Wholeness
A Pet’s Permaculture Paradise
Fleet Farming Program Director Caroline Chomanics on gardening with — and for — your pet Horticultural therapy — green spaces, sunshine and meaningful activity — isn’t an effective tool for just us humans, the twolegged animal. Whether there’s a bone to bury, or trash to compost, digging dirt is also good for Man’s Best Friend. A true, organic garden can pay homage to that special connection between you and your pet. We sat down with Caroline Chomanics, cat lover, pet enthusiast, and program director at Fleet Farming, a coinitiative of IDEAS For Us, to learn more about her upcoming program, “Creating a Pet Garden,” at the Center for Health & Wellbeing. While stroking her cat’s fur (a Maine Coon named Freya), Chomanics happily explained why building a permaculture paradise for you and your pet can support your overall health and wellbeing.
What is the connection between our animals, wellbeing and gardening?
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Having your animals outside in a gardening environment helps you to relax. We know that seeing the color green alone is relaxing. I think that animals can provide a positive environment
for healing, relaxation, and exercise. I was talking to a friend, and she said that the dog she recently adopted is helping her mental health. She struggles with depression and if it wasn’t for her dog, sometimes she wouldn’t leave the house all day. Her dog is an active dog that needs regular walks. And she says that, in addition to having to take the dog out for these regular walks, having something to care for makes it easier for her to come out of her depression and care for herself, too.
Are there plants you recommend owners provide their pets? With dogs, they can have gardens full of lemongrass. Dogs can even eat wheat grass. These are so easy to grow and it’s really rewarding. Roses that are not synthetically fertilized, sugar cane, cannon meal are edible to dogs and cats. And for cats, of course we know cat grass and catnip are great, but lemongrass, thyme and mint are, too, because catnip is in the mint family. I will be getting more into all of this during our 1 PM program on Wednesday, June 1. You can have a low maintenance, aesthetically pleasing garden for you and your pet. The pets
