Hedgehogs are indeed very close to the hearts of Ed’s gardeners. They’re very effective pest controllers, eating up many plant destroying insects and snails, and love nothing better than a good compost heap to curl up in. They really are fantastic little garden buddies. We consider it our privilege to be so close to nature on a daily basis and to share the garden with them.
However, hedgehog numbers have been dropping rapidly in the UK, as the animals have become increasingly threatened by urbanisation. So, what can we do to look out for them?
How can we help?
Our Ed’s gardeners meet quite a lot of little hedgehog friends as they go about their day-to-day gardening jobs, especially in autumn. All of our gardeners have their own stories about encounters with our spiky little friends, and do their best to help them whenever they can.
Dan, our Ed’s gardener in Great Bookham, escorted this cute little fellow to safety when he found it wandering just a bit too close to the main road.
As their name suggests, hedgehogs love sleeping in hedges. When these hedges border busy roads, it can be dangerous when they wander out for a bit of fresh air.
They also like curling up in cosy piles of leaves and other garden waste to have a nice long nap. Please do keep this in mind when moving piles of leaves and garden rubbish that have been left, even for a little while. That way no harm will come to any hedgehogs. Our gardeners always have a thorough check through any piles that have been sitting before we move anything.
Hedgehog highways
Dan isn’t the only one whose helped our prickly garden companions while on the job. Mark, our gardener in Bournemouth, replaced a customer’s collapsed fence with a hedgehog-friendly one. The customer had recently spotted one of the spiney critters in their garden, and was worried the fence would stop it from roaming freely. Mark left a small hole in one of the panels – known as a hedgehog highway – to make sure it could continue to visit the garden.
“Three days later I received a call from the customer, absolutely delighted to tell me that the hedgehog was using the fence opening, and was drinking in their garden,” Mark said. “The customer was also kind enough to send me a photo of the hedgehog!”
Remember, remember the 5th of November
Finally, and very importantly for hedgehogs, Bonfire Night is almost here. Hedgehogs are very partial to curling up in leaves and twigs, so an unlit bonfire is a very attractive place for a hedgehog to take a quick autumn nap. Please do check thoroughly that there are no little sleeping beauties inside before you set alight any bonfires.
If you find a hedgehog, use a handkerchief or dish towel or even a bunch of autumn leaves to gently pick him up. Then move him to a quiet spot before the bonfire and firework festivities begin. He will be very grateful for it!