How to Plant a Pet Safe Garden

Spring is here and with the longer, warmer days we are no doubt all headed to our local garden centre or flower market to pick up a few bits and pieces to make our outside space stand out. However, if you’re fortunate to share your life with a dog or cat then you need to be a bit careful before making your purchase – some of the plants and flowers you may consider buying could be toxic and deadly if ingested.

Before splashing the cash take a moment to google its Latin name alongside the word ‘dog’ or ‘cat’. A really useful website I come back to time and again is ASPCA – on this site you can get a really quick synopsis on whether the plant you are considering is pet friendly. I would recommend popping along to your local garden shop and making a ‘wish list’ of plants you would like to buy and then coming home and doing a bit of research; it takes longer but it will 100% save you money and possibly save your pets life too. Win win!

For a full list of highly toxic plants you can visit Dogs In The Garden.

Pet Friendly Garden Plants and Flowers

Last year I cat proofed a section of my garden and wanted to fill it with lots of wonderful plants for my little guy to enjoy. A section of my shopping list included:

Annuals

• Calendula
• Snapdragons
• Petunia
• Butterfly Bush
• Zinnia
• Nasturtium

Perennials

• Phlox
• Roses
• Catmint (your fussy feline will love this!)
• Beebalm
• Goat’s Beard
• Astilbe

Don’t forget those indoor plants. Lily’s we all know about but there are lots of other flowers and small plants which, if nibbled by an inquisitive cat or bored dog, could cause severe liver damage and death. Let friends and family know your concerns to prevent any awkward moments – or just pop them in the bin on the ride home as I have done in the past 🙂

Happy Gardening!

Disclaimer: The author of this blog recommends doing your own research before purchasing any of the above plants for your garden so you can be confident that they are suitable for your individual pets.