Grow wild flowers for hedgehogs
Hedgehog populations have plummeted and Seedball wants us all to scatter some seeds to help reverse their precipitous decline in numbers
Hedgehogs used to be frequent visitors to our gardens, but we're lucky if we see one these days. Seedball and People's Trust for Endangered Species have teamed up to help increase the country's hedgehog populations by developing a seedball with hedgehog appeal. Tins cost £6
Non-profit wildflower specialist Seedball has teamed up with People’s Trust for Endangered Species to develop a wildflower seed mix that will yield flowers with hedgehog appeal. It's easy to do your bit to develop hedgehog-friendly habitats by scattering Seedball's little clay balls over you garden.
Way back in the 1950s we had some 36.5 million hedgehogs in Britain, but by the mid 1990s their numbers had dwindled to around just 1.5 million. Numbers have continued to decline to the extent that it's almost as rare to spot a hedgehog these days as it is to see a glow worm. Hedgehogs are classed as an indicator species. which means a decline in their numbers indicates a fall in the quality of the environment and the health of the natural world.
What can we do?
Anyone with a garden can help make a difference to the plight of hedgehogs by being aware of the obstacles they face, such as impermeable garden borders like walls and fencing, busy roads, and minimalistic garden designs with little space to forage. Gardeners can help by leaving small holes in fences and borders so hedgehogs can move around - 3cm is the perfect sized hole for them. Also, provide them with water and leaving an area for them to hide in such as a log pile, will help to attract beetles, which hedgehogs love to eat.
A wildflower patch can make a beautiful hedgehog-friendly addition to a garden, as it provides essential shelter and attracts insects for them to feed on.
Seedball has made it easy to create a wildflower patch at home and its new hedgehog mix will create insect-rich hedgehog havens. Each tin contains 20 seed balls, enough to cover 1-m2 in a garden bed or 3-5 medium-sized pots. Each of the seed balls contain approximately 30 seeds each, with a mix of yellow rattle, wild carrot, birdsfoot trefoil, tufted vetch, self heal and poppy. Proceeds from the sale of hedgehog mix tins go to People’s Trust for Endangered Species to support their ongoing conservation work.
Dr. Emily Lambert, Seedball co-founder, says we can't let hedgehogs become extinct: 'Hedgehogs are such well-loved and wonderful creatures, we simply can't let their numbers dwindle any further. We want to help people grow beautiful wildflower habitats for hedgehogs and other wildlife to roam.'
