You may already know Lou from Sir David Attenborough’s Secret Garden, a recent BBC hit that centred around the incredible wildlife that lives in our gardens. If you haven’t already seen it, I highly recommend a watch! In the show, you’ll get to see Lou’s garden host foxes, frogs, birds, 50 different species of bees, and one of the UK’s fastest declining mammals, hedgehogs. 

Why is Lou’s hedgehog-friendly garden so important?

Since the 1950’s, there’s been a 75% decrease in hedgehog numbers, and in 2020, they were classed as vulnerable to extinction by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature.

Habitat loss and lack of connectivity of suitable habitats, combined with farming and gardening practices, have left hedgehogs clinging to the edges in both rural and urban environments. 

But Lou’s garden is a ray of hope for North Bristol’s hedgehogs and demonstrates how a community can come together to provide a safe haven for wildlife.

How have Lou and her neighbours helped hedgehogs?

It’s not by accident that these enigmatic little mammals have chosen Lou’s urban garden as a place to call home. I caught up with Lou to find out how she and her partner, John, brought people together for nature.

“It all started on the street Whatsapp group!” Lou told me as we sat watching butterflies dance around her garden. “Our neighbour Chris suggested the idea of creating a hedgehog highway, which would connect our gardens and allow hedgehogs to travel through the walls and fences to feed, find a mate and hibernate. Each garden could have something different to offer.”

But it wasn’t all straightforward. “Lots of the walls between the gardens are brick and needed specific tools to get through them. John, Chris and I went and bought the tools to help anyone interested in creating their hedgehog highway holes.

“People really want to help, but doing the DIY involved can definitely be a barrier. We were determined, and being able to offer help was assistance was key in getting the highway set up.”

The result is an amazing 16 gardens connected by the hedgehog highway and a flourishing hedgehog population, made famous by Lou’s feature on Secret Garden.

What else does Lou do to help Hedgehogs?

“I always say I’m not a gardener, but I grow pollinator-friendly plants to encourage invertebrates, and I leave areas less tidy to make sure there’s food and habitat for the hedgehogs. I’m also careful not to use any chemicals,” explained Lou. Some pesticides can be toxic to hedgehogs and harm them directly, while others can reduce their food sources, such as earthworms. Reducing the chemicals in your garden is an easy way to support hedgehogs.  

What keeps Lou hopeful about nature’s recovery? 

“Hearing about the amazing landscape-scale projects happening at Avon Wildlife Trust!” Lou and her partner are long-time members of the Trust and have been volunteering at our Bennetts Patch reserve for 10 years. “I think a combination of the work the Trust is doing on a grand scale, and the individual and community actions that people take, is the key to helping wildlife bounce back.”

Help your local hedgehogs