By Marissa Angell
All images courtesy of author
Owning land is a privilege. As of 2017, New York City had 3,469,240 total housing units. Of these units, 1,038,200 are owner-occupied and 2,183,064 are renter-occupied, a figure largely constituted by marginalized communities.
The majority of gardening publications are geared towards those who are lucky enough to be in the ‘landed’ class. Suggestions abound for landowners who have backyards, however large or small, in which to garden. With statistics such as those cited above, these types of articles can feel alienating to those not looking for gardening advice for a ‘permanent’ landscape. This lack of educational resources for renters, in addition to a perceived high rate of investment, means that so many potential gardeners miss out on the opportunity to reap the rewards of small-space gardening. Bringing renter gardening to the forefront of the sustainability movement can have substantial benefits through the lens of equity, wellness, and ecology.
In recent years, studies have shown the positive impacts of gardening on mental and physical health. The meditative tasks of weeding, watering, or pruning can reduce stress, and being able to produce a portion of our own food can be profoundly empowering. Curating the type and form of ornamental plants can transform an outdoor space for the better. In growing, we can provide for ourselves in many ways: cultivating foods that feed us and animals, and by becoming mindfully attuned to the rhythms of the natural environment.
Renter-tended gardens present an untapped resource for increasing local biodiversity and fostering interest in supporting our declining insect and bird populations. Despite the ephemeral nature of a renter garden, even a few pots of native plants can support hundreds of various species of fauna, recalling the moniker “if you build it, they will come.”
I am honored to share my tips for cultivating a garden space for the landless, shaped by my experiences as a landscape architect and perennial renter.
Brewster Garden in the summer
The best place to start planning your garden is to assess existing conditions and how you might interact with the space, which will ultimately play into an effective plant-selection strategy. Above all else, plan for growing things that you love and enjoy.
Consider your landlord
Depending on where you live, your landlord may give you a small stipend to beautify your stoop or backyard, so it’s always a good idea to check in with who you are renting from prior to making any changes. More permanent or structural interventions should be cleared with owners first—so make sure you get permission where permission is needed.
Consider the format
The format available for growing plants will directly impact the type and size of plant possible. Many windowsills may not offer the appropriate amount of sunlight necessary for full-sun plants but can support the growth of slightly more shade-tolerant edible species such as chives. Backyards, stoops, and foundation beds all provide excellent opportunities for growing both in-ground and container, but note that some city soils may hold contaminants, so be wary of growing in-ground if this is a possibility. Lastly, balconies are excellent options for container gardens. These should be planned with consideration for loads, so use lightweight soil media, and supplant drainage media in planters with inert, lightweight materials such as packing Styrofoam which has been broken apart. Make note of water availability in all spaces—if water sources near your planting areas are accessible, select plants which need a bit more care. Otherwise, opt for plants that are happy residing in well-draining, drier soils.
Makeshift seed starting area
Site conditions
Prior to purchasing any plants, note the shade and sun regimes of your site, in addition to any exterior pressures, such as the possibility of herbivory, strong wind, moisture availability, or damage from vehicles or passers-by. Investing in plants that are suited to your site will save you money in the long run. Many gardening guides on the internet focus on growing plantings in apartment spaces such as lavender or similar full-sun edibles, but this is a poor choice for garden spaces that receive less than six hours of direct sunlight per day. Spend time planning prior to visiting any garden centers or purchasing plants from the internet and cross-reference the plants you are interested in with what your space can provide.
Considering tenure
The amount of time you anticipate renting your space can help inform which types of plants to grow. If you know you’ll be at your rental no longer than a year, don’t want to invest too much energy, and you’ve got some sun: capitalize on lots of pots with seeded annuals that are easy, beautiful, and cheap. Choose plants with both edible and ornamental value that are quick germinators. I have found that for a full sun site, okra, hibiscus, and purple basil are examples of such plants that are delicious and have a lot of visual impact in one growing season. If you’ll be renting for a longer period of time, perennials and even small shrubs or trees in containers are all options for you. Columbine is an excellent shade-tolerant native perennial that takes easily from seed after a cold stratification period and re-seeds easily as well, providing more “bang for your buck.” Some native blueberries do well in containers with an acidic soil mix and will be perfectly happy moving between sunny locations with the right amount of moisture.
Implementation and cost-saving ideas
Keeping costs down with maximum visual impact can be achieved easily in a rental garden in many ways but involves careful planning. Grouping plants together to save space in pots is one such option and needn’t feel crowded or unkempt: this will also save money on soil, which can be costly. Use the root systems of plants to your advantage and combine tap-rooted plants (examples include Asclepias tuberosa) with fibrous-rooted ones (such as Pycnanthemum tenuifolium) in one container for a mini meadow. Or combine creeping plants with taller ones, such as edible thyme and rosemary, in one pot to maximize edible opportunities without sacrificing space.
Planning the non-plant elements of your garden can also be a cost-saving endeavor. Note that anything that has the potential to hold growing media and has a hole in the bottom can be viewed as a container. I’ve seen renters get inventive with the use of old wheelbarrows, metal garbage cans, and even toilets as planters. Use “found” objects to add verticality within your garden space; old palettes can be used to give a sense of height and a space for staging containers off of the ground, which will protect tender plants and alleviate drainage issues. Lastly, planting beds in backyard areas can be delineated using nearby objects, including rocks or pruning discards, such as the wattle fence I created shown in the below image.
Wattle Fence in the Brewster Garden
Prior to sourcing your intended plant material from a garden center, familiarize yourself with cost-effective ways of starting plants. Seeds are typically low-cost and can result in more resilient plants in the long run. Many seed-sharing programs exist in the cities around the country and present a valuable resource for obtaining native plant material. Of course, it is important to take advantage of each plant’s requirements and ensure you’re familiar with what it will take to get a seed to germinate within the time you’ll be residing in your rental. If you’re looking for live or dormant material for plants you just can’t live without, good resources exist on the internet for sourcing bare root/dormant plants cheaply and quickly, such as Etsy or other online nurseries (just shop responsibly and make sure plants you secure are not illegally procured from the wild or treated with Neonics). Otherwise, plan to ‘become your own nursery’ through building up reserves of plant material through seed collection and propagation.
Space formation and arrangement
Conduct a ‘soft mockup’ of what you’d like to have in your space by taping out the extents of planters and noting the projected heights of the plants you wish to grow. Keep access open where needed and clear of overhanging plants and take note of where you may want to add interest in empty areas. The addition of tall plants can have a real impact. Using trellises fashioned out of palettes for perennial climbers or an annual vine can bring life to an empty wall, and taller annuals such as tithonia can make a space feel lush with little effort.
By arranging plants in ways that soften hard edges, you can make your space appear larger. Creeping plants such as thyme are beautiful and delicious and give the illusion of continuous groundcover between planters. Clustering planters close together can also give the effect of a flowery meadow without needing ample growing space.
Year 1: Early spring in the NYC garden
Year 3: NYC Garden
The best time to start is yesterday
Absolve yourself of the belief that your garden will be perfect—learning to live with, and learn from gardening failures (and they will happen!) will set you up for gardening success in the long-term. Buy some seeds, get your hands in the dirt, collect some containers, and reap the rewards!
About the Author:
Marissa Angell is the founder of Marissa Angell Landscape Design, based in Upstate New York. With over a decade of work in both the public and private landscape design sphere, her practice centers on ethically, ecologically and sustainably-driven placemaking with a focus on planting design. She is a licensed landscape architect in New York and Connecticut, and has worked with and consulted for firms such as Michael Van Valkenburgh Associates, Inc, Larry Weaner Landscape Associates, and Miranda Brooks Landscape Design. When she is not designing landscape, she works as a visiting assistant professor for the Master’s of Landscape Architecture program at Pratt Institute.
