Toads require a body of water in order to breed, so that needs to be in the environment somewhere fairly close.

Other than that, a pesticide free yard that offers shelter and moisture is aboutball you need. By pesticide free, I mean no herbicides, fungicides, or insecticides........amphibians are very sensitive animals.

I don't have toads in my gardens, either. My issue is the lack of a body of water in the neighborhood, even the drainage ditches don't hold water very long. I keep hoping, though!

You can create some shelter for the toads by using a broken clay pot on its side. Or half bury a whole one. Choose a shady spot or an area that tends to hold a bit more moisture. Good luck!

They need puddles of water for breeding in the springtime. They need tall trees to enter and exit your property. They need mosquitoes to eat.

What FWC said. I've read that will bring toads into your garden, but having an area of water nearby is important, too. There are all kinds of beneficial animals (and insects) that are more than happy to visit your garden.

Remember that and keep it organic and safe. Don't add things you wouldn't want your kids around...and check to see if plants are poisonous, to us or animals. There are lists online of safe and toxic plants. And some that are okay for people are not good for cats, dogs and others.

There are always safe substitutes that can be used. If you have children, think violets over lily of the valley. Avoid foxglove, daphne, castor beans, and many others. If you really like these plants, think about a separate, fenced area that is for plants that you do NOT want children and animals getting into. Something like an apothecary garden....

I've had toads here for years long before there was a liner type pond next door. They prefer larger bugs, especially june bugs and they favor being near a light, such as a porch light to catch anything that walks by or that isn't more than 3 or 4 inches above the ground which is as high as they can hop, usually its a beetle, something walking or something landing, The biggest bug I've seen them eat are tree locusts, which takes a while and the wings stick out the sides of their mouths as their eyes roll back. Each toad hunts in the same spot every night.

Ours hatch out where the water keeps the ground wet by the air conditioner, I always see lots of teeny tiny babies under there each summer but I've seen tadpoles swimming in puddles within a day or so of rain. They like rocks and places to hide, often just a hole in the ground is good or at the base of a plant, I often run into them and dig one up sleeping in winter when working on my soil. Toads spend their life on the ground not in trees, all they want is a cool place to dig into during the day, trees aren't necessary. They also love to nestle in flower pots with damp potting soil if its in the shade and often uproot small plants doing that.

A bit more information. Mine breed in early summer, I never see babies in spring. They do not enter and exit the property as stated above--- in fact none of them ever go very far and spend the day in a protected spot and night a few feet away from that. They hunt by sight waiting for movement then they strike, each toad patrolling in his special spot.

I would imagine if a person could collect some tadpoles they could bring them home and let the little guys grow up since toads seem to happen in the oddest places, like a chance seasonal puddle for instance made by a tire that created a groove in an alley. Also contrary to the above post, I wouldn't encourage mosquitos as food or attractors, we had just as many babies in the drought years when there we didn't see a single mosquito around here.