Creative ways to make the most of your rented garden

Your garden is a place to grow your own free fruit and veg, it’s a creative outlet that can boost your mood, it supports better fitness and helps keep your vitamin D levels topped up. Plus it’s a great space for hosting get-togethers or spending time with the people you live with. Making the most of your rented garden and caring for it throughout your tenancy could also make getting your deposit back easier, or help you avoid claims if you have a Zero Deposit™ Guarantee.

Yet lots of our renters overlook their gardens. Often because they understandably don’t want to spend time and money nurturing plants that they’ll likely leave behind one day. But, with a little creativity, you can transform your rented garden into your own personal paradise that you can take with you when you move. 

Go potty for pots

Instead of planting directly into the ground, create less permanent flower beds with plant pots and troughs. Plant several smaller plants in them to create the illusion of flower beds and dot individual pots to add interest to other areas of your garden. The great thing about planters is they’re easy to swap over and refresh when plants die down. You can find some beautiful pots in garden centres or trawl sites like Facebook Marketplace or Gum Tree for some bargains.

Buy established plants

It’s cheaper to buy smaller, younger plants but they can take years of nurturing to reach the size or height your space needs. If you want to instantly transform your garden, invest in buying bigger or more mature plants. It’ll cost more, but it’s easier to see what you’re buying and to get your garden looking how you want it more quickly. Mature plants are usually hardier and easier to care for than younger plants too – ideal if you’re a less-than-green-fingered gardener.

Add height with trees and bushes

Did you know you can grow trees in pots? Apple trees, Japanese maples and olive trees are just a few that do particularly well. Bamboo is another good option with the added bonus of growing quickly. Bamboo’s tall, bushy stems make it great for adding shade or privacy if your garden is overlooked. 

Make light work of decor

Hang outdoor lights in trees or along fences to add some sparkle to your garden all year round. You could also add solar lights at ground-level to create walkways, or cosy corners to sit in the evening.

Grow your own

Vegetable patches and herb gardens aren’t just for homeowners. Tomatoes, peppers, courgettes, aubergines and potatoes grow well in pots or garden bags. Fruit like strawberries, blackberries and blueberries grow well in pots too. You can even make your own mini orchard with dwarf varieties of apple trees and pear trees.

Remember the birds and bees

Bee houses, bird feeders, bird baths and butterfly boxes will help encourage wildlife into your garden and turn it into a hive of activity. In return, they’ll help pollinate your flowers and keep pests like slugs, snails and flies at bay.

Outdoor furniture and decorations

Make spending time in your garden comfortable and beautiful in equal measure with outdoor seating, tables, cushions, rugs and heaters.

Fund your garden design with Freedom Finance

Making the most of your rented garden doesn’t have to cost a fortune. You can often find affordable plants in sale sections in garden centres and pick up second-hand garden furniture online. But getting your space just how you want it might mean an initial outlay. We’ve partnered with Freedom Finance to offer personal loans from as little as £500 up to £25,000, so whatever your vision for your garden, you can start bringing it to life straight away. Find out more about financing your garden project.