Gardening is good for the soul, improving physical and mental health and providing joy to many people. One tenant was left heartbroken after receiving a notice from their landlord that the garden they had spent eight years cultivating was going to be replaced. 

In a post on the r/Renters subreddit, the gardener shared pictures of their garden, writing that they wanted to do so before it was gone. 

The tenant wrote that they had chosen the building 10 years ago because they were allowed to garden and that they had spent most of their extra money on plants over the past eight years. The landlord notified the renters that they intended to replace the garden with grass and gravel to give the yard a more uniform look. 

The tenant received lots of comments from people who were devastated on their behalf. "Totally heartbreaking," one commenter wrote, while others speculated that the owner was about to sell and was following real estate advice about preparing the property.

Unfortunately, this kind of problem is not uncommon, and there have been increasing reports of landlords being difficult with tenants who want to plant and maintain gardens. Gardens such as the one shared by the original poster are much more environmentally friendly than grass and gravel, providing habitats and food for myriad wildlife. Unlike traditional lawns, gardens that contain native plants support pollinator populations, which are vital to food production. 

Native plant gardens are also much cheaper to maintain than traditional lawns. Traditional lawns need a lot of water to grow and require the application of fertilizers to keep them looking good, costing a lot of time and money.

Tenants who wish to overcome restrictive rules and make changes to their homes will need to negotiate bylaws with landlords and homeowners associations. This may help ease the rules so that tenants can make eco-friendly changes that will help them save money and the planet. 

Several commenters urged the renter to talk to their landlord, especially as the garden adds value to the property. "This is beautiful. Is there no reasoning with the landlord?" wrote one person. 

Others suggested the OP move some of their plants into pots, with one commenter kindly writing, "I am very much willing to donate to you to get large planted pots to fit as many as you can."

🗣️ Should HOAs be able to force homeowners to change their yards?

🔘 Absolutely not 💯

🔘 Yes — it's part of the deal 🤝

🔘 Only in extreme circumstances 🏚️

🔘 We should ban HOAs 🚫

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