DIY Cat Garden
By Ryanne Harper, Editor, Seed & Sow Agricultural Lifestyle Magazine
Covid-19 inspired a lot of people to delve deep into the world of houseplant ownership. You love your plants! But, unfortunately, so does your cat. Instead of fighting a constant battle with your feline friend, why not create them a garden all their own? It’s easy. All you need is the right container, some plants, and a little knowledge regarding plant toxicity. But let’s do the fun stuff first.
Container
I don’t know much, but I do know that cats love to sit right in the middle of two things: plants and boxes, making window boxes the obvious choice for your cat garden container. If window boxes don’t suit your décor, or maybe your cat is a little…rotund, any larger planter will work.
Plants & herbs
For the perfect cat garden, I’d start with sedum. Sedum is a beautiful, low-maintenance ground cover. So low maintenance you don’t even have to plant it. Simply toss it where you’d like it to grow and it roots itself. I use it in my outdoor beds, but it works really well indoors as well. Once it grows, it creates a nice fluffy bed, perfect for doing a little sunbathing. Once you lay the foundation, you can add the fun stuff.
Asparagus ferns are fun, hearty, and can survive just about anywhere. Cats are hunters. Giving them something tall to hide behind – like an asparagus fern – allows them to tap into their instincts while also staying out of your fiddle leaf fig.
Herbs are a nice addition to your cat garden as they are all safe, and you can enjoy them, too! Catnip and cat grass are the obvious choices. Keep it simple with these classics, or go a more controversial route with cilantro. With humans, probably the most divisive of all the herbs, but cats seem to universally enjoy cilantro. So, don’t hesitate to add some to your cat garden.
It is well known that cats love to chew on plants. Make the most of this habit by including cinnamon and thyme make great additions to a cat garden. Once grown out, cinnamon is quite pretty and you get a nice aroma when your cat chomps on the blooms. Thyme is easily digestible, making it perfect for your cat.
Don’t you know that you’re toxic?
Many of the most common houseplants are toxic to cats, dogs, or both. Before you bring any plant into your home, please check that it is safe for animals. Again, cats love to eat plants. Make sure what you’re bringing in is safe for them.
Cats are often solitary creatures. Giving them a space all their own where they can graze and bask in the sun will be a welcome treat – and hopefully, keep them out of your philodendron.
Would you like to read more from our Seed & Sow Winter 2022 edition? Click here.
