For many visitors to the RHS Chelsea Flower Show, the most highly anticipated exhibit is Monty Don’s Dog Garden: a space for four-legged friends to enjoy alongside their gardening owners. But this idyllic fantasy might be hard to believe when set against the reality of owning a canine and dreaming of a beautiful outdoor space. How easy is it really to maintain a fulfilling space for both dog and human?
- In pictures: first look at the RHS Chelsea Flower Show 2025 gardens
- Watch a tour of Monty Don's dog garden
Monty’s design includes meandering paths, a shallow stream and a comfortably worn sofa, but whilst providing elements dogs will appreciate, home gardeners must also master the balance between creating a wonderful garden, and one that’s able to flourish with daily dog play like digging, pouncing and running through plants, not to mention bare yellow patches from them cocking their legs wherever they choose.
Opinions are split
We asked more than 500 Gardens Illustrated readers about their experiences of having a dog and a garden, and responses were mixed. Down-hearted readers reported trampled plants, dug-up flowerbeds and stolen nursery pots.
One respondent lost a much-loved Dicentra when their “two dachshunds dug it up, together with geraniums, ranunculus and part of a rosebush, trying to excavate a mole that had taken up residence in the flower borders.”
In other reports, since one puppy’s digging spree, its owner has entirely avoided putting in new plants, while another has removed fruit trees to stop their dog eating the fallen, rotting produce.
Garden birds are another loss for dog owners, but the most common complaint centres on many gardeners’ most prized outdoor feature: the lawn. Dog mess left to sit will kill grass and plants, foster harmful bacteria and, in the long term, raise phosphorus and nitrogen levels, causing ecosystem imbalances.
According to a recent study in the Pacific Conservation Biology journal, the environmental impact of pet dogs is “far greater, more insidious, and more concerning than is generally recognised”.
Designer-approved solutions
Garden designer Emily Crowley-Wroe says there are ways to reduce the impact of our pets in the garden. For a modern cottage garden in Oxfordshire she designed and maintains, she began by installing a woven willow fence around the garden’s outer edge to create a secure border and stop the owners’ pet dog escaping.
When the owners welcomed another larger dog into the family, which enjoyed digging around in the planting beds, Emily incorporated roses around the edges to deter him – a measure which has been effective, she said.
Emily also considered extra features to keep the dogs entertained elsewhere. “We did discuss sand pits for digging, mounds to survey the garden at higher points and doggy playgrounds,” she said, but thanks to the varied elements already in the garden, these were ultimately unnecessary."
She explained, “As this is a large garden with no dead ends, plenty of lawn and a meadow maze to bound about in, the dog isn’t much interested in digging around the beds anymore.”
Is it realistic?
It’s clear that for many home gardeners, creating a dog-friendly space requires some sacrifices. In our poll, six per cent of respondents believed it impossible to have a dog and a beautiful garden, and a further 10 per cent said it’s only manageable with a professional gardener visiting regularly to keep the space in check.
However, the majority of home gardeners believe it is possible to have the best of both worlds, although you may have to accept sacrifices like a loss of local wildlife and possibly removing the lawn.
Quick tips for creating a dog-friendly garden
- Secure the boundaries - start with a robust fence to stop dogs escaping the garden. If you want something a little better looking than a chain-link, try a woven willow fence like Emily Crowley-Wroe used.
- Add raised beds to keep delicate plants and tasty veggies out of reach
- Use non-toxic plants and organic fertilisers
- Add tall plants for dogs to hide in
- Consider having open space or connecting pathways so dogs can run around
- Add play areas to keep dogs entertained and distracted from other areas - consider water rills for splashing, sand pits for digging and mounds so dogs can survey the garden at higher points
- Incorporate durable hardscaping like brick, stone and pavers - avoid gravel which encourages digging and can be messy to clean up after dogs
- Create shady spots so pets can cool off in hot weather
Find more information on creating a dog-friendly garden from the RHS's Chief Horticultural Advisor, Guy Barter.