Tortoise Friendly Garden Ideas

Use this forum to ask about plants which are not currently in our database or any other plant questions you have.
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Dandelion_burglar
Posts: 4
Joined: 13 Jul 2017, 08:25

Tortoise Friendly Garden Ideas

Post by Dandelion_burglar » 08 Jan 2018, 13:34

Hello

My torts are getting bigger and I think this year they will be big enough to free roam around the garden :) I want to make my garden a safe place for them whilst also looking nice. I know from the plant database that there are many plants that I shouldn't plant but it's so hard referring to the list whilst at the garden centre especially as a beginner! I also planted some Hostas last year which they quickly ate :lol: so I don't want anything too tasty for them. If there are any keen gardeners on the forum, please tell me what looks nice to plant in the garden and send me some photos for inspiration :) Mine are Hermann's so I was thinking maybe a Mediterranean garden might be a good idea. All ideas welcome. Thank you!

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lin
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Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 11:27

Re: Tortoise Friendly Garden Ideas

Post by lin » 08 Jan 2018, 13:52

Hiya.
Sounds like a plan coming together and when its underway we would love to be updated with photos if you have time.

As you have found that whatever you plant will be eaten to the ground as soon as they find it so it may be better to plant in a raised bed and allow overhang that they can get to when it grows within reach.
Plants like Campanula, Pansy, Hosta (lol), Alyssum, you can even plant in pots and angle them so the leaves and flowers can be reached. Shrubs like Abutlion is handy for when the flowers and leaves drop, as is Mallow, Lavatera, Hebe and most of the herbs will be used for shelter and shade rather than being eaten.
During the summer there are also bedding plants like mimulas, Diascia.
Have you a mobile phone you could take with you when out plant shopping. If so then you might not know about our app we have that is available from the apple store and google play. If you just search for The Tortoise Table app it should come up with no problems for you to install. Let us know if you have any problems with it.
Do let us know if you need any more ideas and we will see what else we can come up with.

Lin

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Oxalis
Posts: 46
Joined: 22 Jun 2017, 20:20
Location: Michigan, U.S.
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Re: Tortoise Friendly Garden Ideas

Post by Oxalis » 08 Jan 2018, 16:34

You'll be happy to learn that many beautiful flowers can grow in the tortoise garden! :D I have planted bellflower (Campanula spp.) and mallow (Malva spp.) as Lin has suggested. I've also found both sun- and shade-lovely Geraniums in lovely purples and blues. Asters come in many shapes and colors, all quite easy to grow. Hollyhock (Alcea spp.) is also a lovely flower that is safe for the tortoise diet. I have plenty of chicory and dandelion living in harmony with these plants as well. When some of these plants grow taller, like some Asters, they will also provide adequate shade for your tortoise.

Depending on your area, you may be able to do some research on native plants that are also tortoise safe (I cross-referenced some of them on this website). Evening primrose has been a wonderful native addition for my Russian tortoise garden; he loves the flowers and goldfinches visit the stalks in the autumn to eat the seeds.
I <3 Stevie, my Russian tortoise!

SebastienRichards
Posts: 1
Joined: 26 Feb 2023, 21:21

Re: Tortoise Friendly Garden Ideas

Post by SebastienRichards » 26 Feb 2023, 21:21

I just adopted a young tort and I'm doin' my best to provide him with a chill, comfy environment to explore and thrive. I'm sure he'd luv a garden filled with his fave stuff like plants and rocks. I'm down for any and all suggestions on how to make the garden more tortoise-friendly. I'd b mega-grateful for any info on what kinda plants to include, what kind of rocks and soil 2 use, and any other tips or tricks that U may have.

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MarcelSchaefer
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Joined: 26 Feb 2023, 21:24

Re: Tortoise Friendly Garden Ideas

Post by MarcelSchaefer » 26 Feb 2023, 21:28

Creating a tortoise-friendly garden sounds like a great idea! It's always good to have a safe place for them to explore and roam around. I definitely recommend referring to the plant database before buying any plants, so you know what is safe for your torts. Regarding the hostas, maybe you can get some low-growing, non-tasty plants like succulents, ferns, and grasses? In terms of Mediterranean gardens, you'll want to focus on getting drought-tolerant plants that love the sun, so maybe consider getting native plants in your area. If you want to add some furniture to your garden, you might follow this link: https://www.gardenfurniture.co.uk/. They have a large selection of outdoor furniture that could be great for a Mediterranean garden.
Last edited by MarcelSchaefer on 27 Feb 2023, 13:23, edited 1 time in total.

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Nina
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Joined: 16 Mar 2017, 11:22

Re: Tortoise Friendly Garden Ideas

Post by Nina » 27 Feb 2023, 09:42

Hi Sebastien,

Welcome to the Forum, and congratulations on your new tortoise. What species is it? There is nothing nicer than a good outdoor enclosure for a tortoise, and in addition to making it interesting, with plants, hidey places, rocks, etc. it's important to make it secure, as tortoises are amazing escape artists (they can climb up walls and burrow under fences). Horsfields (Russians) are notorious for escaping, and I've attached two photos to show you what tortoises are capable of.

Regarding landscaping and various things to take into account, have a read of our page on outdoor enclosures here:
http://www.thetortoisetable.org.uk/tort ... _x3_h_P0qR

As someone else has said, you can use our Plant Database to choose appropriate plants, but it's wise not to have a substantial plant near the walls of the enclosure, as they can use them as a ladder to climb out. It's nice to have edible plants in the enclosure, but they might be eaten to the ground immediately, so plants that are edible but not as favoured by most tortoises are good -- things like dwarf Hebes and decorative grasses can work well. And you can use the filter tool to produce lists of plants on our database that are all edible.

Good luck and let us know how you get on.
Nina
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