Tips for Dog-Friendly Garden

Our Tips for Cultivating a Dog-Friendly Garden

Who ever said dogs and gardens can't co-exist? While you might need to take a little extra care when cultivating a garden, there's no reason you can have the best of both worlds. At Moon Valley Nurseries, we can help you choose plants that will fit perfectly into a dog-friendly garden. We specialize in Southwestern gardens, offering plants that are both drought-resistant and pet-safe. Our customers come to us from all over California, Nevada, Arizona, Texas, and Florida in hopes of creating the ideal garden for the whole family. Learn more about building your dog-friendly garden.

Take Your Pick From Dog-Friendly Plants

The first step to creating your dog-friendly garden is to choose plants and shrubs carefully. You'll want flowers that tend to be sturdy since you might have your golden retriever frolicking through the garden. But even more important than sturdiness is picking plants that are non-toxic to dogs. While having a pup can limit your options, especially in a dry climate, you'll still have plenty of fantastic choices. Here are some of our favorite pup-friendly plants and flowers:

• Fern: This classic plant brings vibrant pops of green to your desert garden. They tend to do alright in desert climates, but they do require a fair amount of watering.
• Phlox: Phlox is a great way to spread your favorite colors throughout your garden. This flowering plant makes an excellent ground cover, and once it's established, it tolerates drought quite well.
• Maximillian Sunflower: It's no surprise that sunflowers love the warm sun, but beyond that, they're also dog friendly. They make an excellent, non-toxic addition to a Southwestern garden. Maximillian sunflowers are rarely fazed by heat, drought, and poor soil.
• Hens and Chicks: Are you a big fan of succulents? Hens and chicks are a pet-friendly way to add succulent leaves to your garden. Plus, these hardy plants require very little maintenance.
• Daylily: If you want to add beautiful blooms to your garden, you can't go wrong with daylilies. These non-toxic plants bloom up to 16 hours a day and adapt well to all kinds of light and soil conditions.
• Crape Myrtle: Available in gorgeous violet and pink tones, this plant is common in southern gardens. Crape myrtle loves the sun and won't harm your furry friends.

Know Which Plants Are Toxic

Knowing which plants are toxic is just as crucial as knowing which are pet-safe. When you visit our plant and tree nursery, let our team know if you have pets that will be wandering your garden. We'll let you know which flowers and shrubs to avoid. We highly recommend avoiding the following plants in a dog-friendly garden:

• Buttercups
• Lilies
• Tulips
• Daffodils
• Crocuses
• Hydrangeas
• Yew
• Foxglove
• Daphne
• Hyacinths

Create a Boundary

Some dogs are well-behaved and can be trusted not to run away without a leash. But these dogs are in the minority. We recommend creating a boundary for your garden that's too high for your pet to jump over. Smaller dogs might be easily confined with a picket fence, but others might need a taller boundary. You could also consider planting pet-friendly hedges to keep your dog safe within the backyard.

Limit Chemicals

It's only natural that pets will try eating the grass in your backyard. There's no point in trying to stop them, and most grasses won't hurt your pup. But if your garden is chock-full of chemicals, that's another story. Avoid harsh chemicals and weed killers that could be toxic to your dog. Most herbicides aren't dangerous, with the exception of glyphosate, and eco-friendly products shouldn't harm your pets. However, it's important to stay vigilant for symptoms of poisoning, such as lethargy, excessive salivation, vomiting, and diarrhea, and contact your vet right away.

Repel Common Garden Pests

Wildlife is common in gardens, but it's important to make sure that certain pests stay out of your dog's way. Snails and slugs, for example, can be dangerous to dogs when ingested. These pests sometimes carry parasites that can infect your pup and cause mild to severe respiratory issues. The good news is that you don't even need to use pesticides to repel snails and slugs! Several plants do a great job of deterring pests naturally. Consider planting parsley, basil, rosemary, sage, thyme, or garlic to keep the slugs at bay.

Get Creative With Placement

Sometimes the best pet-friendly garden is the one your dogs can't reach. Many homeowners opt for raised garden beds to ensure their furry friends can't find their way into the flowers. If a raised bed isn't for you, consider putting up a small fence around your garden. However, it's important to remember that some stubborn pups will always find a way to romp in the garden. That's why Moon Valley Nurseries encourages customers to choose sturdy, non-toxic plants whenever there's a chance that a dog might come into contact with them.

Talk to the Experts

Gardening isn't always as easy as planting a seed and watering it periodically. Especially if you're looking for pet-friendly plants, it's only natural you'll have some questions. The team at Moon Valley Nurseries is always here to offer advice and support when you need it. Our experts offer a variety of services, including professional planting and maintenance. Whenever you need help maintaining your dog-friendly garden, our team members are glad to share their expertise. We're particularly knowledgeable about trees and shrubs, including the following:

• Palm trees
• Fast growers
• Evergreen trees
• Flowering trees
• Citrus and fruit trees
• Desert trees
• Specimen trees
• Cacti and agave
• Vines
• Ground covers
• Hedges

Get in Touch With Moon Valley Nurseries

Create an outdoor living space that the whole family will love, even the four-legged members! The team at Moon Valley Nurseries will help you cultivate a dog-friendly garden that will survive the desert heat. Beyond plant sales, we also provide a range of landscape design services to ensure that you make the most of your backyard oasis. Contact our friendly, knowledgeable team today for more information on creating the perfect garden.