Pet-friendly garden ideas for summer

The garden: a place for relaxing, playing fetch, chasing birds, and warming bellies in the sun – and our pets enjoy it too! Whether you're giving your outdoor space a total makeover or just sprucing it up for summer, our pet-friendly garden ideas can help you to create a harmonious alfresco home for you and your furry friends. 

Safe planting with pets

You work hard on your garden, and it would be preferable for that work to remain in the ground and not uprooted by digging paws or chewed by mischievous chompers. There are preventative measures which can be applied to keep your seasonals standing, including strong border plants around flower beds – such as rose bushes – growing in pots or troughs, and growing unappealingly scented plants strategically as a deterrent: dogs hate the smell of citrus, just make sure they don’t eat any!

While certain smells will ward off unwelcome noses, it is important to avoid planting toxic tastes or anything that can be damaging to your furry friends. Some common growers which are harmful to dogs include daffodils and azaleas, while bluebells – among a host of others – are dangerous for smaller animals.

Not all plants are bad for our smaller companions, and a lot of our garden can contribute to their diets, offering them variety and saving you money. Basil, spinach, and kale are all pet-safe plants that can all be grown without much maintenance and are a welcome addition to rabbit or guinea pigs’ meal plans.

Image credit: bellway_maple_newbuild

Areas for rest and play

When planning your garden, it’s important to consider access – do you want your companion to have free reign of the land or are there certain spots which need tactical restriction? Bordering flower beds with low fencing is a useful way to block exploring paws while not having a detrimental aesthetic effect.

Our lazy sun lovers can be provided with space to soak up the rays, although be mindful of surfaces which can absorb heat and burn paws, such as artificial grass. Make sure ample water and shade are provided to avoid dehydration and overexposure to the sun.

If your fur child is a destructive fiend with energy to burn, zoning a particular area of the garden for playing – however big or small – and promoting the association of a play space can offer all the fun they want, while protecting your more fragile garden furniture and ornaments.

Image credit: prettypinkplane

Animal-friendly additions

Now, of course, we all love our animals unconditionally. But if high-maintenance is a term that springs to mind, there are some more permanent pet-friendly additions you can make to your garden to keep furry faces most pleased this summer.

Adapting or heightening your fencing can be an important consideration depending on your living situation; nervous animals want to relax outdoors as much as we do, and feeling on-guard around nosey neighbours (whether two or four-legged) spoils the fun. Fixing any loose panels or gaps in existing fencing can be vitally important for the security and safety of your pets.

Do you have an old shed you don’t really use? Consider converting this space into a fully-fledged pet palace! A shed can provide a space in the shade to nap and play, plus a great washing and grooming station to keep hair and that wet pet funk out of the house.

Image credit: bellway_maple_newbuild