A Quick Guide for a Pet Friendly Garden

A Quick Guide for a Pet Friendly Garden For many of you green thumbs, Spring is the time of year you just cherish. The bleak winter is over and done with – this is the perfect time get growing and to show off your gardens! A slice of paradise, all to ourselves… But many of you also have pets, and I’m sure the same questions are in the back of your mind: “Will they eat this?” “Will they dig that up?” “Will those make them ill?” We believe – and we think you’d agree – that your pet’s safety comes first. So, we’ve put together a quick guide that should help create the perfect pet friendly garden this Spring.

What plants are harmful to my pet?

Unfortunately, certain plants can be extremely harmful and often fatal to dogs and cats. The following plants are all toxic to cats and dogs, and can cause massive complications and fatality:

• Elderberry
• Delphinium
• Azalea
• Yew Tree
• Verbena

[caption id="attachment_4098" align="alignleft" width="240"] Elderberry[/caption] [caption id="attachment_4097" align="alignleft" width="246"] Delphinium[/caption] [caption id="attachment_4096" align="alignleft" width="240"] Azalea[/caption]             There are also a host of other plants and flowers that will likely cause some illness and complications for your pets if ingested. The most common of these will include the following:

• Aloe Vera
• Daffodils – Mainly the bulbs
• Daisy
• Foxglove
• English Ivy Leaves
• Geranium
• Lillies – Especially harmful to cats
• Tomato Plant

[caption id="attachment_4100" align="alignleft" width="240"] Foxglove[/caption] The above list of plants will not likely lead to fatality, but can cause illness such as vomiting, diarrhea, seizures and breathing problems.   We recommend avoiding planting any of these plants altogether, however we understand that these are staples for many of your gardens. Some of them do look wonderful! So, if you wanted to keep these plants, it would probably best to keep them in places where your pets are unlikely to come into contact with them, such as a greenhouse or up high in hanging baskets.  

What plants aren’t harmful to pets?

I bet you’re thinking by now; “My garden’s going to look as bare as a box of dog treats!”. Do not worry! There are plenty of pet-friendly plants you can use to liven up your garden! We’d recommend looking at the following plants for your pet friendly garden:

• Lilac
• Sunflowers
• Bamboo
• Echinacea
• Nasturtiums
• Catnip / Catmint – Of course! All cats love this!

  The Spring season is a wonderful time for growing new plants and for your pets to have fun outside. So, always be cautious and just consider what you put in your garden and where! If your pets have come across some of these plants at Farm and Pet Place, we have available a good supply of Dog Health and Cat Health supplements, if your pets aren’t feeling too well. If the sun starts to get a bit much and your dog suffers from dry or cracked skin, then we also offer a great range of Dog Skin Care products. But if they are having serious symptoms then you have to always take them to a vet first. It’s always better safe than sorry! If you have any good tips on a pet friendly garden, then leave us a comment – we’d love to hear from you! Other than that, happy gardening and have a lovely Spring!]]>