Pet friendly gardens and yards are, of course, highly dependent on the type of pet you have. We could write a nice article on dog-friendly gardens, just to find we are writing to cat lovers-or someone who keeps a pet pig! So, this is just an overview of things you should think about when creating a pet-friendly garden.
Pet habits:
For instance, if you have a pet who will take off down the street at first opportunity, you will want to have fencing around your yard, leave them tied on a long lead-or use some other method to keep them in their own territory. If you have a pet who is old and slow, you probably want to have a nice soft spot where they can nap. If you have a pet who likes to climb up things, you might consider how to block access to trees, unless you know they also know how to climb down them again. If you have lively pets who like to run, a good wide stretch of lawn is an excellent idea.
Soil:
Blank stretches of soil will make it very easy for dogs to dig holes-and if you let the soil get dry, the cat might think it’s a litter box. We advise a pet-safe mulch or rock mulch (if you have a chewer) for areas like this. If you find your pet wearing a path to and from favorite spots, putting in some stepping stones will keep the area looking nice without interfering with your pet’s fun.
Plants:
Sturdy plants are a must around pets. If you really like delicate plants, plant them en masse-pets will generally go around mass plantings instead of through them.
Toxic Plants:
Some pets will chew on everything in sight. If you have one of those, we’d strongly advise you pay careful attention to plant toxicity-for both indoor and outdoor plants. The ASPCA has a good list here and Cornell University has a list of common toxic plants by type of pet (they have lists for dogs, cats, iguanas, rabbits and livestock).
Other toxicity:
Pesticides can sometimes become “pet-icides.” Be VERY careful if you are trying to get rid of a pest. There are many pet-safe alternatives out there that can be used instead of poisons.
Keeping pets away from plants:
If you have a vegetable garden, we’d advise fencing it in-both to keep pets from nibbling and to keep them from choosing the area to do their business. If you have cats, you can distract them by planting some catnip or catmint-they love it! They will be drawn to this living treat and generally leave the rest of your plants alone.
Digging:
Dogs like to dig and they like to bury things. Keep in mind that they’ll also dig if they are too hot, perhaps providing a nice shady area might solve that problem. But if you just have an enthusiastic digger, your best bet may be to fence in a digging area and let your dog go to town there.
Leavings:
Again, the main problem here is dogs. If you keep the soil around your plants moist, your cats won’t generally do their business there-they prefer dry soil (you can also bring a litter box outside). Dogs can be trained to use one area as their go-to area. Once trained, they’ll generally head for their spot and you won’t have to worry too much about the rest of the yard.