10 Pet-Safe Plants for Your Indoor and Outdoor Spaces

Pretty plants and flourishing flowers might bring a bit of joy to your day, but did you know some of them may actually be toxic for our furry friends?

While tulips are poisonous to cats and lilies might leave your dog feeling under the weather, there’s no need to worry! There are still plenty of pet-friendly plants out there just waiting to spruce up your indoor and outdoor spaces.

To help get you started on your garden of dog and cat-friendly plants, we’ve pieced together a list of 10 pet-safe plants for your home, below!

So, grab those gardening tools, and let’s get planting! 

Up first on our list of pet-safe plants, we’re sure you’ll be glad to know sunflowers are not toxic to cats or dogs! 

You can plant sunflowers inside and outside, though as the name suggests, they will need plenty of sun to bloom fully. As such, it’s best to plant sunflowers in spring, around late March or early April.

1.     First, find an area where your sunflower will get the most sunlight.

2.    Then, poke a hole into the soil and place your sunflower seed at the bottom.

3.     Cover with around 1cm of soil and you’re done!

They may be the flower of love and romance but are roses poisonous to cats and dogs? Well, we’ve got good news for you: they are completely safe for both furry friends!

Unlike sunflowers, you’re best planting your roses during the late autumn months, as they don’t need quite as much sun. Make sure the ground isn’t too dry before planting as well.

1.     Start by laying some fertiliser down on top of the soil where you’re going to plant your roses.

2.    Next, dig a hole that is roughly twice the width of the root itself, before placing the rose in the centre of the hole.

3.     Fill the remaining gaps up with extra soil and you’re good to go.

The old adage is still true, money doesn’t grow on trees, but with a money tree you do get a lovely pet-safe plant to spruce up your home - who’s to say which is best?

Now, planting a money tree is a bit more complex than the previous cat and dog-friendly plants on the list, but it’s by no means impossible! The good news is you can plant money plants all year round, but it’s best to do so in an area where your pet-safe plant will get plenty of indirect sunlight.

Make sure to stay on top of watering your money plant as well, watering whenever the top layer of soil starts to look dry. 

1.     Start by popping a stem cutting of 10 cm into 2cm of water.

2.    Once the cutting has formed a clump of roots, we can go ahead and plant it in some soil.

3.     Remember, it’s best to plant in a spot where your money tree will get plenty of indirect sunlight.

Looking for more flowers that are safe for cats and dogs? Well, check out this colourful, jazzy option: a bee balm bergamot.

These flowers are best placed in sunny areas to allow it to grow properly. Bee balm bergamot also requires plenty of water, so make sure to keep an eye on the soil, ensuring it isn’t drying out.

1.     Start with planting your bee balm bergamot seed in a pot indoors.

2.    Once it’s started to grow and you can see it above the soil, we can then transfer it outdoors.

3.     Make sure to leave a gap of around 45cm between each plant to allow for proper growth.

Not quite as scary as the name suggests, rattlesnake plants are actually a lovely, quirky option for cat and dog-friendly plants. But how do we plant them?

Well, rattlesnake plants are a little tricky to plant, but when done properly you’re rewarded with a unique tri-tone plant of light and dark green, tinged with purple. Don’t worry, as we’ve got some simple steps to planting this pet-safe plant with ease!

1.     Start by picking out an area with indirect sunlight, as your rattlesnake plant loves the warmth.

2.    It may be useful to pop them in a pebble tray to help retain heat and moisture. It’s best to plant them in the spring or summer as well to ensure plenty of natural warmth.

3.     Once planted, make sure to keep your plant away from the cold, and stay on top of watering.

From rattlesnakes to horses…well, sort of, as now we’re moving onto another pet-friendly plant with the ponytail palm.

The good news is that unlike the rattlesnake plant, ponytail palms don’t rely quite as much on warmth, so you can plant them any time of the year indoors! Though if you’re looking to plant them in your outdoor spaces, then try to plant them in temperatures of around 15°C – Spring is best.  

1.     Pop your pet-safe plant in the soil, making sure you can see the majority of the base sticking out the top.

2.    Adjust the watering schedule by season – in summer, look to water infrequently, but with plenty of water when you do, while a ponytail palm needs very little water during winter.

Bring a spot of colour to your garden with dahlias! Another pet-friendly plant, dahlias are known and loved for their bright, pom-pom like appearance. But how can we plant them?

Dahlias are best planted in sheltered but sunny spots as they love the warmth. With this in mind, try to plant them during warmer but shady months, such as during spring or the start of autumn.

1.     Once you’ve found the right spot for your dahlias, go ahead and dig a hole of around 30cm across, leaving 60cm between each planting hole.

2.    Holes dug, now we can place some fertiliser to give your dahlias the best chance at healthy growth.

3.     Lastly, place your plants in the soil and wait for it to grow! Dahlias can grow quite tall, so make sure to have a stout stake at the ready to support your pet-safe plant!

Another colourful, yet gentle and subtle flower that’s safe for cats and dogs is forget-me-nots. So, let’s take a look at how we can plant them!

You’re best off sowing forget-me-not seeds in spring, sometime between May and June. Before planting, find a sunny but sheltered spot, to allow plenty of indirect sunlight to your forget-me-nots.

1.     Start by moistening the soil with a spot of water and rake the soil until you get a thin and fine texture.

2.    Dig a hole around half a centimetre deep, leaving between 15cm to 30cm between each.

3.     Holes dug, go ahead and pop your seeds in, before gently covering them with half a centimetre of soil.

Known for its relaxing scent and colourful hue of the same name, lavender is a lovely pet-safe plant to add a soothing touch to your outdoor spaces.

Lavender is best planted in slightly warm soil, so you should look to sow the seeds in April or May. Try to plant lavender in an area that will give it plenty of sunlight and avoid shady areas where you can.

1.     Dig holes with around 90cm between to allow your lavender to grow fully.

2.    Once the holes are dug, you can go ahead and pop the seeds in, before covering them up with some easily drained soil.

3.     Make sure to stay on top of watering your lavender, particularly when the weather is quite dry.

We’ve made it to the end of our list of pet-friendly plants, so let’s finish with something a bit fun, shall we? A polka dot plant!

A fun, joyful plant, polka dot plants add a splash of green, white, and pink – if you can believe it! Try to plant this cat and dog-friendly plant during spring, once the cold and frost of winter has left.

1.     Choose an area with lots of indirect sunlight to give your polka dot plant the best chance of growth.

2.    Dig a hole the same depth as the pot your pet-safe plant came in, before lifting from the pot to plant in your soil.

3.     Once planted, you only need to water your polka dot plant when you notice the top layer of soil drying out.

4.    Prune the polka dot plant at least once a week, trimming back the top two leaves to allow for a fuller growth.

While there’s plenty of lovely pet-safe plants you can grow in your garden, there’s a few that you’re best avoiding, as they can potentially harm your furry friend.

So, when creating your own flower garden, keep the following plants away:

·         Lilies

·         Tulips

·         Sagmo palms

·         Azaleas

·         Bluebells

·         Poppy

·         Hyacinth

·         Jade plant

·         Chrysanthemum

With your garden now full of pet safe plants and flowers for you and your furry friends to enjoy, you might be on the lookout for some more gardening tips. For a list of veggies you can easily grow in the UK or some tips for making the most of a small garden, head over to our blog.