How to Create a Pet-Friendly Garden
Think About Fencing
The very first thing you need to think about is your fencing. Fencing keeps your pet safe and sound (and contained on your property!). If you have an athletic dog, you may need to consider quite high fences – even up to 1.8 metres. Smaller or senior dogs might only need 1.2 metre fences. Either way, you’ll want to ensure they’re both strong and attractive and don’t have gaps that a determined pet could wiggle through. Treated pine palings are a great choice. They’re often used for residential homes because they can be placed quite close together ensuring you privacy and pet safety. But if your pet is a cat, fences likely won’t be enough. You’ll want to consider creating a fully enclosed enclosure for your feline friends.Consider Shade and Sun
Having a mix of shaded and sunny areas is nice for your pet. On hot summer days they have a place to escape from the heat. But on cool winter days, they have the choice to lounge around in the sun. Small trees and bushes, placed along the edges of your garden zones, give your pet plenty of choice and options. You can even plant some pet friendly herbs, such as catnip, chervil, parsley and even mint. Catnip and mint also have the added benefit of dissuading mozzies and fleas!
Don’t Forget a Patch of Grass
When it comes to creating a pet-friendly garden, you don’t want to forget your turf. Your pets (dogs, chickens and guinea pigs especially) will love a grassy area. Dogs can chase their balls, chickens can have a bit of a peck around and guinea pigs can graze. But as much as they love it, pets can also cause more than a little wear and tear on a lawn. They can create compacted spaces and paths and leave urine burns and poop. Some turf, such as Sir Walter Certified DNA Buffalo Grass, Nullabor Couch Grass and even Aussie Blue Couch, are particularly resistant to wear and tear. They can naturally withstand more traffic and will bounce back better from any damage that might occur.
Plan Pet-Friendly Paths
Pets are a lot like people – when given a choice, they’ll usually choose whatever’s easiest. And that holds true in the garden as well. So, when you’re planning your landscaping, consider creating paths for your pet to follow. This gives them an easy option and keeps them from smashing through your garden beds. Create these paths out of solid pavers or timber, rather than mulch or gravel. Mulch, gravel or dirt paths are ideal for digging – something that many pets love to do – but a solid path will discourage that. We love the look of Sandstone Organic Pavers, and the rounded edges are nice on little paws as well.
Keep it Chemical Free
Pesticides, herbicides, weedkillers and even some fertilisers can make your pets sick if they aren’t used correctly. If possible, consider other ways to fight off pests and weeds. If you need to use chemicals, ensure that you follow all instructions for use, and keep your pets out of the garden for at least a few days after application.
Choose Pet-Friendly Plantings
Some plants are poisonous to pets, so you need to make sure you know what you’ve planted and the ramifications if your pet should ingest it. And as much as we love our furry pals, they don’t always make the best decisions when it comes to what they chew on. So, it’s up to us to ensure that what we have planted in the garden is good for them, and for us. This includes watching out for thorny or spikey plants that might be in their spaces, as well as things that are actively poisonous. And don’t forget about mulch! Some mulches can be dangerous for pets, including pine needle and cocoa mulch.