Hares in the garden

[Vegemiteandhoneyontoast]

I work in a large rural garden and this year hares have appeared there. We've seen an adult and two leverets running about and whilst there isn't any obvious damage, as yet, I don't have any experience with hares and don't know what they get up to. It's a very open garden so there's no keeping them out.

Anyone have advice or experience to offer, please?

We have a fair few hares. They don't seem to do any damage at all.
Rabbits and deer on the other hand happily destroy everything in their path…

Don’t turf them out! Killing hares for fun is legal for some reason.

I'd think myself very lucky to have hares in my garden and do as much as possible to keep them.

Me too

I am exceptionally jealous. Love hares (if it were not obvious).

Me too.

Why would you want to keep them out, it's their home long before we came along, lucky owners of the land and garden you work in.

I thought this thread was going to be about sharing the joy!

How wonderful to have hares in the garden.

I know nothing about hares but I follow this woman on Instagram and there might be some useful information here for you.
www.instagram.com/chloedaltonuk/?hl=en

I'm a very keen gardener but I'd happily let hares destroy the lot if they wanted to come and live in my garden - what a joy.
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I have no intention of keeping them out, not that it would be possible to, I just wanted to know what to expect. Truth be told, I'm delighted to see them and look forward to admiring them.

We get a number of visitors to the garden - the deer can be a menace with the roses over winter but tend to move on in spring. Cows and sheep occasionally get in when walkers leave gates open, but they're generally collected in a few hours and apart from some trampling and an awful lot of shit (free manure!) they haven't done too much damage.

I'd happily let hares destroy the lot if they wanted to come and live in my garden

I would too, @Bridport but I'm paid to keep this garden looking good. At the very most we'd put some protection around the new trees if needed, otherwise we'll just enjoy them.

Oh how lovely

Thank you, this is what I was hoping for.

How exciting. You're very lucky. Please allow them to stay. They are so vulnerable, as practically every living thing preys on them. I wonder if theyre seeking refuge? So many gangs go out at night with dogs for fun, its tragic. They wont do any harm. Please post pictures of the leverets.

I follow Chloe Dalton too and finished the book at the same time as the hares turned up, but she didn't go into that much detail about they do in her garden.

The plan is absolutely to let them stay!

Ahhh I'm sorry it wasn't helpful. I love her photos and stories about hares and she seems to be doing good work regarding their legal protection.

If you're feeling generous, They enjoy oats. 🙂

Haven't managed to get any pics yet as they're very shy, but we did see one of them sitting under a tree and looking beautiful.

Now there's an idea, we have oats

How wonderful.

They don't dig like rabbits. And don't live in big groups - so although they probably will nibble a few things they aren't particularly destructive. They mainly like grass, clover and other soft greens, rather than woody stuff, but will go for the bark of young trees if other food is scarce in winter.

Thanks for that, @NoBinturongsHereMate. There is plenty of grass and a fair bit of clover. 'Soft greens' probably means Heuchera and geranium foliage, but they re-grow quickly enough.

I'd love to know where they rest up. We've started leaving big areas of grass uncut in summer so they're probably in there somewhere. The grass gets cut in late summer so we'll have to check very carefully before the job is done.

Know anyone with a drone? They'd be easier to spot from above.

Excellent idea! Mr Veg has a drone so I'll talk to him about it. He'll enjoy doing that.

I'm envious, I adore hares. See them around me sometimes, but not in the garden. You are blessed!