Here at Topeka Landscape we love pets almost as much as we love working on peoples yards. It’s always fun when those two things overlap, which leads us to Dogscaping. Dogscaping is the idea of making your yard functional and safe for pets. Using plants that are safe for animals, utilizing pet specific turf, planting trees that will provide shade, and giving thought to your pets quirks and needs.
The first thing to consider is what plants are poisonous to pets. The following list is not exhaustive and if you believe your pet may have ingested a plant you should contact your local veterinarian. For a more complete list of plants to be aware of click here.
While the plants listed are poisonous it doesn’t necessarily mean they can’t still be used in your landscaping. It’s most important to consider if you have a pet that chews on vegetation frequently or if you have a puppy who may be a little to curious. You can also consider using raised plant beds or a dog run to keep potentially harmful plants and pets seperated.
One customer wanted to have a functional but attractive dog run in the back of their house because his pets kept tracking mud into the home. The solution we found was some aluminum fencing and pet specific artificial turf.
We’ve talked about what not to plant but lets also look at some plants that are both safe for pets and help keep pests away!
- A majority of these plants will also repel mosquitoes
- Catmit will attract cats so if you have a lot of strays living in your area it might not be the best option for your yard
- Lavender will repel fleas, ticks, mosquitoes & moths
- Marigolds when planted around vegetables will also repel cabbage maggots, white flies, aphids & other bugs
- Many people have reported that Citronella grass seems to have a calming effect on dogs, it’s even said to help stop excessive barking
