How to Turn Your Garden Into a Hedgehog Haven
Follow these simple steps to encourage these gentle creatures into your garden
Victoria Harrison
14 May 2017
Editor, Houzz UK and Ireland
When was the last time you spotted a hedgehog? If you can’t remember, it could be because their numbers are rapidly on the decline in the UK. According to the SWCC Hedgehog Hospital, numbers have plummeted from 36.5 million to less than a million over the past 70 years. But there are quick and easy ways you can help to boost the hedgehog population by making your very own garden into a hog haven.
Professional advice from: Fay Vass, chief executive, British Hedgehog Preservation Society; Ellis Wall, welfare manager, SWCC Hedgehog Hospital; Claudia de Yong, landscape and garden designer
More in this series: How to create a wildlife-friendly garden | How to create a bee-friendly garden
Professional advice from: Fay Vass, chief executive, British Hedgehog Preservation Society; Ellis Wall, welfare manager, SWCC Hedgehog Hospital; Claudia de Yong, landscape and garden designer
More in this series: How to create a wildlife-friendly garden | How to create a bee-friendly garden
Invite them in
“Their biggest threat is habitat loss, as people fence their gardens off and prevent hedgehogs from using them. Hedgehogs can travel a couple of miles a night to find food and fewer gardens are available to them in recent years,” says Wall.
You can easily fix this though by making sure there is access to your garden. “Just make a CD case-sized hole in boundary fences or walls to allow hedgehogs access to more habitat,” says Vass.
“Their biggest threat is habitat loss, as people fence their gardens off and prevent hedgehogs from using them. Hedgehogs can travel a couple of miles a night to find food and fewer gardens are available to them in recent years,” says Wall.
You can easily fix this though by making sure there is access to your garden. “Just make a CD case-sized hole in boundary fences or walls to allow hedgehogs access to more habitat,” says Vass.
Mow with caution
“During the summer months, when people start to tend to their gardens, we see a lot of injuries caused by lawnmowers and strimmers,” says Wall. To prevent any nasty accidents, always check long grass for sheltering hedgehogs before you mow it.
Image: British Hedgehog Preservation Society
“During the summer months, when people start to tend to their gardens, we see a lot of injuries caused by lawnmowers and strimmers,” says Wall. To prevent any nasty accidents, always check long grass for sheltering hedgehogs before you mow it.
Image: British Hedgehog Preservation Society
Create a wild area
Leaving an area of grass to grow a little longer provides a sheltered habitat, so give your lawnmower a break and allow a patch of grass to grow. You’ll also support a wide range of other wildlife by doing this.
See 12 more ways to create a wildlife-friendly garden
Leaving an area of grass to grow a little longer provides a sheltered habitat, so give your lawnmower a break and allow a patch of grass to grow. You’ll also support a wide range of other wildlife by doing this.
See 12 more ways to create a wildlife-friendly garden
Provide a pool
Did you know that hedgehogs can swim? It’s a great image, but if you want to provide a pond habitat for paddling hedgehogs you’ll need to ensure they can safely get in and out of the water.
“Ponds and pools of water should have sloping sides… hedgehogs are excellent swimmers, but will need something to climb out on,” explains Wall. You can adapt an existing pond by layering up rocks and stones to create a sloping bank.
Find out how to create a bee-friendly garden
Did you know that hedgehogs can swim? It’s a great image, but if you want to provide a pond habitat for paddling hedgehogs you’ll need to ensure they can safely get in and out of the water.
“Ponds and pools of water should have sloping sides… hedgehogs are excellent swimmers, but will need something to climb out on,” explains Wall. You can adapt an existing pond by layering up rocks and stones to create a sloping bank.
Find out how to create a bee-friendly garden
Leave them the right food
Everyone knows hedgehogs eat bread and milk right? Wrong! “The best food to leave out is hedgehog food or meaty cat or dog food,” says Vass. “And just water to drink.”
“We see a lot of malnourished, dehydrated and just hungry hogs, who would benefit from a dish of cat food or a bowl of fresh water left out for them!” agrees Wall.
Everyone knows hedgehogs eat bread and milk right? Wrong! “The best food to leave out is hedgehog food or meaty cat or dog food,” says Vass. “And just water to drink.”
“We see a lot of malnourished, dehydrated and just hungry hogs, who would benefit from a dish of cat food or a bowl of fresh water left out for them!” agrees Wall.
Fashion a woodpile
A log pile or compost area is a good habitat for hedgehogs and the insects they feed on. So if you don’t already have one, try creating one in a sheltered corner of the garden.
If you do already have one, try not to disturb it advises de Yong. “Be sure to check log piles and compost areas for hedgehogs and slowworms before moving valuable habitats.”
A log pile or compost area is a good habitat for hedgehogs and the insects they feed on. So if you don’t already have one, try creating one in a sheltered corner of the garden.
If you do already have one, try not to disturb it advises de Yong. “Be sure to check log piles and compost areas for hedgehogs and slowworms before moving valuable habitats.”
Keep an eye out on Bonfire Night
Guy Fawkes celebrations might be fun for humans, but they are a hazard for hedgehogs as a dry bonfire looks very appealing to them when they are looking for a cosy spot to hibernate.
“We encourage people to build their bonfires on the night, or to check for any sleepy hedgehogs before lighting them,” says Wall.
Guy Fawkes celebrations might be fun for humans, but they are a hazard for hedgehogs as a dry bonfire looks very appealing to them when they are looking for a cosy spot to hibernate.
“We encourage people to build their bonfires on the night, or to check for any sleepy hedgehogs before lighting them,” says Wall.
Check for footprints
How to tell if your wildlife friendly garden has been a success? Leave a little footprint trap.
“As [hedgehogs] are nocturnal, you may miss them, but on dry evenings, put some sand along the edge of a gate or door and in the morning you may see little footprints,” says de Yong.
How to tell if your wildlife friendly garden has been a success? Leave a little footprint trap.
“As [hedgehogs] are nocturnal, you may miss them, but on dry evenings, put some sand along the edge of a gate or door and in the morning you may see little footprints,” says de Yong.
Become a hedgehog champion
Want to do more? Why not become a hedgehog champion. The British Hedgehog Preservation Society has teamed up with People’s Trust for Endangered Species to launch project ‘Hedgehog Street’. “We are recruiting Hedgehog Champions willing to get involved in helping hedgehogs in their area,” says Vass. A staggering 44,000 champions have signed up so far!
Is your garden a hedgehog haven? Let us know in the Comments below.
Want to do more? Why not become a hedgehog champion. The British Hedgehog Preservation Society has teamed up with People’s Trust for Endangered Species to launch project ‘Hedgehog Street’. “We are recruiting Hedgehog Champions willing to get involved in helping hedgehogs in their area,” says Vass. A staggering 44,000 champions have signed up so far!
Is your garden a hedgehog haven? Let us know in the Comments below.
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I managed to film these little cuties last year
We put up a new fence and left 3 holes along its length for Hedgehogs. We know one visits as we have seen the droppings. Also we have no slug problem whatsoever which means they must be being eaten by the Hedgehog. We have a pond and have put in a slope to allow the creatures to escape should they fall in. Our garden is no longer tidy at the back. In fact it could be described as untidy but it's lovely with wild flowers and of course it makes gardening so much easier. We have left the middle of the lawn long this year. It all looks a bit wild and wonderful in my opinion.
I put cat food out every night, unfortunately the seagull knows the time & the neighbors cats know the time, so the hedgehog gets fed I have to throw food on the roof top for the seagull & bring the neighbors cat in the kitchen. It’s a nightmare , I made a little wood feeding station but the cats still got in. I have to stand guard over the hedgehog. 😂😂 🦔💞. We love the hedgehog 🦔 , cheers.