9 Best Plants for a Pet Friendly Garden
Your pet, especially your dog, will love outdoor areas and gardens. Because gardens are beautiful and stimulating spaces for dogs, it is important to have a Pet Friendly Garden. Dogs love gardens for a variety of reasons. Whether for their physical health or mental situation, having that extra outdoor space to roam during their relaxation makes all the difference in their happiness and behaviour.
They can enjoy more freedom when they are outside than they can at home. During their walk, pets can freely sniff and relieve themselves wherever and whenever they want. They can feel the vast space around them, and regardless of whether they are on a leash or not, they think that they can roam free and explore new things.
Dogs are incredibly active creatures who need a lot of physical exercise and movement to burn their energy and remain mentally and physically healthy. Insufficient physical activity is detrimental to their health and thus can negatively impact their behaviour. The outdoor areas and gardens are essential for dogs because, in the gardens, they can get the physical exercise they need, stimulate their senses, and provide them with some variety in their daily life.
The problem is that many beautiful and ornamental plants contain toxic chemicals that are dangerous to our puppies and other animals if they eat these plants. Here we discuss plants that are suitable for pet dogs.
1. Pet Friendly Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus)
Snapdragons (Antirrhinum majus) are very popular short-lived garden perennials that are usually cultivated annually because the flower quality frequently falls after the first year. They are a staple of traditional flower gardens, with numerous applications ranging from mixed boundary gardens to flower boxes to patio containers. Its common name comes from the shape of the individual flower heads, which resemble a dragon's snout and open and close in a snapping action.
Snapdragons are one of several dog-friendly plants. These vibrant and energetic flowers not only offer a splash of colour to your yard but are also perfectly safe for domestic pets and dogs. They have no trouble with snapdragons in the garden. According to the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals, snapdragons are entirely non-toxic for cats, dogs, and other domestic pets. Hence can be part of your Pet Friendly Garden. However, pesticide application on the plant may harm pets.
2. Pet Friendly Fuchsia
Fuchsias are one of the world's most beautiful, distinctive, and well-loved perennial garden plants. They are incredibly adaptable and may be cultivated in shady conditions. These plants are popular not just in gardens but also in hanging pots. They flower from late spring to early winter and convey happiness with their vibrant colours. In full bloom, the bush resembles a cluster of full-skirted ballet dancers. Fuchsias can be grown in all parts of Australia. It can be grown as bushes, hedges, or espalier against a fence wall.
Fuchsia flowers are not poisonous to dogs. If your dog ate any part of the fuchsia plant, including the berries, seed pods, and flowers, they would be fine if there were no fertilisers, pesticides, or herbicides. Fuchsias are not poisonous and are said to be juicy and sweet. This could be a good choice for your Pet Friendly Garden.
3. Camellias are safe for your dog or cat
Camellias, also known as Queens of the Winter Flowers, are gorgeous evergreen shrubs that are highly regarded for the brilliance of their beautiful flowers, outstanding evergreen leaves, and compact, rounded form. These shrubs flower from early autumn through winter and into early spring. The flowers come in various sizes, colours, and shapes. They are adaptable and straightforward to grow as shrubs. Camellias may thrive in any part of Australia. In the landscape, camellias can be used as specimen plants, borders or hedges, foundations, and screens.
Touching or consuming camellias is harmless and non-toxic for dogs and other animals. Camellia bushes are not known to possess any known poisons. The blooms and foliage are both non-toxic to dogs and cats. Therefore, feel free to plant this lovely shrub in your Pet Friendly Garden.
4. Sunflower (Helianthus annuus)
The sunflower (Helianthus annuus) is possibly one of the easiest flowers you can grow in the garden. Sunflowers come in sizes that range from dwarf varieties (46 cm tall) to giant types (4 m tall). You can find sunflowers in colours ranging from very pale yellow to dark burgundy red, and all shades of yellow, red, and orange in between. The stunning sunflower blooms are pretty and brighten the garden, making gorgeous cut flowers.
Sunflower is an excellent choice for a dog-friendly garden because it is non-toxic and safe for dogs and other pets. They can not harm your furry friend. However, it is a fact that too much of anything is usually wrong. Your dog could run into trouble if he eats excessive sunflower seeds. The shells of sunflower seeds can cause serious digestive problems for them.
5. Magnolias
Magnolias are stunning shrubs and ornamental trees that give the garden a touch of show-stopping fascination. Their magnificent, tulip- or star-like flowers come in various colours, including pure white, pink, deep purple, and even yellow. Many have a pleasant aroma as well. Magnolias range in size from small shrubs to enormous trees, and they can be either deciduous or evergreen. Deciduous magnolias in Australia develop their stunning blossoms on bare stems in the late winter to announce spring. Magnolia as a hedge is a favourite selection for Australian gardens, and some even think it raises the value of the surrounding properties. This could be a good choice for your Pet Friendly Garden.
Magnolias are not poisonous to dogs. If your dog is snacking on the magnolia's beautiful flowers, stems, seed pods, and fallen leaves, he will be fine. However, your furry friend should stay away from this plant when it has been treated with pesticides or any other foliar spray.
6. Heuchera (Heuchera spp.)
Heuchera (Heuchera spp.) is a clumping perennial often known as Coral Bells. In semi-shaded gardens, they are beneficial as great foliage plants. They look good in shaded areas and provide year-round colour. Coral bells form neat clumps with beautiful, finely lobed leaves and are available in various colours. These colourful little plants are available in multiple colours, including lime green, chocolate brown, red, burgundy, deep purple, two-tone, and others. Coral bell can grow almost everywhere in Australia.
If your canine companion decides to taste a coral bell plant, there is no need to worry because all parts of the coral bells are safe and non-toxic to dogs. But if a dog were to eat a large quantity of the plant, it might experience an upset stomach, but the plant parts are not poisonous.
7. The Bottlebrush
The bottlebrush, often called the crimson bottlebrush, weeping bottlebrush, or prickly bottlebrush, is a beautiful evergreen shrub or small tree renowned for its abundance of brightly coloured spikes with threadlike flowers. Bottlebrush fits nicely with most landscapes and delivers a stunning display of colours over an extended period. Most flower spikes are red, although they can also be pink, yellow, purple, green, or white. Bottlebrush also has beautiful foliage in addition to its flower spikes.
Because bottlebrush is non-toxic and suitable for dogs and other pets, it is a lovely and fantastic choice that fits nicely into the Pet Friendly Garden.
8. The Pet Friendly African daisies
African daisies, members of the family Asteraceae, look like common daisies. But unlike the traditional daisies, these have vibrant colours. African daisies are excellent ground cover plants and a source of lovely cut flowers. African daisies can quickly grow to form handsome, heat and frost tolerant, rounded shrubs that are adorned with flowers from spring to autumn. Their compact habits lend well to pots and sunny borders, providing a nice pop of reliable, easy colour where you need it. The African daisies stay open night and day. Additionally, they are more robust overall and can tolerate more shade.
African daisies are not poisonous to your cats and dogs and are therefore especially suited to your garden. You will not have to worry even if a pet nibbles on the plant because the African daisy is not poisonous to your pets. Due to its non-toxicity, this plant is an excellent addition to the Pet Friendly Garden.
9. Petunias
Petunias are low spreading or mounding plants with broad, trumpet-shaped, five-lobed flowers and branching foliage. These beautiful annuals come in various colours: white, pink, red, blue, and purple. They frequently have a variety of multi-coloured patterns. Petunias make excellent garden centrepiece flowers. This flower is fantastic for adding a pop of colour to your yard because it is brimming with beautiful colours and has a pleasant scent. They give great colour to garden design and yard landscaping and make excellent ground covers and blooming borders.
Your dog will be safe around petunias since these flowering plants are dog friendly and not poisonous. If your dog eats petunias, they will be safe. However, eating anything in a large quantity can cause problems.
Red's Landscaping Botanical Design Packages
Our Botanical Design Package is uniquely tailored to your preferred colour palette and style of plants, whilst also maintaining symmetry and consistency with existing buildings and architecture.
Our dedicated horticulturalist will ensure the plants selected will work with your soil and weather requirements and will sustain growth for years to come. This package comes with 2 snapshot renders detailing how the planting scheme will look once established in your landscape. This package also features an installation guide and a care guide. These guides will help you understand the water, shade, and fertilising requirements of each plant and will help you spot early warning signs of stress or disease. These guides will ensure that you have the knowledge to understand each plant's specific requirements and maintain them to maturity.
Click today to book your consultation with one of our passionate horticulturalists.
More Information on Toxic Plants.
9 Toxic Plants to avoid for pet friendly gardens
Agriculture Victoria - Toxic plants for dogs
