Gardeners to the rescue – how to create a heavenly haven for hedgehogs

Hedgehogs need our help – and making your garden, whether at home or the green space in your business, or even a corner of your car park (thought make sure it is a space where they won’t be harmed by cars coming in and out), hedgehog friendly is a big step in the right direction. The humble hedgehog has been often voted Britain’s favourite wild animal, yet the charming critter has seen a drastic decline in population over the last 20 years.

Now, MyBuilder is rallying its skilled community to support the cause. Tradespeople are often the quiet heroes of our streets and neighbourhoods, and now, they are putting their skills and tools to use in a new way: helping Britain’s homeowners give beloved hedgehogs a better chance at survival. To support those gardeners who want to turn their garden into a safe place for hedgehogs, skilled garden experts from MyBuilder has put together a guide of simple steps you can take in your garden to save the hedgehogs. 

Hedgehog numbers have declined by a staggering 75% in the last 20 years, largely due to their habitat being destroyed by housing developments and the expansion of urban areas.

MyBuilder data showed that sadly, a quarter of Brits have never seen a hedgehog in the wild – rising to 40% of those aged 18 to 34 – yet 73% of people in the UK would be interested in helping hedgehogs in their gardens.

To help raise awareness of the issue, the week commencing May 4 has been designated as ‘Hedgehog Awareness Week’, with the aim of educating Brits on how serious the issue is, and how they can support these stalwarts of British wildlife.

The MyBuilder guide has been put together by professionals who are passionate about helping bolster numbers of British hedgehogs. It is part of a larger campaign by the company to raise awareness of the issue across the UK. From building a hedgehog house, to providing access between gardens, there are options for everyone.

James Lewis, a gardening expert from MyBuilder.com, said that anyone with an outside space can take steps to support hedgehogs. ‘Even if you only have a small garden or driveway area, there are improvements you can make to support hedgehogs. A really important step to take is to make sure that the animals can access your garden from other areas, so cutting a small hole in the bottom of fencing or hedging can be really beneficial to them. Building a hedgehog house is also a great way to help provide shelter and protection – and can easily be done with a small amount of timber.’

Sharon Jacobs, a senior nurse from Tiggywinkle’s, the world’s busiest wildlife hospital and a specialist in hedgehogs, said gardens are a vital resource to help the animals.

‘This guide provides great basic steps for British gardeners to take to really create an area that is supportive to the safety and health of hedgehogs,’ she said. ‘On top of this, we would urge gardeners to take care when mowing, strimming, or hedgecutting. We see thousands of injuries from this sort of activity every year, and it can be easily avoided by checking the areas you are working on before starting.’

Here is the MyBuilder.com expert guide on how to turn your garden into a hedgehog sanctuary at this time of year.