After a cold morning’s hard graft (and wow, did they work hard!), a 5* reptile hibernaculum now marks the new boundary of our fledgling wildlife garden.

*Fun Fact* - Did you know amphibians and reptiles are together called herpetofauna, or “herps” for short.

The scouts de-turfed their chosen spot and then impressed us all with their perseverance as they dug… and dug… and dug until we reached the mystical (apparently) depth of 60cm, which will let our scaly friends curl up safely out of reach of Jack Frost’s wintery fingers. 

We slid drainpipes into the hole so the snakes and slow worms will be able to slither down to the cosy hollows, and then we filled the space with logs, donated breezeblocks and more piping to create an underground cave system in miniature, full of nooks and crannies for hibernating in.

We covered our construction with old roofing tiles and laid a thick blanket of freshly fallen leaves on top for insulation.  Enough soil was piled up to create a little mound (with drainpipe entrances kept clear), then the turf was back where it started (-ish) and the new subterranean extension was complete.

Just in time for winter!

This makes a satisfying project to undertake in your own garden – repurposing lots of odd bits and bobs that need a new raison d’etre and creating some fantastic new habitat while you’re at it. Let us know on facebook if you have a go yourself – we would love to see your works in progress!