Many of Hartley Botanic’s customers have canine friends to enjoy their Greenhouse and garden with. In honour of its canine ‘co-owners’ worldwide, the historic English Greenhouse manufacturer has shared some ideas for growing plants your dog will love in your Greenhouse, as well as providing a reminder of some of the plants you should keep well away from your dog.
Greenhouse Plants Your Dog Will Love
BASIL – Dog immunity-boosting
Basil is non-toxic, super healthy, and medicinal for dogs. Your dog will love basil because it is not only delicious, but has immunity-boosting antioxidants, which help prevent disease and infection. It’s a good time to start basil seedlings off in a heated propagator, which means they will be fussed over by gentle but constant heat day and night.
Start all seedlings off thinly sown into pots in the heated propagator, and then prick them out into individual cells or small pots when each is large enough to handle and has produced two true leaves. Water them in and transfer them to the Greenhouse to grow on through the summer.
Water your pot thoroughly and then tip the rootball out before carefully teasing it apart to separate it into small clumps of plants or even individuals. Pot these up into pretty terracotta pots of fresh compost, a few plants to a pot. Water them well and nip out the tips, which will encourage the plants to bush out from below, and will also give you your first harvest.
Overwatering can be an issue in lower light levels. If the bottom leaves turn yellow, this is usually an indicator they are too wet. Water once a week at most so that the compost dries out between watering.
ROSES – a Valentine for your dog
Surprisingly, these beautiful flowers are actually a wonderful resource in treating a number of ailments and conditions in dogs. Rose petals, stems, leaves, and bark all have healing qualities and when utilised correctly can heal your dog emotionally and/ or physically. Dogs love roses due to their taste, smell, and they also have many health benefits.
When growing, it is important to bear in mind that roses range from tiny to massive. If you want to keep roses in pots, give their roots room – containers should never be less than sixteen inches across and deep, and remember to drill extra drainage holes at the bottom to avoid soggy roots. In containers, rose roots cannot seek what they need from the soil, so feed monthly with an organic granular fertiliser and mulch with fine wood chips to hold moisture.
Make rose care a habit by clearing away any old leaves from below the bush to keep any disease or mold from decomposing and perpetuating in the soil. Use an organic three-in-one spray to control insects, fungus, and mites.
SUNFLOWERS – great for their skin and coat
Sunflowers are attractive to dogs because they love the smell and their seeds have several health benefits (when consumed in moderation.) Sunflower seeds contain omega-3 fatty acids, a nutrient which promotes healthy hair and skin in both humans and animals. A study by Texas A&M University’s College of Veterinary Medicine also showed that a dog’s skin and coat can improve noticeably in approximately one month if sunflower seeds make up 3 percent of a dog’s daily diet.
They are easy to grow from seed so sow from March indoors protected from frost, or after the last frost sow outside. Sow dwarf varieties into large pots of multi-purpose compost. Keep slightly moist and remove the weakest seedling from each hole to allow the stronger one to mature.
ROSEMARY – a natural flea repellent
Dogs love rosemary because they enjoy the smell and taste. Rosemary is healthy for your dog to eat and can even be used as a natural flea repellant. It also contains antioxidants that may prevent cancer and heart disease and is good for your dog’s digestive issues given its antimicrobial properties. Rosemary can also improve memory and mood.
Rosemary does not like to be dry, so you should be sure to set it on a tray of pebbles and fill the tray with water to raise the humidity around the plant during the winter months. If the plant dries out it will often die. In summer, an occasional dose of fertiliser is all it needs to keep growing. Winter temperatures can go down to 50 degrees F with occasional lower temperatures but the plant prefers a warm, moist habitat.
Greenhouse Plants To Avoid
Cyclamen, Ivy, Mistletoe, Oleander…
While Cyclamen are beautiful plants, they are poisonous to dogs and should be avoided as they contain properties that can cause them to become sick. The plant contains triterpenoid saponins which can be extremely irritating and are found in the flowers, leaves and roots. Ivy and mistletoe contain toxins that are harmful to dogs – toxic chemicals in mistletoe can even be lethal. Oleanders are commonly used in landscaping and are beautiful, flowering plants that can grow extremely large.
Dogs and other mammals (including tortoises) can be poisoned by Oleander, even if just eating small quantities and all parts of the plants apply. In addition, the following plants are the most dangerous for dogs and should not be accessible in the Greenhouse:
- Castor bean or castor oil plant (Ricinus communis)
- Dumbcane (Dieffenbachia)
- Hemlock (Conium maculatum)
- Thorn apple or jimsonweed (Datura stramonium)
- Yew (Taxus spp.)
- Any mushroom you cannot identify as safe
Hartley Botanic was founded in 1938 by brothers Vincent (RHS fellow) and Norman Hartley following their ground-breaking aluminium Greenhouse design, the first time (to our knowledge) aluminium had been used in Greenhouse construction and marking a huge improvement on its wood and wrought iron Victorian forerunners.
The English manufacturer is an authority on Greenhouse design and use over the decades, having been making its beautiful and elegant handmade, made-to-order horticultural buildings for 85 years from its original factory at the base of the dramatic Pennines’ Chew Valley in Lancashire. It has become synonymous for crafting the finest Greenhouses money can buy through the very highest standards of hard-won experience, craftsmanship and service.
A hugely respected brand within the horticultural world, it is the manufacturer of choice for leading organisations, institutions and designers with Hartley Botanic structures commissioned by the RHS, the National Trust, Kew Gardens, Glasgow Botanic Gardens, Massachusetts Horticultural Society and Oxford Botanical Gardens…to name a few. Its entire product range is endorsed by the Royal Horticultural Society.
All Hartley Botanic’s Glasshouses and Greenhouses are handmade, bespoke and made to order. Customers interested in purchasing a Hartley Botanic Greenhouse should visit: Hartley Botanic (hartley-botanic.co.uk) or call 01457 819 155 for more information.
What makes a Hartley Botanic the finest Glasshouse money can buy?
Unrivalled. Unparalleled. Unique. There are Glasshouses and there are Hartley Botanic Glasshouses. Combining inspired design with enduring quality, nothing quite enhances your garden and home like a Hartley Botanic; each one beautifully handmade to last a lifetime.
Why Hartley?
At Hartley Botanic we have had a continuous conversation with our customers over many years. We have collected their comments so as to let you know what our customers say about us, and just why they have chosen a Hartley Botanic Glasshouse.
1. Beauty and Elegance
The incomparable range of simply beautiful and elegant structures means Hartley Botanic can create designs that are distinctive and unique. The Victorian, Heritage and Modern Glasshouse ranges, are so comprehensive you don’t have to go anywhere else to find your beautifully crafted, high-quality Glasshouses from the widest of choices.
2. Structurally Superior
Every Hartley Botanic Glasshouse is handmade in the North of England to your exact requirements. It is made of the finest materials with unparalleled durability, safety, and beauty. All of the aluminium sections have a structural purpose. Short cuts, such as ‘sticking’ aluminium to glass for aesthetic reasons, are never taken. Hartley Botanic are so confident of the structural integrity of their Greenhouses; a 30-year Lifetime Guarantee is offered.
3. A reputation Beyond Compare
Hartley Botanic’s brand heritage and reputation have been built on trust for over 80 years. They have earned an unrivalled reputation for crafting the finest Glasshouses and Greenhouses money can buy through the very highest standards of hard-won experience, craftsmanship and service.
4. Unrivalled Knowledge and Expertise
There is a wealth of knowledge and expertise built into every Hartley Botanic Glasshouse. Generations of customers have put their trust in the hands of expert, time served, highly skilled craftsmen. Glasshouses of distinction are created from decades of knowledge and care.
5. Exceptional Delivery of Service
Once your order has been handmade to your personal requirements, and Hartley Botanic’s exacting standards, your delivery and installation will be exceptional. The proud team at Hartley Botanic are there to ensure the process runs smoothly, providing you with the information you need and keeping you up to date throughout.