The Truth About Gardening In A Rental (And Design Changes I’m Making in 2025)
You know that feeling when you're just tired of being tired? Like you've been sitting dormant? Well, that's been my garden for the last few months (or seasons). Resting. Still. Uninspired.
Partially, because I felt like I reached a bottleneck in the realm of my garden design. I felt limited because - truth be told - I live and grow in an urban rental space. I didn’t know what else I could modify or move around to feel creative in the garden again. Small space started to feel like limited possibilities.
Here's the thing about gardening in a rental - it isn't some casual hobby. It's full body lifestyle shift. So how do you build something permanent when your living situation is temporary?
For me, it started with garden structures. When I first bought my raised beds in 2023, I was that person who had to have everything "just so." This wasn't one of those "unbox-and-build-in-a-weekend" situations. Nope. My first garden build was more steady, calculated, and slow.
(Bed 4 Completion | June 3, 2023)
One bed built at a time. Back to front. Saving up for soil and compost each month. Weekend rendezvous to the local nursery. And honestly? I got attached. I not only fell in love with gardening, but also the art of building something I could proudly call my own - even if technically, the property wasn't mine.
Even with less than 100 square feet to work with, I was determined to make this tiny space Instagram-worthy. Why? Because when your neighbors can see your every move and your landlord's approval hangs in the balance, aesthetics matter. Pinterest boards? Had 'em. Perfect layout plans? You bet. Reality check? Coming in hot.
Here's what nobody tells you when you first build a garden:
Your beautiful design means nothing if it’s not accessible
Sure, experiment all you want, but if your garden isn't serving its purpose (hello, actual food production for me!), you're just maintaining an expensive outdoor art installation that you'll have to tear down someday
(February 2, 2024)
That's why my first garden trellis arch completely missed the mark - absolute Pinterest gold, total functional disaster. It was possibly the most complicated way to support tomatoes ever invented. I couldn't shimmy my way through the arch to prune. Couldn't walk around the edge without fighting pre-established bushes in our rental. Beautiful? Yes. Practical? Not even close.
So this weekend, I finally snapped. I realized I was not locked into my first set of design choices (Yeah, the ones I made when I knew nothing about gardening).
The great tiny garden reconfiguration of 2025 went like this:
First, that Instagram-worthy arch? Gone. But instead of starting from scratch, I got creative with what I already had: conduit, hooks, and concrete rebar. Here's how it went down:
(My Simple 2025 Garden Redesign Sketch)
Bed 1: Kept it classic - if it ain't broke, don't fix it
Beds 2 & 3: This is where things got interesting. Yanked the conduit from bed 2, relocated it to bed 3's right side like a game of Tetris. That old trellis rebar? Stomped it flat (best stress relief ever) and transformed it into an 8 foot privacy wall. Suddenly, I could actually reach beds 2 and 3 without feeling like the floor was lava.
Bed 4: Plot twist - the arch will make a comeback, but make it functional. Instead of spanning two beds like before, it’ll now run the length of bed 4. How? Kept the old string trellis supports, added the new pieces, and boom - actual usable vertical space.
Sure, this might sound like garden chaos theory in action. In a small space, growing vertically isn't just about aesthetics - it's about maximizing every inch. Those indeterminate tomatoes and wandering squash vines? They’ll have more room to sprawl.
And here's the clever part - in our mild climate, this new setup will actually provide shade for brassicas, extending our growing season for direct sowing. (Because in my household, leafy greens are always in demand!)
The biggest shocker? After several seasons of gardening, I finally feel confident enough to prioritize function over Pinterest perfection. It reinforced something I've always suspected - good garden design can happen in any space, regardless of size.
So if your garden's giving you the shoulder shrug “eh”, here's your permission slip to shake things up. Whether you're a seasoned gardener or just coming out of the winter funk, start with the basics:
Purpose ⇒ Function ⇒ Design
Ask yourself: What is this space really for? Growing food? Creating a cozy entertainment area? Building privacy?
Then get real about function. What are the non-negotiable, minimally viable items you need to make it happen? (Fun fact: you probably don't need all those new gadgets and gizmos you've been eyeing.) Take inventory of what you already have and how you can repurpose it. Work with what you've got. Get creative. Break some rules. Pick pieces that can also grow with you!
Because sometimes the most beautiful garden isn't the one that looks perfect - it's the one that works perfectly for you, no matter where you're planting your roots.
