One gardener has shared a benefit of having diverse plants in your yard: attracting fascinating wildlife visitors.
They posted photos of the latest sighting in the “r/frogs” subreddit. “Officially the coolest garden guest I’ve ever had,” they said.
Photo Credit: Reddit
Photo Credit: Reddit
The photo shows what the original poster identified as a gray tree frog. It is a small, light-gray frog with bumpy skin and greenish markings. In the picture, it is sitting calmly on a leaf.
“I feel very privileged to have met this little one in PA,” said the original poster. “Have never seen a Gray Tree frog here before. Most adorable guy with the most adorable toes ever!”
According to the OP, they didn’t need to do anything special to attract a frog; they just found it in their garden.
“Little one was in my pepper bed and seemed to struggle to find shade when the sun came out from behind clouds. Plus, the little leaves were quite weighed down by him. So I snipped off the leaf he was on and moved him about 6 feet away to my fig tree,” they said.
“Bigger/stronger leaves and branches. This was yesterday and he is still there. On a new leaf but still there. I walk out and visit him probably once an hour. I’m totally smitten. I already have lots of invertebrates, snakes and other lizards… this guy may have just made a frog lover out of me. Think I’ll now be looking for a frog to add.”
Admittedly, not everyone is a frog fan. But there are hundreds of cute animals and insects that will turn up when you start making your yard more inviting to them. They include birds, butterflies, squirrels, rabbits, and many others. Watching through your window can be a magical experience, given the diversity of life in your own backyard.
The results are even more impressive when you garden with native plants. Native species have a long history in the area from which they originate and have established relationships with the local wildlife. They provide food and shelter that imported species cannot.
You may see animals that you have never before seen or heard of, and you don’t even have to leave home to do it. That’s in addition to the other benefits of native plant gardening, like the money saved on watering and fertilizer, and the time saved because these plants are low-maintenance. Even rewilding part of your yard can make a surprising difference.
Commenters were enthusiastic about the OP’s discovery.
“I LOVE these little guys. Very handsome, quite polite, 100/10,” said one user.
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