‘That’s fantastic use of that space’

In one of the greatest glow-ups of all time, one tenant recently took to Reddit to share photos of their incredible backyard transformation. Having only a 6-by-9-foot concrete box to work with, this tenant was undeterred and made the most of their space.

“Before and after! 2 year update on my super tiny walled garden. It’s my favorite ‘room’ in the apartment. I feel so lucky,” the tenant wrote, posting in the r/gardening subreddit.

While the original photo shows just bare concrete and a little bit of gravel, the transformed version is barely recognizable thanks to the many potted and hanging plants (as well as some well-placed furniture). The entire transformation, the poster wrote, took around two years to complete.

Adding more plants to an outdoor space doesn’t just make it look nicer — it also helps the local ecosystem, especially if you go with native plants that pollinators rely on.

Rewilding your yard — that is, replacing uniform grass with native plants and flowers — is a trend that is becoming increasingly popular. Not only is it good for the local ecosystem, but it can also save you money in the long run on watering and lawn maintenance costs. And while this renter didn’t have a yard to rewild, they certainly made the most of what they did have.

The other members of the subreddit were delighted by the renter’s work.

“That’s fantastic use of that space!” wrote one commenter.

“Living with an ‘outdoor space’ just like this, this has to be one of the most inspiring posts I’ve seen on reddit,” wrote another.

The original poster even followed up with some advice for other renters looking to upgrade their own meager outdoor spaces, writing: “It’s all been based on lightIng and the fact it rarely drops to freezing temps here … Most houseplants work well, I’ve had success with basic standards like pothos, scindapsus, philodendron, tradescantia, pileas, low maintenance fast growing stuff … IF you have enough sun I can’t recommend jasmine enough! It’ll make you feel heavenly when it blooms.”

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