Monty Don explains why he's included toxic plants in dog-friendly Chelsea Flower Show garden

Independent

16-05-2025

Monty Don has called for dog owners to exercise common sense around potentially harmful plants as he prepares to unveil his dog-friendly garden at 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 garden.
The space incorporates dog-friendly features such as a lawn, water for wallowing, and shade-providing trees.
The garden includes plants like alliums and foxgloves, known to be toxic to dogs. Don defended their inclusion, stating he has these plants in his own garden alongside his pets without issue.
Following the Chelsea Flower Show, the RHS and Radio 2 dog garden, which will not be judged, will be relocated to Battersea Dogs & Cats Home. Don confirmed any plants unwanted by the charity would be removed.
Having presented at Chelsea since 1990 and covered the show for the BBC for over a decade, Don described creating the garden as a "humbling" experience. He expressed newfound respect for the designers and makers of RHS Chelsea gardens.
Speaking onsite where his garden is being kept under wraps as it is constructed, he told the PA news agency: '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.'
He said he was looking forward to getting back to presenting coverage for next week's show 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 originally approached by the RHS to design a dog-friendly garden, said he did not want the project, created with horticulturalist Jamie Butterworth, to have any message except for being about dogs.
'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 lawn is central to the plot, surrounded by planting which can create shifting paths for dogs to take around the garden, and a large open-fronted 'dog house' with an old sofa for the animals to retreat to.
The garden also features long meadow grass for dogs to lie in, while Radio 2 presenter Jo Wiley suggested an area of water for dogs to wallow in, based on experience with her pets, Don said.
There is a playfulness to the garden, with use of dogwood, round-headed alliums evoking balls dogs love to play with, and terracotta pots have been created with pawprints of Don's dog Ned who can regularly be seen following him around his garden on Gardeners' World.
But while the lawn has been created to look like it has been used by dogs and people, the team have stopped short of having holes dug in it or 'pee rings'.
And Don said: '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.'
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 said.
'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 everyday activities from cutting with knives in the kitchen to driving a car or crossing the road were more dangerous than these plants were to dogs, he said.
And he added: 'Just be sensible, don't get hysterical, but at the same time don't dismiss it.'
He also said dog owners who are keen gardeners should not expect a perfect lawn because 'that's not compatible with dogs', and encouraged those who did not want their animals to be crashing through the flower beds to create low fences or hedging on borders or corners to stop them.
An RHS spokesperson said the dog garden 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.'