pets

Animals, George, How To

Giving your pets the space to run around is one of the most important aspects of owning an animal. And if you have your own garden to do so then it’s worth making the most of it. Create a safe, secure environment where your pet dog can play freely so they’re happy and you have peace of mind. Here are some tips on how to make a dog-friendly garden.

How to Make A Dog-Friendly Garden

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  • Security. The number one thing you can do to your garden is ensure all the fences, hedges and gates are secure. Board up any holes to prevent your pets escaping – or passing animals coming in. Screening rolls are an easy way to patch over gaps.
  • Robust plants. Dogs often jump through your flower beds so make sure the plants can survive a certain amount of trampling. Varieties such as rubella, marigolds and geraniums are good options.
  • Pathways. Another way to protect your plants is by creating walkways through them or growing in raised beds so your dog can explore without causing havok.
  • Dog rocks. Adding these handy pellets to your pooch’s drinking bowl can help prevent yellow patches on the lawn.
  • Space to play. Try to leave plenty of grassy area for your dog to chase its favourite ball and run around.

puppy outside

AVOID

  • Poisonous plants. Watch out for any of your favourite plants that can upset your dogs if they eat them. Examples include delphiniums, foxglove, ivy and rhododendron.
  • Harmful pesticides. Dogs will eat anything – including any toxic slug pellets you leave out in the flowerbeds.
  • Pond additives. Dogs will also drink anything – so be careful adding chemicals to ponds and other standing water.
  • Sharp objects. Birds often drop small shards of bone on the lawn, which can injure your dog’s insides if they chew them. So give the grass a once over, and keep an eye out if the mutt starts eating something suspicious.
  • Unprotected compost bins. Some of our food waste like grapes is poisonous to canines, so make sure you have a lid on your compost bin to keep off any inquisitive animals. Depending on how resourceful your dog is, you may need a lock too!

dog in garden

Hopefully these ideas will help you keep your dogs secure, safe and protected from any harmful substances. If you have any other suggestions then be sure to let us know. In the meantime, enjoy your dog-friendly garden!

Learn how to make a wildlife-friendly garden.

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George at PrimroseGeorge works in the Primrose marketing team. As a lover of all things filmic, he also gets involved with our TV ads and web videos.

George’s idea of the perfect time in the garden is a long afternoon sitting in the shade with a good book. A cool breeze, peace and quiet… But of course, he’s usually disturbed by his energetic wire fox terrier, Poppy!

He writes about his misadventures in repotting plants and new discoveries about cat repellers.

See all of George’s posts.

Animals, George, News, Press Releases, Surveys

Strangest Things Buried In Gardens

Have you ever buried something in your back garden? Ever stashed away anything secret as a child, laid a loved one to rest, or wanted to cover up something best forgotten..? 51% of people have, according to a survey we conducted.

We’re a nation of animal lovers, so it doesn’t come as too much of a surprise that out of everything that was buried something, 77% were pets:

  • 26% cats
  • 18% dogs
  • 9% birds
  • 8% rabbits
  • 7% fish
  • 5% guinea pigs
  • 27% undisclosed
  • And even a deer that was found by the roadside.

Perhaps cats are easier to lay into the ground than dogs. Or most people take the traditional drainage route to dispose of deceased fish. Clearly, it seems an unusual decision to bury roadkill in the garden.

The next most popular items are time capsules, but only making up 4% of the total buried. Many people had made them for their grandchildren, or made them when they themselves were younger. But how many of us have ever excavated our buried memories?

It can be a fascinating insight into the minds of our neighbours to uncover what people have stowed away in their soil. Here are a few of the stranger things people admitted to burying:

  • A piano frame
  • A ‘husband’s dinner’
  • ‘New potatoes in a sealed tin to dig up again for Christmas dinner’
  • A daughter’s letter to her older self
  • A copper coin ‘to make a plant turn blue’
  • A pig’s head
  • A mangle
  • A broken bath
  • An old hard drive
  • A miniature spitting image statue of Margaret Thatcher
  • A love letter
  • A banana to ward off verrucas
  • The diaries of someone’s mother who had died of dementia
  • And a wish (that apparently came true).

Thank you to everyone who took part in our survey, and we hope you find the results as fascinating as we do!

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George at PrimroseGeorge works in the Primrose marketing team. As a lover of all things filmic, he also gets involved with our TV ads and web videos.

George’s idea of the perfect time in the garden is a long afternoon sitting in the shade with a good book. A cool breeze, peace and quiet… But of course, he’s usually disturbed by his energetic wire fox terrier, Poppy!

He writes about his misadventures in repotting plants and new discoveries about cat repellers.

See all of George’s posts.

Animals, Primrose Gardens, Sally

Last week we showed you our favourite pups, this week we are giving it up to the cats of Primrose Gardens.  From slinky siamese to puffed up persians we love seeing your feline friends relaxing and observing all the hard work you put into your gardens.

Our ‘purrfect’ selection of kitties for your viewing pleasure:

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George the Cat enjoying MandyCanUDigIt’s garden (when he’s not napping)
Missy enjoys a drink from Kinloch's Watering-can.
Missy enjoys a drink from Kinloch’s watering can.
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The Right Honourable Lord Phineus Twizzleton and The Lady Dowager exercising their royal privileges in Haven’s Garden.
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Flora has worked out a new tactic to attract birds to her in Kingston’s garden.

Primrose Gardens allows you to create a beautiful pictorial record of your garden where you can show off your garden to family and friends to enjoy over the years. It’s also a community of garden enthusiasts and the perfect space to discuss tips and tricks, as well as getting plants identified!

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Sally primroseSally works in the Marketing team here at Primrose.

She spends most of her spare time looking into the latest developments in social media. Sally loves travel and wants to step foot in every continent in the world. When not travelling the Globe or working, she likes to relax with a bit of DIY.

She is a novice gardener and doesn’t claim to be an expert, anything she learns she will happily pass on.

See all of Sally’s posts.

Animals, Cat, How To

Fireworks on Bonfire NightThis afternoon we asked for your suggestions on how to keep pets who are scared of fireworks calm on Bonfire Night. Here are the suggestions we’ve received from you on Facebook:

  • Roddy: With domestic animals we can keep them indoors, control the environment to some extent, and reassure them if they are frightened. The wild animals and birds must be terrified and its them I really feel for.
  • Freddie: If you act worried thinking that your pet’s will get stressed they will pick up on that and figure there is something to get stressed about. If you’re calm and ignore it they should learn from an early age to ignore it too. My cats sit at the window watching fireworks, they seem to enjoy them.
  • June: One of my dogs barks but the other doesn’t. Both Jack Russells. If TV is up loud enough to cover noise it should be okay because the fireworks are usually a distance away. Tried a Thundershirt on my dog but it didn’t really help.
  • June: Have put Thundershirt back on my dog and she has calmed down.
  • Jackie: Too late for today but a cd of firework or explosive noises may help them to get used to loud noises.
  • Anne: Play music fairly loud to mask some of the noise.
  • Frank: They should ban them why sill have them for it you try and do what he did to day they would put hi in nick and never be let out
  • Phil: Over the past week during various celebrations in the distance I’ve been trying to encourage my pup to accept the distant bangs, this he seems to be accepting, so hopefully during the next few nights he may accept what is going on, just in case we have got the radio and music on stand by ?
  • Monique: Pull the curtains turn the TV up and don’t let your pets see you worried, and off course make sure they can’t get out, keep your PETS safe………..

Some great suggestions – what tips do you have?

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wedding-meCat works in the marketing team and is responsible for online marketing, social media and the newsletter.

She spends most of her time reading about a variety of interesting facts, such as oddly named Canadian towns, obscure holidays and unusual gardening.

She mostly writes about Primrose news and current events.

See all of Cat’s posts.