikedaughter.blogspot.com/2013/06/eco-kids-tuesday_11.html
ReplyDeleteI featured and pinned your toad house. I just love it and thank you for linking up to What to do weekends! Linda
ReplyDeletehttp://www.craftsalamode.com/2013/06/what-to-do-weekends-24.html
No I don't yet, but I do have a couple of old cracked clay pots and thanks to your good idea, I will have by the time the weekend is over!
ReplyDeleteEveryone loves this idea - which makes me very happy!! THANK YOU so much for this. Perfect. They sell Toad Houses in catalogues for $25-30. ! I am moving to a new home and will be getting a lovely garden. I had been trying to figure out how to make an inexpensive one - and had thought of a flower pot. Stupidly, had not thought of the obviously simple and adorable idea of just burying it!!!! Glad to know you can sand out the bottom for the "escape door". Lovely. Hope your toad happily moves right in!!
ReplyDeleteTammy, I love this so much. I have lots of toads in my back yard, and I know they would appreciate some houses! Right now they live up under the deck; I always have to watch for them when I mow.
ReplyDeleteYou got great shots of Toadie and his new house. :)
Love, Joy
Yesterfood