Catproofed garden and I need design ideas please.

[QueenOfIce]

We have a fairly decent garden 40ft by 40ft give or take, it's also cat proofed to keep our 2 cats in.

It's currently not got any plants at all it's very boring so I'm looking to plant and make it lovely. I'm a complete novice and have looked at garden magazines etc but I'm stumped on design.

I've included a very bad drawing for reference, the paving is going to be changed and the patio area extended that's as far as I've got.

Because we have 2 cats I can't plant anything they might climb or toxic, I also don't want to attract too many birds sadly. Bees and butterflies would be great though.

I'd love an English country garden feel with plants that flower year round.

I'm trying to balance our enjoyment with enrichment for the cats and safety for the birds. I've given myself a mammoth task I think!

I'd love input please. Thank you

Could you not put something climbable well away from the fence? - cats do like to climb and to be up high.

Avoid lilies - the whole plant is poisonous to cats but more of a problem is the copious pollen which they will lick off their coats if they brush against it.

Our "lawn" is planted with bulbs and various wild flowers, so we leave the grass to flower before cutting. When it's at full height in June/July it is full of cats, each sleeping in their separate hold of flattened grass.

"Flowers all the year round" There are some plants which flower in winter, but for winter colour consider berries (Skimmia, Pernettya don't seem attractive to birds) and stem colour.

I'd have a large circular flowerbed in the centre (I'm not a fan of lawns!) Our catio is planted with phormium flax and bamboo, that cats love both and I like the evergreen bright colours of the flax.
We have a tropical garden so I'd have palm trees in the center, but perhaps if you prefer more traditional you could have some other small garden trees to give height and interest away from the fences?
I'd even be tempted with a pergola in the middle with little steps around for the cats to climb and grow some flowers and plants up it

Buddlea (?spelling) and catnip are on my lost of things to plant once I've catproofed my garden. Mine is also very bare currently but I need the fences doing. Maybe a raised bed in front of the garage just for a different height.

Nice ideas above however as a former vet nurse would like to add that your wish for bees may not be a good idea as they are potentially dangerous and can be fatal. Some caterpillars can be toxic too.

Thank you, I'm thinking of putting in some standing rose trees and perhaps train wisteria up the garage wall.

Catproofed?

lol

Nepita (catnip) definitely - I grow six hills giant
Hydrangea Petiolaris is a great climber as it doesn’t require staking or a trellis to support it
Ornamental grasses (all cats like to chew and sick up)

Water feature with running water (like one of those balls with water running down it)
Lots of hidey holes (e.g. under benches, planters) plus things for cats to climb and survey their domain (plant theatres)
If you can't do trees, big logs with rough bark for cats to scratch their claws on
Different textures (paving plus some gravel and some bark)

My cats both like to roll around in my (empty) big stone bird bath, drink rain water out of small bird baths and stare into the pond

I'm would not worry about bees (you can’t control everything) and would fit the cats with bells to give the birds a fighting chance

"cat proof garden"
Do you want to keep them out or keep them in?
Do you want to share the garden with them or exclude them from it ?

My garden is wildlife friendly,
produces lots of fruit ad veg
is a lovely party space
and my various cats seem to like it

none of my fences are over 3 feet because cats can climb

enjoy the mixture, stop trying to control it