Gardening is in our blood, we feel compelled every spring to plant something, nurture it and watch it grow. A gardening design idea that will fulfill our inner compulsion to play in the dirt is a themed garden using plants that have animal names. This animal themed garden is also a great incentive for children to get outside, be active and learn to enjoy gardening.
There are many garden plants that bear the names of animals, I will name 15 and give a little information about each of the ‘animal plants’ to give you an idea of just how fun and easy an animal themed garden can be.
Hen And Chickens. The name of this garden plant always makes children smile. Hen and Chickens is a fast spreading succulent. It grows low to the ground, producing gray-green rosettes that are 2-5 inches wide, those are the ‘Hens’. The ‘Chickens’ are the smaller rosettes that grow around the larger Hen. This animal named garden plant is easy to care for-well drained soil, normal weekly watering and partial shade is fine for them.
Lamb’s Ear is a dense, fast growing ground hugging garden perennial. Lamb’s Ear produces 4-6 inch rosettes that are soft, white and feel like wool. Careful watering requires these plant’s not get their ‘ears’ wet and partial shade for these animal named garden plants.
Foxglove is another low grower for gardens that forms clumps of hairy gray-green leaves, topped of with varying colors of tubular flowers that are shaped like fingertips of a glove. This animal named garden plant requires well drained soil and partial shade. Be aware that all parts of this animal plant is poisonous if ingested.
Elephant Ears are large, fast growing garden perennials that produce leaves shaped like the ears of an elephant. Well drained soil, full sun and lots of water for this animal named garden plant.
Lion’s Tail is an evergreen shrub that has hairy, square stems with pairs of narrow, toothed leaves on each side of the stem. It produces dense whorls of tubular, deep orange flowers that are covered with fine hairs that resemble fur. Well drained soil and full sun is required by this animal named garden plant.
Deer Grass is a bright green perennial grass that grows in a dense tight clump about 4 feet high and produces yellow or purple flower spikes in the fall. Well drained soil and full to partial sun for this animal named garden plant.
Butterfly Bush is a large growing evergreen shrub with dark green leaves with white undersides. In midsummer it produces varying colored, spiked, fragrant flowers that are about 6 inches long and arched. The added bonus of this animal named plant is that it does attract butterflies to your garden. Easy care for this animal named shrub- full sun and well drained soil and plenty of room in the garden to grow in.
Bird of Paradise is an animal named garden plant that most people are familiar with. A tall plant that produces flowers that resemble the heads of tropical birds. Easy to grow and care for-full sun and well drained soil.
Bear’s Breech is a garden perennial that produces large, spiny leaves in clumps about 3 feet wide and produces tall spikes of varying colored flowers. The spiny leaves resemble the paw of the animal it’s named for. Well drained soil and full to partial sun is required by this animal named plant.
Cat’s Claw Vine in a woody vine that has little hook-like thorns that resemble a cat’s claw. The thorns enable it to climb as high as 100 feet and it produces small yellow and white flowers. The bark of the Cat’s Claw Vine is used for a variety of home remedies. This animal named plant is easy care, just give it something to climb on, like a garden trellis.
Foxtail Fern is a garden perennial that produces thick, upright stems that grow to be about 2 feet tall and are covered with needle-like green leaves that give this plant a fluffy look, like a fox’s tail. This garden plant grows in clumps and produces small pale yellow flowers. Low maintenance for this animal named garden plant-partial sun and normal weekly watering. Makes great hanging baskets or potted plant also.
Kangaroo Paws is a bird attracting garden perennial that adapts to most any growing or soil condition. This animal named garden plant produces dark green, sword like leaves with spikes of varying colored fuzzy flowers that are curved like the paw of a kangaroo. Hummingbirds love the Kangaroo Paw plant.
Dwarf Coyote Bush is an evergreen shrub that is low growing, no more than 2 feet high, but can spread to about 6 feet in width. This animal named plant has small, toothed leaves. Easy care-full to partial sun in your garden with well drained soil.
Shrimp Plant is an annual that produces tubular white flowers with purple spots. The flowers are enclosed in droopy, copper colored pods or bracts, that resemble a shrimp tail. This animal named garden plant needs shade and TLC.
The Pussy Willow is a shrub that has bright green leaves and slender reddish-brown stems with white-gray furry buds in the springtime that resemble a cat’s paw. Easy to grow in the garden and great for floral arrangements.
The only thing to be mindful of when planting an animal themed garden, or any other type of ‘name theme’ garden, is to be aware of each garden plant’s sun, soil and moisture requirements and plant in a location in the garden that best accommodates each plant’s needs.
An animal themed garden is a great idea to bring the three great loves of our lives together; children, gardening and animals.
