Mrs Tiggy Winkle, the famous Hedgehog from Beatrix Potters book.
Beatrix was born in 1866 in South Kensington London. She kept many animals and started studying them and drawing them. She visited places of great natural beauty in Scotland and the Lake District. She enjoyed painting landscape pictures.
In 1902 with encouragement (and her own money) she published the Tale of Peter Rabbit. http://www.visitcumbria.com/bpotter.htm
One of her other books was the Hedgehog Mrs Tiggy Winkle...
I found a BBC article a few days ago about the apparent decline of Hedgehogs in Urban Britain. They were in good health when there were lots of houses with hedgerows. The spread of decking, and patios make the green spaces smaller. Busy roads are now impassable to the snuffling hedgehogs. In fact thats how they estimated population is by the amount of roadkill deaths. http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/sci/tech/6975945.stm
I looked at hedgehog images as diverse as cuddly toys, ornaments, pictures, tea towels, fridge magents, cups, and characters.. (including Mrs Tiggy Winkle), so I know hedgehogs are a loved British wild animal.
I must have a garden with a hedgerow, and some fallen leaves and logs. Some food on a plate. They are perfect houseguests coming and going unobtrusively.
The article finishes "If you want hedgehogs in your gardens or park, see that they have what they need, shelter and food. Learn about hedgehogs so you can begin to think like them. The Essence of Empathy is that level of understanding."
I wander what peoples favourite wildlife is. I love the English countryside with Foxes, squirrels, badgers, hedgehogs...They have become part of the folk lore, and in storys as old as Aesops Fables, to the Beatrix Potter storys.
It would be a crime if they are allowed to die out because of the changing Urban landscape. Something that we can prevent by making our gardens wildlife friendly.
We need to keep the green corridors open for our wild visitors.
4 comments:
I know some gardeners complain about hedgehogs, but I've only seen them here in Canada as pets bought from a store! They do look cute. Our dog keeps watch over a squirrel in our yard, and the fence keeps the coyotes out. Our friends have had a few dogs eaten by wolves, but thankfully, the wolves don't usually venture into town!
Hi Snappy just passing by, well im not sure about Hedgehogs but i read Beatrix Potter to my children and grandchildren...
Gardenista,it must be pretty wild where you live with wolves and coyotes.I know you can get hedgehogs as pets, from other countrys apart from UK.
Thanks Jeanette,I have never read them just been exposed to the artwork from beatrix potters books.Thanks for dropping by :)
Hi Snappy, we had a hedgehog in our garden house and it was quite a challenge to lure him out of there. We hoped it would settle in the garden since there are plenty of places to hide, but unfortunately this did not happen. They are important to nature and should be protected. Take care, Andrea
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