Spring is finally here, and we can spend time in our gardens, planting new seedlings and beautifying the outdoor areas around our homes. But you might find yourself asking the question: which plants are safe for areas that my pets frequent? This is especially important for homes with puppies, dogs who love to chew, kittens or curious adult cats.
1. Roses
Except for the thorns, rose bushes and their leaves, flowers and roots are all non-toxic, and therefore safe for cats and dogs. Roses also add a lovely aroma and an array of colour to the garden.
2. Asters
There are a variety of colours to choose from, including white, blue and pink. This flower is also great for attracting bees and butterflies to your garden.
3. Bottlebrush
Make sure that the plant is a weeping bottlebrush, prickly bottlebrush or crimson bottlebrush, as the bottlebrush buckeye is toxic to pets.
4. Pot marigold
Overall, this plant is non-toxic, but it can cause a mild reaction in the animal’s digestive tract if he ingests it.
5. Cosmos
This entire plant is safe for cats and dogs, and for children as well, and will add so much colour to your garden.
6. Fuchsia
Fuchsias are non-toxic and the entire plant can be eaten (apparently they’re actually quite tasty), which is good if your pet decides to take a bite.
7. Impatience
This plant is non-toxic to pets but might cause an upset stomach if your cat or dog ingests it. He might vomit or have some diarrhoea, but should be fine otherwise.
8. Jasmine
The jasmine flower is so beautiful, and is safe for pets. The lovely aroma from this flower will also attract bees.
9. Magnolia
The magnolia is safe for pets. However, as with any plant, consuming large quantities could be harmful to pets.
10. Sunflower
The sunflower is another great choice for people with pets, as the entire plant is non-toxic.
