Gardening for Your Pets

Creating a Safe & Tasty Hobby Farm Garden in New Brunswick

May. 17th 2026

There’s something special about combining gardening with the animals we love. Whether you have a flock of backyard chickens, a couple of goats, rabbits for the kids, or a loyal farm dog following you through the rows, growing plants your animals can safely enjoy is both rewarding and practical.

 

Here in New Brunswick, many hobby farmers and rural families are looking for ways to make their gardens more useful, sustainable, and animal-friendly. The good news? There are plenty of easy-to-grow plants that both thrive in our Maritime climate and can be enjoyed by your furry and feathered family members.

 

In this guide, we’ll take a simple look at pet-friendly gardening for hobby farms — including safe plants, beginner tips, and ideas for creating spaces your animals will love.

Why Grow a Garden for Your Animals?

A pet-friendly hobby farm garden does more than just look nice. It can:

  • Supplement feed naturally
  • Provide enrichment and stimulation
  • Help reduce waste with kitchen scraps and garden trimmings
  • Encourage healthier, happier animals
  • Create a more connected homestead lifestyle

Plus, many animal-safe plants are beautiful enough to fit right into your vegetable gardens, flower beds, or pasture edges.

Start With Safety First

Not every garden plant is safe for animals. Some common ornamental plants can actually be toxic to livestock and pets.

 

Before planting, it’s important to research what’s safe for the animals you own. This is especially important on hobby farms where free-ranging chickens, goats, or curious dogs may nibble on anything they can reach.

A Few General Rules:

  • Avoid chemically treated plants or pesticides where animals roam
  • Introduce new foods slowly
  • Fence off toxic ornamentals if you already have them
  • Remember that goats and rabbits LOVE to sample plants
  • When in doubt, ask your local nursery team

Great Garden Plants for Hobby Farm Animals

Many plants are safe across multiple species, making them excellent additions to New Brunswick hobby farms.

Herbs That Animals Love

Herbs are one of the easiest ways to grow enrichment for your animals.

Safe & Popular Choices:

  • Parsley
  • Basil
  • Dill
  • Mint
  • Lemon Balm
  • Cilantro
  • Chamomile
  • Oregano

These herbs are enjoyed by chickens, ducks, rabbits, goats, and even some dogs and cats in moderation.

Why Grow Herbs?

  • Easy to grow in raised beds or containers
  • Attract pollinators
  • Smell amazing around the garden
  • Can be dried for winter use

Leafy Greens & Veggies

Many garden vegetables can safely be shared with animals after harvest.

Animal-Friendly Greens:

  • Kale
  • Swiss Chard
  • Lettuce
  • Spinach (in moderation)
  • Beet Greens
  • Carrot Tops

Great Veggies for Sharing:

  • Cucumbers
  • Zucchini
  • Pumpkins
  • Peas
  • Beans
  • Carrots

Chickens, ducks, rabbits, goats, and quails especially enjoy fresh greens from the garden.

Maritime Tip:

New Brunswick’s cooler nights are excellent for leafy greens throughout much of the growing season. Succession planting every few weeks can keep both your family and animals supplied all summer long.

Best Plants for Specific Animals

Chickens, Ducks & Quail

Poultry love gardens — sometimes a little too much.

Favourite Garden Treats:

  • Lettuce
  • Kale
  • Sunflowers
  • Peas
  • Cucumbers
  • Pumpkin
  • Corn
  • Oregano 
  • Parsley

Sunflowers are especially fun because they provide shade, beauty, and seeds later in the season.

Bonus Idea:

Grow a “poultry patch” specifically for tossing fresh greens into the run.

Rabbits

Rabbits enjoy tender greens and herbs and can benefit from fresh forage.

Rabbit-Safe Plants:

  • Romaine lettuce
  • Cilantro
  • Basil
  • Dill
  • Carrot tops
  • Clover
  • Kale

Avoid giving too much sugary fruit or iceberg lettuce.

Goats & Sheep

Goats are browsers by nature and love variety.

Safe Plants for Goats:

  • Sunflowers
  • Raspberry leaves
  • Willow branches
  • Herbs
  • Kale
  • Clover

Goats especially enjoy natural enrichment from shrubs and tree trimmings.

Cows & Larger Livestock

For hobby farmers with small cattle setups, planting forage-friendly crops can help supplement grazing.

Good Options:

  • Clover
  • Alfalfa
  • Sunflowers
  • Turnips
  • Pumpkins

These can be worked into rotational grazing or small pasture edges.

Cats & Dogs

Our household pets can enjoy the garden too.

Safe Choices for Cats:

  • Catnip
  • Cat grass
  • Valerian
  • Parsley

Safe Choices for Dogs:

  • Basil
  • Mint
  • Carrots
  • Cucumbers
  • Pumpkin

Many dogs love crunchy garden vegetables fresh from the soil.

Important Reminder:

Even safe foods should only be offered in moderation.

Pollinator-Friendly & Pet-Friendly Flowers

Flowers can support your local ecosystem while remaining safe for animals.

Great Choices:

  • Calendula
  • Sunflowers
  • Nasturtiums
  • Marigolds
  • Pansies
  • Zinnias

Many of these are edible for both people and animals too.

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Easy Ways to Start Small

You don’t need a full farm setup to try pet-friendly gardening.

Beginner Ideas:

Quick Safety Reminder
  • A small herb container for chickens
  • Cat grass on the windowsill
  • A pumpkin patch for fall treats
  • Raised beds with shared greens
  • A sunflower border around the coop

Start with plants you already enjoy growing and slowly add animal-safe varieties over time.

Before feeding any plant to your animals:

  • Properly identify it
  • Research species-specific safety
  • Avoid treated or sprayed plants
  • Introduce new foods gradually
  • Contact your veterinarian if you suspect toxicity

Gardening Together Creates a Better Homestead

One of the best parts of hobby farming is creating a lifestyle where your garden, animals, and family all work together. A pet-friendly garden adds beauty, enrichment, and practicality to your space while helping you connect more deeply with your animals and the seasons here in New Brunswick.

 

Whether you’re growing herbs for your rabbits, pumpkins for your chickens, or catnip for your barn cats, every little addition helps create a healthier and happier hobby farm.

 

And who knows — your animals may end up enjoying the harvest just as much as you do.