Dogs love to explore using their keen sense of smell and taste. Usually, a dog will be able to smell a poisonous plant but this isn’t always the case. Some plants can appear ripe and good to eat, but contain unusually high levels of toxicity. This includes commonly found produce such as the acorn from an English oak tree. When out for a walk, you can keep your dog on a short leash to control what plants they go near, but did you know there may be toxic plants in your own backyard? Here are the most common ones to avoid.
 

Yellow Jasmine

Gelsemium sempervirens, more commonly known as yellow jasmine, looks great in any garden. It is similar to vines due to the way it climbs up buildings. The yellow colour is designed to stand out and be attractive and the scent can create a fragrant and fresh smelling garden as it is spread by light winds. 
 

All of this can make it attractive to dogs, who may innocently chew at the plant. However, it is highly poisonous and eating any part of the plant is dangerous to dogs. Symptoms of yellow jasmine poisoning include muscle paralysis, seizures and breathing difficulty. If your dog is experiencing any of these symptoms, seek medical help immediately.

Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow

A popular shrub in South Africa, this stunning display of greens and purples will make any garden look appealing. It also has a strong fragrance and so will immediately draw attention. 
 

Also known as brunfelsia pauciflora, this shrub is popular among Oriental and English themed gardens. If you have a dog, though, you should not consider adding this plant to your garden. Consumption of Yesterday, Today and Tomorrow plant will likely lead to vomiting and tremors due to the toxin amidine.

Flame Lily

As the name suggests, this lily has the appearance of a flame. The seeds for this plant are sold all over South Africa, due the beautiful oranges and reds. It is native to Southern Africa, so growing the plant also known as gloriosa superba will be no problem and it will add colour and character to your garden.

Despite being used by healers as a treatment for snake bites and scorpion stings, its juices are also used in poison arrows by African hunters. This is definitely something you don’t want going near your dog. Ingestion of the root, which contains high levels of colchicine, can be fatal.

The fire-like colour is often used around water features to contrast with flowing water. This can be dangerous because dogs often like to play in the water. If you really want this plant by your water feature, one tip is to clean your fountain regularly using strong bleach, the smell of which will let the dog know that this is a potentially toxic area of the garden.

All three of these plants are beautiful, fragrant additions to the garden. If you hadn’t have known, it would be easy to fill your garden with seriously toxic lilies, shrubs and vines. By ensuring your garden is free of toxic plants, you can let your dog roam free without any worries.