Monty Don explains why he’s included poisonous vegetation in dog-friendly Chelsea Flower Show backyard | EUROtoday

Monty Don has referred to as for canine house owners to train widespread sense round probably dangerous vegetation as he prepares to unveil his dog-friendly backyard on the Chelsea Flower Show.

Partnering with the Royal Horticultural Society (RHS), the horticulturalist and BBC Gardeners’ World presenter has designed his first – and “I hope my last” – Chelsea backyard.

The area incorporates dog-friendly options resembling a garden, water for wallowing, and shade-providing timber.

The backyard contains vegetation like alliums and foxgloves, recognized to be poisonous to canines. Don defended their inclusion, stating he has these vegetation in his personal backyard alongside his pets with out subject.

Following the Chelsea Flower Show, the RHS and Radio 2 canine backyard, which won’t be judged, shall be relocated to Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. Don confirmed any vegetation undesirable by the charity could be eliminated.

Having introduced at Chelsea since 1990 and lined the present for the BBC for over a decade, Don described creating the backyard as a “humbling” expertise. He expressed newfound respect for the designers and makers of RHS Chelsea gardens.

Speaking onsite the place his backyard is being saved beneath wraps as it’s constructed, he instructed the PA information company: “It doesn’t matter what kind of garden or how good or bad it is, it’s an almost unimaginable amount of work because of the detail you have to attend to.”

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He mentioned he was trying ahead to getting again to presenting protection for subsequent week’s present after his stint as a designer, which he described as “moonlighting”.

“I now have real insight into the whole process. I didn’t know I needed that and I do, it’s humbling.”

Don, who was initially approached by the RHS to design a dog-friendly backyard, mentioned he didn’t need the mission, created with horticulturalist Jamie Butterworth, to have any message aside from being about canines.

“I wanted to see a garden at Chelsea that didn’t have a message, that didn’t set itself in an exotic situation, was absolutely set fair and square in 2025 in England and that was full of plants that either I did have or everybody could buy from their local garden centre, and with trees or shrubs that were native or long adapted to this country.”

The garden is central to the plot, surrounded by planting which might create shifting paths for canines to take across the backyard, and a big open-fronted “dog house” with an previous couch for the animals to retreat to.

The backyard additionally options lengthy meadow grass for canines to lie in, whereas Radio 2 presenter Jo Wiley recommended an space of water for canines to wallow in, based mostly on expertise along with her pets, Don mentioned.

There is a playfulness to the backyard, with use of dogwood, round-headed alliums evoking balls canines like to play with, and terracotta pots have been created with pawprints of Don’s canine Ned who can usually be seen following him round his backyard on Gardeners’ World.

But whereas the garden has been created to appear to be it has been utilized by canines and folks, the staff have stopped wanting having holes dug in it or “pee rings”.

And Don mentioned: “There are plants in the garden that are technically poisonous to dogs.

“However, there are no plants that I don’t have in my own garden and I’ve always had dogs.

“My view on this is actually the main plant I worry about is yew and we don’t have that in the garden.

“In my experience dogs are sensible and owners are sensible.”

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Don added: “We have a brief to make a beautiful garden for Chelsea. The only dogs that are going to be allowed on here are mine or others specifically invited and on a lead and under control.

“When it goes to Battersea it will not have any plants Battersea doesn’t want to be there, we will remove any that they feel has any toxicity to their dogs,” he mentioned.

“We’re not saying these are plants that are perfectly safe, what are you making a fuss about? What I am saying is in my experience I’ve not had any problems with these plants, and I’ve had dogs for the last 65 years.”

Many on a regular basis actions from slicing with knives within the kitchen to driving a automotive or crossing the street have been extra harmful than these vegetation have been to canines, he mentioned.

And he added: “Just be sensible, don’t get hysterical, but at the same time don’t dismiss it.”

He additionally mentioned canine house owners who’re eager gardeners shouldn’t anticipate an ideal garden as a result of “that’s not compatible with dogs”, and inspired those that didn’t need their animals to be crashing via the flower beds to create low fences or hedging on borders or corners to cease them.

An RHS spokesperson mentioned the canine backyard was “primarily designed to bring joy and delight”.

“However, as RHS Chelsea is also a great place to inspire and educate, with some people perhaps not realising that a number of common garden plants could be harmful to dogs if eaten, the RHS and Monty are encouraging people to be aware, but also to be sensible, about dogs in their gardens at home.

“The garden raises awareness to keep an eye on pets amongst plants. Don’t let them eat or dig up plants in borders and, as with anything, if you see them eating something in the garden and you see changes in behaviours or are worried or have doubts, call the vets.”

They added: “The garden will live on at Battersea, where experts from the charity will carefully select dog-friendly, non-toxic plants to live on where rescue dogs can enjoy them for years to come.”