How to attract hogs into new build garden, near woodland.
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We’ve recently moved into a new build property, brought our hog house with us but haven’t had any sightings. Our Turf is laid but no plants yet so not much protection. We are right next to woodland though so hoping a few hogs are around. Our developer is supposed to be putting hedgehog highways in to each new home, as of yet they haven’t and this is something myself and the neighbours are chasing them on. In the meantime, as we begin planting and building our wildlife garden is there anything you could suggest for us to attract hogs back, or is it just a matter of getting the garden sorted and wait?
Hi Kerry
Really pleased to hear you and your neighbours are chasing your developer re. hog holes. Hopefully you will be successful, but if not you may have to make some yourselves. There is some information here: https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/help-hedgehogs/link-your-garden/
It can be quite fun having a ‘blank canvas’, but also a bit daunting. I would be inclined to put some shrubs in (assuming size allows), maybe in a sort of hedge like effect, which might provide some natural nest sites once grown a bit, as well as providing leaves for nest building.
I have a few links re. gardening, which might be interesting. I’ll put them each in a separate post, as the forum doesn’t always like too many links in one post.
Good luck. I hope you manage to attract some hedgehogs.
This includes some features which you might like to include in your garden:
https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/help-hedgehogs/helpful-garden-features/Just to show you don’t need to be too untidy to encourage wildlife:
https://www.hedgehogstreet.org/urban-gardens/Some information from BHPS: https://www.britishhedgehogs.org.uk/gardening-with-hedgehogs/
Thanks Nic. We’re ready to make start on the planting got quite a lot of space to cover which will include adding a wildlife pond. Just need to be patient. We’ll start on one side of the garden until we decide how to landscape the rest but hopefully it will provide some shelter. All the new residents are pushing for the hog highways, just wish the developer was as keen as they were when they added it to their marketing strategy ! Happy to add them ourselves but annoying when they should have been added from day 1.
Hi Kerry
Totally agree re. the developer and the hog highways. Very wrong of them to include it in marketing and then not create them. But brilliant that there are so many people pushing for them. Keep up the good work and fingers crossed you are succesful. Hopefully that will encourage the develepors to include them in other developments as well – and actually include them from the start!
Hope all goes well with the planting – wildlife pond sounds great! Let us know how it all goes and if/when any hogs turn up.
Follow up:
Today we finally got out hedgehog highway completed ! We moved in December 2023. It’s taken a lot of pushing the developer but 15 months later they’ve completed what they originally marketed. We have been putting out food just in case and our hedgehog house has been left available, we made sure the garden gate had access from the street but so far nothing. I’m hoping now the highway is there (Which leads onto woodland at the back) will encourage visitors and we can see an increase across our community. I know a few highways have been added today so keeping everything crossed now.
Hi Kerry
Brilliant to hear that the hedgehog highway is finally in place. Well done all of you for keeping the developer to their word!
Fingers crossed that you get some hog visitors soon. It may take them a bit of time to discover the new potential routes and trust the area after the upheaval of building etc. Meanwhile hopefully other wildlife will appreciate your work making your garden wildlife friendly.
Good luck! Keep us posted about progress.
Update 2:
Found some hedgehog poo in the garden at the weekend. On my trail cam last night I saw a hog in the garden. So happy that they are making their way back after building work has disrupted them.
It looks pretty chunky so possibly pregnant ? Our hog house is free and waiting for tenants so fingers crossed it all goes okay.Hi Kerry
That’s such good news! Really pleased for you.
You never know it could be a pregnant one. A hog with young ones in procession would be the icing on the cake!
Good luck and happy hog watching!
Hedgehogs have annually visited my garden, for the last 15 years at least. It;s a south facing garden with mature trees, shrubs and hedging . Whether they hibernate here, I do not know. However, a few years ago I got a lovely hedgehog house, so positioned it and provided hay etc. It was never used. I moved it again to a more sheltered spot beside a shed and from the mid-day sun, but it got the sun in the mornings, still it hasn’t been used.
Can anyone tell me the best place to position it , i.’e. in shade, early morning sun, late afternoon sun, no sun at all or under a bush etc.
Thanks
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