The sun’s warm glow is beaming, and birds are singing with joy, spring is officially here! It’s time to dig out those gardening gloves and get a little dirty in the flower beds. But wait, before you dig that hole, are those flowers pet-friendly? Be sure to check the list below for a full list of pet-friendly flowers.
When we bought our house last summer, the back patio was lined with nothing but weeds and a few rose bushes, so we had some work to do. But with summer nearing its end, we decided to push the gardening off until next spring. And what do you know, early spring came, and we had some mystery flowers growing. As a pet mom to a cat and dog who like to eat everything, I was concerned about these mystery flowers. Were they pet-friendly?
It took a while for those flowers to bloom before I could search what they were, and as it turns out, they are not pet-friend, so out they came. But this left me wondering, what plants and flowers are pet-friendly?
Here is what I found…
When planning your garden, here are a few things to keep in mind.
1. Be mindful of your dog’s habits. Where do they like to dig and urinate? These habits are likely not to change, so plan your garden around them.
2. Dog’s tend to patrol the perimeter. So, if you are planning on planting along your properties edge, leave a gap between the fence line and the bushes so your dog can do his/her job.
3. For high-traffic areas stick with resilient plants like Baccharis pilularis (dwarf coyote brush), Ceanothus groundcovers (California lilac), and Arctostaphylos groundcovers (manzanita).
4. Dog urine is not great for the garden, but there are a few plants that can’t stand it. Those plants are Penstemon (beard tongue), Heuchera (coral bells, alum root), Woodwardia fimbriata (western chain fern) and Festuca (fescue).
Our favorite flowers that add a pop of color but are also safe for your companions.
The snapdragons intense color that comes in almost every hue makes it a real standout for any garden. The flowers start blooming at the bottom of the stalk and work their way up, allowing for a long bloom period.
Great for bordering the garden or potting, these flowers are one of the most popular garden flowers and can be found in almost every color.
Standing about a foot high, these leafy stems are topped with a large daisy, often in shades of yellow and orange.
For a complete list of toxic and non-toxic plants, check the ASPCA’s record.
https://www.aspca.org/pet-care/animal-poison-control/dogs-plant-list
Keep in mind that this list is just a sampling if you are not sure about any plant or flower in your garden; do your research first. And if your pet ingests a harmful plant, contact your veterinarian immediately. Happy gardening!
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