How to Garden When You Rent

by Matthew Pottage

Transform your garden into your own and feel at home even when you are renting.

Your outdoor space does not need to look dull when you are renting your home. You can still brighten it up with a tailored gardening guide designed especially for your gardening needs. 

Find some gardening inspiration! This simple, easy-to-follow gardening book will help you achieve an impressive garden. Inside, you’ll

   • Three central chapters focus on different rental lease lengths, each showcasing key plant types.
   • Gallery of inspirational ideas for front and back gardens, balconies and patios, and any other available outdoor spaces the reader can plant up and enjoy.
   • Essential planning chapter to encourage readers to identify what they can achieve in their rental garden, how much time they have to make it happen, and how much money they want to spend.
   • “Working with the Seasons” guide to help readers identify what they can do as soon as they move in, depending on the season they start their lease.
   • Maintenance chapter showing renters how to keep their garden in good shape (including weeding, cleaning and pruning know-how), so that they can enjoy the garden they now have and feel confident that they can get their deposit back when they leave.

Your garden will look beautiful and cared for, and your landlord will be impressed with how healthy and lush your plants look! This must-have gardening reference book is packed with plenty of tips, tricks, and techniques for good gardening maintenance. 

Creating a magnificent garden oasis is achievable and cost-effective with this book about gardening. Discover ways of turning even the most unloved balcony, yard, or urban garden into a lush, welcoming space that you, your roommates and your friends can enjoy for as long as you choose to live there.

How to Garden When You Rent will appeal to renters of all ages who want to make the most of their outdoor space, no matter how long they intend to enjoy it. It is also great for landlords interested in encouraging their tenants to tend to their gardens and keep them in shape.

Genres: Gardening, Nonfiction

192 pages, Hardcover

Published March 29, 2022

Reviews

[Brandon Moore · Rating 4 out of 5]

I found "How to Garden When You Rent" to be a thoughtful and enjoyable read. The book covers each stage of the gardening experience; told chronologically with each chapter.

As someone with no background in horticulture, one aspect I liked about this book is the brevity of each section. I felt like I learned a lot without being overwhelmed with information. Furthermore, I appreciated the illustrations and diagrams that teach various projects one could implement for their own use. Don't even get me started on the photographs of the finished gardens all throughout the book. They are stunning, and make for great examples of what can be achieved with all the techniques being shown.

What's more, I loved the author's focus on the environmental consequences of our gardening choices. Advising adding water features to give local wildlife a place to bathe, or suggesting one avoids plastic grass as it is single use plastic, are just some of the examples found throughout that I really appreciated.

While I'm sure that there is more ground that can be covered, I found this to be an informative entry point. All in all, Author Matthew Pottage does a good job detailing the in's and out's of being a garderner while as a tenant. I rate 8/10, and would recommend.

[Ainee Beland · Rating 5 out of 5]

What did I like about this read?
The author shows what one can achieve in an outdoor space that is not yours, and the longer that you reside somewhere, the more you can make it your own, over time.

After moving into their west London rental, some eight years later, the author and his family now have a wonderful collection of potted plants, two self-contained water features, and a micro pond, and what’s even better, all of this can be moved with them if ever they move again.

I like the ingenuity that this book provided, and that many can make an outdoor space their own in time with plenty of patience…see gardening as practicing for someday when you might have your own yard/landscape space. It is a way to connect with your rented space, and it all gives your mental well-being a big boost.

Begin this adventure by making a plan and keeping your landlord in the loop. Potted garden and container creativity is what to aim for if wanting to keep things simple and pleasing your environment, since not everyone might want a garden, or there might already be a landscape crew that takes care of the area's ground.

[Jacqueline M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

I do not rent, but many of the folks I mentor do. This is an excellent book not just for renters but for those who know they won't be living in their current house for more than 5 years or so. I really liked that he split the book into short term rental, mid term (1-2 years) and longer. There are also sections on various ways you can take advantage of rental space including if the bulk of your outdoor space is paved or exists only on a balcony. The bulk of the book is for ornamental gardening, but he does include a chapter on growing food while renting. I would recommend this to new gardeners.

[Talka · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book started off strong regarding the differences and workarounds in gardening while renting. About halfway through fell short and seemed to forget the point of this is about rentals, instead covering all of the typical, house/owning/larger scale gardening tips I’ve read elsewhere. A decent amount of disappointing.

[Katie Haasch · Rating 4 out of 5]

As someone that rents and loves plants this book gave me some ideas to make my gardening on my patio pleasing and worthwhile. I’ve still had some snide comments about how much I have inside and out but they are aware I have plants.

[Tina · Rating 3 out of 5]

Some interesting ideas and suggestions for creating a garden in a rental property. Unfortunately it is a northern hemisphere publication, so some plants are not as easy to grow in Australia, but not too difficult to substitute something similar with the help of nursery staff and/or the internet.

[Penny Wright · Rating 2 out of 5]

All of this information is available online for free with just a quick google search.

[Jess Croft · Rating 3 out of 5]

Had some helpful tips, but manly focused on house rentals, which doesn't apply to me. Had some weird suggestions such as planting trees and drilling into exterior walls.

[Mary Lynn]

For beginner gardeners who rent only, though more experienced urban/city gardeners might enjoy the photos.

[Briony · Rating 4 out of 5]

A helpful book, especially for our small and North facing garden - thank you 💕

[SassieMolassie · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars. The guide was a good start, but there are other books out there that delve into the themes of this book a little better. The photography was fantastic and the "garden looks" were lovely.

[Riley Weber · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 rounded up to a 4.