Jun 11 2008
The Rented Garden
When I first moved out on my own, at the young age of 17, I moved into a large 3 bedroom house with a beautiful yard, full mature trees and large patio for parties. I, and my two roommates, thought that we had moved into heaven and for a first time rental, it was a very good deal for what we got.
I didn’t think much about gardening at that point, really at 17-18 the big draw are the patio parties, but I did wonder if it would be okay to plant a few flowers in the planters available. I didn’t though partly because I wasn’t sure what plants to use, partly because I was a young and poor and partly because I wasnt’ sure if it was okay to do so.
Since then, I have found that planting a garden in a rental property is something that many renters wonder about. I have met many avid gardeners that are just waiting to sign the dotted line on their own mortgages so they can get out into the yard to start setting up the garden they have been dreaming about. This very same gardeners that have been keeping flowers to a minimum, mostly in planters, and are always in despair at how sparse their rented yard looks.
When it comes to a rented house, there really is no reason why you should avoid the joys of having a rented garden. Most rental boards have a policy that property should be enjoyed as though it is yours and not a rental, barring major redesigning however. Most rental properties have flower beds already dug into them and some even come with an assortment of perennials already in place. There is nothing hindering a renter from moving into those flower beds and creating a whole new theme.
About 10 years ago, I moved into another beautiful 3 bedroom house, I preferred 3 bedrooms for some reason. Anyway, this house was set in an older Italian neighborhood and every yard had full gardens, fruit trees, flower beds and grass to make even the most cared for golf course envious. I jumped into the fact that I now had places to plant flowers, fruit trees to tend to and an assortment of other ideas to put into place. I was still very hesitant about starting new projects but I enjoyed the rose bushes that were already in place and the space that was provided. As I became more comfortable in my rented space, I began adding flower beds to the yard and quickly started designing a garden I could enjoy completely.
And that is what every gardener who rents should know. It is okay to add flower beds and other garden areas. If it is a big project, such as a pond or walkway, I would strongly suggest speaking to the home owner before you do. More than likely, they won’t have a problem but in the off chance that they do, you won’t risk eviction by talking to them first.
When you decide to plant your rented garden, I would recommend a few things to alleviate any worries or potential problems.
- Ask the landlord: I already mentioned this but if you are adding anything, it doesn’t hurt to ask or even just to mention that you are planning to expand the flower beds.
- Plan for leaving: As with all rented spaces, there will be a time when you will move. This may not always be in the summer so if you don’t want to loose money on perennials, stick to annuals instead. You can have very nice gardens with only annuals and although it can cost you more money in the grand scheme of gardening, you won’t have to worry about losing an $80 perennial. If your lease runs from summer to summer, plan to use perennials that can handle being transported.
- Make the garden easy to use: Although we all have ideas of what we want in a garden, it is important to create a garden that can be up-kept with relative ease. The next renters may not have any interest in gardening and if it can be taken care of with very little effort, the landlord will appreciate you all the more and will send out great references if you are renting again.
- Don’t think of it as rented: Don’t spend all your time thinking about the garden as rented. Simply enjoy it now and put in the things that you want in it. Sure you may leave it behind but you can always look forward to a new blank canvas to try new ideas.
- Make use of containers: Yes, I know that not everyone wants to stick with containers but it can minimize the amount of money you are putting into a rental. When you move, if you have cared for your containers, you can gather up your pots and keep a piece of your investment when you leave.
So these are only a few tips but the main point that I am trying to get across is that you do not need to feel stuck with no gardening enjoyment if you rent. Maybe you won’t be able to do as much as home owners but you can still have magnificent gardens that have guests and passer-byers whispering, “I wish my garden was like that.”
Sirena Van Schaik
Related posts:
- Flower Garden Ideas For A Small Garden
- Formal Garden Design Ideas
- Making Beautiful Flower Gardens
- Gardening Ideas for Container Gardens
- Several Lovely Gardening Ideas
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[...] lowis6535 wrote an interesting post today onHere’s a quick excerptMost rental properties have flower beds already dug into them and some even come with an assortment of perennials already in place. There is nothing hindering a renter from moving into those flower beds and creating a whole new theme. … [...]
awesome advice