As someone who has moved around quite a bit, I’ve seen my fair share of rental backyards. I’ve lived in townhouses, apartments, and standalone homes, but one thing each property had in common was an uninspiring and not very biodiverse garden. There seems to be a belief in Australia that low maintenance equals bland, but I’m here to provide you with some tips that will hopefully lead you to question that myth.
Why you should care
Since the start of the pandemic, popularity in gardening has grown. Chances are your prospective tenant is a keen gardener, and whether they are able to freely garden could be a key factor in whether they choose to lease your property or someone else’s.
Equally as important is the fact that urban environments are important habitat for many animal and plant species. With about 77% of land having been altered by humans and the biodiversity crisis worsening, we all have a responsibility to respond, especially home owners.
Tips to make your garden more appealing, whilst remaining low maintenance
Thankfully, there’s much you can do to improve your property ready for your green thumb tenants. Below are five tips that will provide you with a starting point for action:
1. Native and endemic plants are low maintenance
Filling your garden beds with local plant species a great way to bring wildlife into the garden. Endemic species have evolved to depend on one another over many years, meaning that local plants may provide food, pollen, and habitat to resident fauna. They are also suited to the local climate, soil and weather conditions meaning that, microclimates aside, they will thrive with very little maintenance. There’s nothing worse to a keen gardener than an empty garden bed.
2. Diversity, not monocultures
Ensure that you choose a variety of plant species. Mix up sizes, flower types and flowering times to provide a variety of habitat and food sources throughout the year. Many rental gardens are based around one to two species, which is not only a poor outcome for nature, but is not generally aesthetically pleasing.
3. Raised garden beds are your friend
Many gardeners will want to be able to get their hands dirty and create their own garden designs. Raised garden beds allow this flexibility with very little risk to the property owner. Simply place several around the garden and allow tenants the freedom to fill them with whatever vegetables or flowers they desire. You can either allow them to leave it for your next tenants, or ask them to clear it as they leave.
4. Ditch the turf
Turf is high maintenance, highly water intensive, and low value for biodiversity; with the exception of meadow and native grasslands. Consider substituting lawns for an attractive, small-sized gravel which has the added appeal of expanding useable garden space when you place more raised garden beds on top.
5. Trust and communication are key
Most of all, trust your tenants. Many of us just want to build a comfortable, welcoming, and warm home for our families, and this extends out into the garden. Our motivations for gardening are varied but important; it may be to grow our own organic food, or to provide pollination opportunities for local insects. Regardless, there is very little that can’t be easily fixed when it comes to the above tips, so remember that allowing your tenants some freedom to start their own patch is a low-risk, win-win situation.
