I love working in my garden when my cat Fluff is sitting watching me. I’m sure she loves the fact that I do all the work and she doesn’t do anything. She is my supervisor and she makes sure that she does a good job. I’m lucky, she really hasn’t done much damage. I really can’t think of anything really precious that she’s ruined. But this is not always the case, as in some gardens I have worked on, the owner’s pets were constantly destroying them. This can be very frustrating and also very expensive as plants are constantly being replaced. In large gardens, destruction can be hidden, but in small gardens there is nowhere to hide the damage. Choosing the right pet is also important, as working dogs are easily bored and can become very destructive. Pets, especially dogs, need a place where they can dig, roll, and bury bones. Cats also need a place where they can go to the bathroom, sleep under plants, and lie in the sun if they want to.
If you’re trying to design a good garden, you need to think about the type and size of pet you have and what their needs are. It is very unfair to have a dog in a small backyard, which is completely paved and where there are no places for them to lie down or dig. You should designate an area that is the “pet space” and if you have special beds, you may need to think about fencing off these beds. It doesn’t have to look horrible, in fact, if you choose wisely, you might not even notice the fence. I tended to a garden, where two beautiful golden retrievers lived and used green chicken wire to keep them out of the garden beds. After a while I didn’t even notice it there as the plants had grown through it and it had mixed in.
It is a good idea to draw a plan, even if it is approximate (not to scale) in which you draw the different rooms of your garden. There may be an entertainment area, grass area, garden area, and a place for pets. This is the time to decide if you are going to have a special space for pets or you will share the entire garden with your furry friend. The best time to design a space for pets is at the beginning, when you are designing the garden in general. But even within an established garden, you can incorporate a pet park. If you decide to run, it’s important to look at where north, south, east, and west lie and determine where it’s hot and sunny and where it’s cool and windy. You need to provide them with a comfortable area with protection from extreme weather conditions. You should also think about sun and shade, especially in the summer, and have a cool place they can go to, to get away from the heat of the summer sun. Within the enclosure, there should also be a space where the dogs can be dogs without getting into trouble because they have damaged your plants. Wherever you place your pet’s enclosure, make sure you don’t accidentally make it the focal point of the garden.
The location of the enclosure is the most important aspect. If it faces north or northwest, make sure there is some form of shade, such as a mature tree or shade cloth, to allow your pet to escape the summer sun. Dogs love to dig holes in the ground to escape the heat, so don’t pave the entire area. Planting a lawn is also a good idea as dogs love to roll around and it will also help keep them and your space cooler. Initially, you may need to wire the lawn area to establish it. Grasses like buffalo, kikuyu and couch are very tough and able to take much more punishment than finer grasses like fescue or rye.
To build an enclosure, you can use materials such as tea trees or bushwood fencing or a good quality trellis. You need to make sure that the fence is firmly anchored to the ground, because in bad weather it can fly or fall and your pet can escape. If you decide to barricade garden beds, there are several wire products available. Green coated chicken wire works perfectly. Another aesthetically pleasing option that is better suited for smaller animals, such as rabbits, is a wire edge fencing product. It is an interlocking system with a range of heights, the highest being ½ meter.
Once you’ve established your pet’s playground, the next step is to consider the plants. Many common garden plants are toxic to animals, and the Internet is a good place to look for information. For example, a very common species is the oleander (Nerium oleander). Every part of this plant is poisonous, from the leaves, to the flowers, to the branches. Others are azaleas (Rhododendron spp.), ivy (Hedera spp.), the houseplant Peace Lily (Spathiphyllum walliasi), and bulbs such as hyacinths (Hyacinthus spp.) and daffodils (Naicissus spp.). Remember, many animals like to chew on sticks. , so don’t put poisonous plants in their enclosure.
If you decide not to build an enclosure and want to share the entire yard with your pet, but still want a nice yard, here are some tips:
- Do not plant delicate annuals
- Don’t plant small 3-inch tubes, buy at least 6-inch pots and even better 8-inch ones.
- Plants will be bigger and better able to survive being bounced.
- If your dog/cat keeps tearing up an area, give it up gracefully and let them have that space.
- Put your annuals and bulbs in pots
- Train your friend to stay off the bed and go to the lool in an area
- Training your dog is the best way to control damage in your garden
- Plant spiky or thorny plants – an experience with thorns will teach them to stay away
- Control boredom – Animals, especially dogs, are smart and need to be busy
- Responsible ownership includes providing your pet with mental stimulation
- Pouring water on your dog or cat is a gentle way to teach them, THERE IS NO
In my experience, cats don’t seem to do that much damage in the garden, although there is always an exception to the rule. The only harm my cat Fluff has done is chewing on some of my ornamental grasses. So, I provided her with her own pot of kangaroo grass (Themeda australis) to chew on. He likes to climb on, sit (you can now see a notch where his butt has been) and eat the grass.
Lawns take a serious beating (mostly from dogs) from digging up to brown spots, which can look very ugly. Digging is a natural instinct, but can often be an indication of boredom, so arrange activities that will entertain Rover, such as more frequent walks or rubber toys filled with food. Trying to get the food out will help keep Rover entertained for hours. Brown spots on the grass are an indication that the urine is too acidic (usually in female dogs). There are several things you can do. One is to change your dog’s food and buy a less acidic product or buy Dog Rocks® and place them in his bowl of water which neutralizes the pH of the dogs urine.
You can live in harmony with your pets and share your garden with them too. Through careful planning, you can design a garden that is pet-friendly and resistant to damage. It is important to locate your ‘pet room’ in the best possible position and choose plants that are safe. As a professional gardener, I find that there is nothing better than sharing my garden with my cat Fluff and having a fantastic garden.
