We all want a space that reflects our personality, but for renters, this can be tricky. Especially if you’re planning to give your rented garden an update this summer. We’ve pulled together some rented garden ideas to make it a little easier.
More ideas for renters: Brilliant budget garden ideas that will boost your outdoor space without breaking the bank!
Research by Boiler Plan has revealed that Google searches for ‘can I decorate a rented property?’ have increased by 66 per cent compared to last year. However, searches for how to update a rented outdoor space has seen an even greater leap.
Google searches for ‘DIY balcony ideas’ has seen an increase of 586 per cent. Searches for ‘Yarden ideas’ has increased by 167 per cent, while ‘gardening in rented house’ has gone up by 29 per cent.
So how can you give your garden an update without losing your deposit and getting a telling off from the landlord? Take inspiration from our non-permanent, simple ideas to give your rented garden an update.
Rented garden ideas
1. Invest in potted plants
Image credit: Ti-Media
A few potted plants can transform a concrete yard into a peaceful oasis. Just be careful not to get too ambitious with your pot plant choice. While a small tree in a hefty terracotta pot might look lovely now, think about how you are going to move it when your lease is up. Elevate smaller pots on side tables and wooden stumps to add height.
2. Decorate the space with home furnishings
Image credit: Ti-Media
As with the interiors of a rented house it’s hard to make it feel like home when you can’t undertake big decorating projects, in this instance a splash of colour can go a long way to make it feel more like your own. Use outdoor rugs and shower-proof soft furnishings to invigorate a rented garden – and give the space a hint of your own personal style and an injection of personality.
More low budget ideas: 29 easy garden ideas – simple, low-maintenance updates to transform your outdoor space
3. Grow vegetables in an alternative planter
Join the grow your own revolution, even as a renter. If you are keen to try growing your own, but not sure your landlord would like you digging up their garden consider investing in a planter. You can pick up some clever vertical planters from Homebase that are perfect for growing herbs and tomatoes – without using the garden grounds at all. Alternatively, you can start small with a Vegebag, which won Chelsea garden product of the year 2020.
Buy now: Modular Planter Set, £39.99, Homebase
4. Make accessories moveable
Image credit: Future PLC
One of the biggest trends of 2020, set to continue well into 2021 is fire pits – fuelled by the restrictions on indoor gatherings, meaning we’re outside whatever the weather. The beauty of a fire pit is the freestanding nature, meaning they are the ideal design for renters because they risk no damage to the garden. Get one that is elevated from the ground and easy to move, for when the time comes to move to pastures new.
5. Add a decorative garden screen
Garden screens are an ideal solution to revamp your outdoor space. They offer a decorative touch but also privacy in small garden or terraces, and can also be used to cover up unsightly bins.
You can opt for a simple willow screen or something more spectacular like one of these from Screen With Envy. Priced at about £85 they come in a range of designs from Moroccan geometrics to floral prints. When it’s time to move on they can easily be taken with you.
Buy now: Moucharabiya garden screen, £95, Screen with Envy
6. Add atmosphere with lighting
Image credit: Lizzie Orme
Fairy lights or solar-powered lighting are an affordable way to add some ambience to your garden. Try weaving fairy lights through a garden screen or stringing them across a garden table for a striking garden lighting idea.
7. Hang baskets of beautiful blooms
Image credit: Spike Powell
Hanging baskets will make any garden look impressive, front or back. They can add a pop of colour to any doorway or patio. Fill them with succulents, herbs and sturdy green plants for a modern look that is easy to care for. Just be sure they are well supported where you choose to hang them, to avoid causing any damage should they fall.
8. Decorate the fence
Image credit: Lizzie Orme
If you landlord is happy enough to let you paint the fence – great, but if it’s a stretch too far you will have to think outside the box. A low cost, low effort and non permanent way to revamp tired looking fence panels is an injection of bright colour. Use these homemade planters and tealight holders for inspiration, all made from upcycled tin cans simply secured to the fence with a detachable wire fastening. A great way to add colour and ambience to pretty up the perimeter of a rented garden.
9. Level with freestanding furniture
Image credit: Colin Poole
Use this savvy ladder storage idea to conceal a less than attractive corner of your rented garden. When growing a climbing plant is not an option use this clever solution to fill the space with potted plants, decorative garden trinkets and lanterns to add a personal touch.
Will you be updated your rented garden with these simple tips?
How do you garden when renting?
How you garden when renting? You garden smart, that’s how. Renting restricts how much you may be able to do to the grounds, depending what you relationship is like with your landlord. In most instances a landlord would be happy for the Tennant to take on any garden maintenance, such as mowing the lawn and cutting back the hedges – to save them the job. But in terms of gardening you may be limited and therefore you need to seek savvy ways to do so.
Growing vegetables in freestanding planters is an ideal way to grow your own without digging a veggie patch. It also opens up the possibility of living off the land, even if that land is a balcony in a second-floor flat or a small courtyard. in a city centre. For the main part, garden in pots that you can enjoy in the space but can take with you when you move – because gardening isn’t cheap, so be careful not to effectively waste money on a garden you may leave behind.
How can I make my rented garden look good?
You can make a rented garden look good by add a touch of your own personality to the space. A cost-effective way to do so is with a garden furniture set, outdoor rugs and soft furnishings that will make the space highly useable no matter how well planted it is. Carry out a quick clear up, a spot of wedding and deadheading can go a long way to tidy the garden up without the need to spend any money. If you’re looking to add plants to a rented garden make sure they are in pots that can be easily transported when you move.
