Creating a Dog Friendly Garden

Creating a Dog Friendly Garden

There are several things you can do to make your garden “dog-friendly”, including purchasing non-toxic plants and ensuing the plants you do buy are robust! We are able to recommend the following:

Snapdragons (Antirrhinums)
Snapdragons are cheerful annual plants with a wide range of colours and heights. They are easy to grow and provide a cottage garden feel! Ideal for attracting bees to your garden also.

Michaelmas Daisies (Aster)
With a wide range of Michaelmas Daisies available, there is one to suit every garden! A huge variety of shades available including white, blue, purple and pink. Michaelmas Daisies grow best in moist, but well-drained soil in full sun or partial shade.

Camellias
An evergreen shrub that is popular in most gardens, as it produces a beautiful display of flowers during late Winter and early Spring. Camellias need to grow in acidic soil (We sell an Ericaceous compost, to enable the perfect soil conditions!) Camellias can also be grown in pots, but ensure they are sheltered from the wind.

Sunflowers
One of the most popular flowers! They come in a variety of colours, not just the iconic yellow. Depending on the variety, sunflowers will provide you with cheerful colours throughout Summer!

Roses
Where do we begin with Roses?! There really is something for everyone, a huge array of colours and varieties to choose from! Roses are studded with thorns; therefore you will need to apply caution with the location you choose to plant them, maybe in a raised bed or a container?

Lavender
A very dog friendly plant, but also provides fantastic scents for us to enjoy also! Lavender is pretty hardy, so should withstand that inquisitive dog! Ideal for attracting bees to your garden also.

In addition to floral plants, there is a wide range of hedging which will allow your garden to look blooming lovely all year round! Don’t forget dogs can be inquisitive, so some less hardy plants may not be able to withstand their trampling!

Although we have listed the above plants, you should carefully consider all plants individually before planting them in your garden, as they could still potentially cause sickness to your dog. This may be for several reasons; overeating, thorns, choking hazards etc. Every dog is different and can have different reactions to certain plants and the natural chemicals inside them.

As well as planting new plants in your garden, have you thought about the following:

• Make sure your garden is secure, dogs will dig under fences or escape through holes!
• Keep dogs away from slugs and snails. Use organic slug pellets within your garden as they are non-toxic to dogs and other wildlife
• Avoid using non-organic chemicals and don’t add additives to water features or ponds, as dogs may be tempted to drink from them
• Try to train your dog not to have “accidents” on the lawn, as this will leave yellow patches
• Try to create an area where your dog can dig and play, using either bark or sand
• Watch your dog’s route through the garden: they’re creatures of habit and usually follow the same path. Avoid planting where he runs, and consider converting his routes into your paths

Remember if your dog is showing signs of being unwell, or you know they have eaten a plant, slug or snail in the garden and are showing signs of illness; do not hesitate in phoning your vet or taking your dog immediately to the vets. It is always a good idea to log down any thing that could be deemed useful if the vet asks questions, for example;

• Anything the dog has ingested
• When the dog ate or drank it
• How much they have swallowed
• What the symptoms have been

Unfortunately we regret that we do not allow dogs inside Dean’s Garden Centre; this is with the exception of assistance dogs, which are allowed within the Garden Centres.

Some of the main reasons for not allowing dogs into our Garden Centre and Coffee Shops are:

• Some of the plants we sell contain toxins that can cause severe problems for dogs such as diarrhoea and vomiting, with some being potentially fatal
• A wide range of bulbs we sell are poisonous to dogs
• Chemicals and pesticides are used within the Garden Centre, along with being sold
• Dogs can be unpredictable in unfamiliar surroundings
• Some people are frightened of dogs
• The potential mess causing stains and contamination to the products we sell, resulting in them being unhygienic and unable to sell