Gransnet forums

Chat

My garden has been ruined by ????

(39 Posts)
MissAdventure Mon 20-Jul-26 23:44:46

The foxes used to dig holes and hide their ill gotten gains in my mums pots.

She found a couple of pork pies, almost all of a chinese takeaway, a few used condoms, and countless soiled nappies.

NotSpaghetti Mon 20-Jul-26 23:42:14

I have seen them - and found the cat poo!

NotSpaghetti Mon 20-Jul-26 23:41:42

Cats and birds both do this here.
The foxes don't.

Oh and occasionally a squirrel.

Wyllow3 Mon 20-Jul-26 22:42:54

How sad, I'd be devastated. No ideas, sorry. I just have foxes and there are so many wild bits at the end of my long garden (I need help it's so big) they don't touch pots and so on.

I'd pay someone to help you with "badger proof and easy care" to set up a new situation so you can still potter and maintain it yourself? I like the feeding badger idea but might they not eat both and invite family in?

Fallingstar Mon 20-Jul-26 22:41:07

Squirrels could be the culprits, we have a park nearby and they often come into my backyard and uproot plants and flowers making an awful mess in order to bury or retrieve their nuts/food.
They are pretty good diggers for such a small creature.

merlotgran Mon 20-Jul-26 22:35:54

Poor you. How easy is it for an animal to get into your courtyard garden. Is it surrounded by a wall?
Badgers usually dig under fences to gain access or failing that just bash their way through.
A fox can climb over a wall but a badger can’t.
Do you have squirrels or rabbits? They can be very destructive.

chicken Mon 20-Jul-26 22:16:07

Nothing was tipped over, just dug out, and I’ve never seen any evidence of badgers around here.

MissAdventure Mon 20-Jul-26 21:57:43

Foxes used to do things like this in my mum's garden, but I'm sure it will be badgers to have tipped such heavy pots and troughs in yours.

They're really muscular (badgers, not troughs!)

valdali Mon 20-Jul-26 21:46:19

I've had badgers do this to a tub, what a shame I'm sorry they've spoiled your flowers.

25Avalon Mon 20-Jul-26 21:39:07

Most likely badgers. They are very strong creatures and turning tubs upside down searching for worms etc would be no problem for them. They are protected so can’t be culled. Have you asked if there are any setts around?

Grammaretto Mon 20-Jul-26 21:32:44

The deer nibble and graze their way round my garden. They like the buds of nearly everything but they are neat eaters.

I doubt they would unearth tubs. More likely big crows or gulls.

Washerwoman Mon 20-Jul-26 21:28:23

It will be badgers.I know it's not great for your garden but they and foxes are having a tough time lately with this extremely hot and dry weather. It's making it so hard for them to find food as they can't get worms and grubs from the hard ground .We have a large sett near us but also a huge new housing development being built. So I feel sorry for them.Losing habitat.
Maybe I shouldn't but I put out a couple of eggs most nights to give them something to eat.I find then they leave my pots alone.

Carenza123 Mon 20-Jul-26 21:18:07

Could it be badgers? I know near our village where the new housing estates and industrial units are being developed, it has displaced the natural habitats of wildlife and badgers have been
known to overturn earth in the local cemetery and other places. Would it be worth installing a camera to discover what is happening?

chicken Mon 20-Jul-26 21:11:25

I went out into my beautiful courtyard garden this morning only to be greeted by devastation. Ten large troughs and tubs had their flowering plants smashed, uprooted and scattered, and great holes dug in the compost with most of it spilled in the gravel. I’ve spent the morning salvaging what I could, but feel very sad because it had been looking glorious,in full bloom.
This is the second time it’s happened, 2 tubs having been dug out when newly planted, but that was quickly remedied. What I would love to know is what is doing it. It’s not vandalism as we’re tucked away and very secluded in countryside . I know there are deer nearby, also foxes. Maybe someone’s dog was loose. Have any of you had anything similar happen and did you ever solve the mystery of whodunnit?

If it happened again I’m afraid that will have to be the end of the garden.I’m too old and lame to start again.