GARDEN SURROUNDINGS: Enjoying Our Pets In The Garden
- Mar 1
- 3 min read
By Francesca Filanc, for Let’s Talk Plants! March 2026.
Enjoying Our Pets in the Garden
“March comes in like a lion and moves out like a lamb”
This is an old expression about the weather for the month of March. March, starting out blustery, windy and stormy and ending calm, birds chirping, with flowers beginning to bloom. But with climate change and also living in Southern California, in our Mediterranean climate, spring planting starts in March.
For in-depth information go to Mama’s book:
Pat Welsh’s Southern California Gardening: A Month-by Month Guide (Completely Revised and Updated).
The above title is Pat’s favorite revision of her book for people to use, and she feels you will find it most helpful. It is unfortunately out of print, but you can find used copies online.
At my house, the wisteria is starting to bloom a bit; at my mother’s house, which is on the ocean a few miles away to the south, hers has bloomed a lot more so far. We are in different climate zones and that makes a difference for when the flowers start blooming.
The Rancho Santa Fe Art Guild is going to have a display of animal art, including art by me, starting in March and ending in May at the Rancho Santa Fe Library.
“What does this have to do with gardening?” You might ask.
You are absolutely right, nothing! But it got me thinking about what a joy filled experience it is to garden with our dogs and/or cats about and watching our pets enjoying the garden too.
I have often seen cats in gardens in Europe; their tails, moving slowly, intent on a fish in a pond or curled up taking a nap near a gardener. Many people plant catnip in the garden for their cats, who just love to roll all over it. As I have written in other articles, I commune with nature for part of the day every day sitting on a swing, and my dogs are right there with me, and we are all listening to the birds.
For the RSF Art Guild display I painted each of my dogs and it was so cute because Prince, a standard poodle, saw that I was painting him in my art studio, so he sat down and posed for me outside in the garden looking straight at me.
When I paint, I always have the door open to the garden and the dogs roam in and out freely while I work.
After I finished the paintings, I hung them in my art studio. It was really cute and adorable because Prince saw the paintings and ran over and tried to jump up to them and was barking. He could see the faces I painted of himself, Daisy Mae and two friends’ dogs.
This experience has inspired me, and I have asked each of my daughters and grandchildren to send me photos of their pets for me to paint. Two of them live in Spain and they have cats and two of my grandchildren are in the Bay area and they have a dog.
Enjoy the beginning of spring in San Diego County. We just recently had a ton of rain and huge storms, so the plants are all really happy. The sun is out; enjoy planting your spring garden.
Happy gardening,
~ Francesca
Artist, author, photographer, fly-fisher woman, Francesca Filanc grew up in old Del Mar and these days lives, paints and gardens in historic Olivenhain with her two dogs.
Find her art and writings here:
She can be found on social media:
"Live The Life You Envision with Fran" YouTube Channel:
Have gardening questions or want to learn more about Francie’s art?
Contact: Franfilanc@gmail.com
