How to make your own garden if you’re renting - CatholicCare NT

When renting, it’s nice to make your house a home. By adding small touches like a garden, your rental can feel more ‘home-like’ and friendly. No experience is necessary; we’ll walk you through the simple steps to get you started.

Step 1. Ask for permission

If you intend to dig up an area, ask your landlord or the Agent first. Most of the time they will be more than happy for you to make use of your outdoor space. If there are issues, you can always use pots in the area instead.

Step 2. Ask for advice

Not everyone is a natural gardener! If you haven’t planted anything before there are lots of supports. Try your local Plant Nurseries or approach a neighbour you can see working on their garden. There are also friendly community gardens you can visit and ask questions.

Step 3. Find space

If you don’t have a big outdoor space, you can still have a garden. Set pots on a balcony, find a space by the front door, or place plants on a window sill. If you do have a bigger area, choose a space facing North or East and try to avoid anything directly West.

If you intend to dig a space, look for water pipes as well as power or telecom lines first.

It’s helpful to dig a small area first to test the soil. Is it sand, clay, or rocks? These are all important things to consider before planting.

Step 4. Set a budget

A garden does not need to be expensive. It can cost as little as $50 to start. Give it a try with some free boxes from the supermarket. Simply paint them, then fill with potting mix and plants.

Step 5. Maintain

You can spend from as little as 5 minutes every second day on a garden, to as much time as you like. There are some handy tools, such as timers on your tap and drip irrigations, that make watering easy.

Spend a minute daily looking at your plants for bugs, caterpillars or grasshoppers which you should remove quickly.