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In this post, you’ll find out how I implemented a renter-friendly DIY project to improve the look of my front door surroundings. This is a follow-up post after using AI to plan a low-cost makeover for the front of my rented home. AI gave me several ideas to implement. I decided to start bringing those ideas to life by first using hanging baskets and container plants to improve the area immediately around the front entrance door. This seemed the easiest first step to take.
As we are tenants, everything needs to be non-permanent and budget-friendly. It has to be suitable for a north-facing garden. Here’s how I used portable plants and planters to give my front door a new lease of life, all without any digging or drilling and minimal cost too.
Why I Chose Hanging Baskets and Potted Plants
As we rent, I can’t make major changes to the property. That means:
- No digging up the ground
- No attaching permanent fixtures
- And definitely no landscaping
That’s why I focused on container gardening — using pots, bigger tubs, and hanging baskets to add interest and colour in a completely removable way.
My criteria for the plants were that they had to :
- Be shade loving plants (as the front door faces north)
- Stay interesting through the winter
- Tone in with the house’s red brick and white windows and door
- Be mostly low maintainence
Picking a Colour Scheme and the Plants
With help from AI, I decided on a palette of:
- Red and orange flowers and leaves for warmth and energy, and to match the red brick
- White to brighten up the shady area of the north-facing site and to match the door and windows
- Green and white foliage for texture, structure and year-round appeal
I also wanted some textured and coloured leaves to add variety for the times when the flowering plants aren’t blooming ie in the Winter.
🌿 Final Plant Choices:
- Hostas – two varieties with different leaf colours – to add an architectural element
- Ornamental grass – soft, thin wispy grass, adds movement with the wind we have
- Buxus – long blooming and low-maintenance
- Senecio – has a silvery tone to the leaves ( ie matches the white windows)
These are the four plants I have gone for so far. I hope to add some compact shrubs such as Skimmia japonica Godrie’s dwarf and the white hebe Veronica albicans on my list of plants to buy for this area. The area is still somewhat sparse, so I know I will need to fill it with more plants for even more impact. But it is a start.
All these plants thrive in north-facing spots, and look good together even through winter.
Hanging Baskets
Fortunately, there were already two brackets by the front door – perfect for hanging baskets. I didn’t need to drill or install anything new.
I also had two fuchsias in hanging baskets in my back garden, which I moved to the front. They were not doing so well, as it was too hot for them. One of them (trailing Harry Gray) has flowers that are very pale pink -almost white – so that tones in with my scheme. The other is very pink (trailing Southern Belles Bella Rosella) so I need to replace it with something like the trailing Trudi Davro (big double white flowers) at my next visit to the nursery.
Pot Plant Containers
For the most part, I repurposed containers I already had. Sometimes it pays to be a hoarder and take over what other gardeners don’t want.
If you don’t have spare pots then use –
- Simple terracotta-style looking pots from a local discount store – our local Aldi & Tesco stores have a good variety for a reasonable price
- I did find attractive Terracota frost-resistant pots on Amazon, but they require more of an investment.
- on a trip to our local recycling tip, I spotted several clay pots that can be upcycled and reused after a good clean
Local plant nurseries always have supplies of hanging baskets to use along with the corresponding linings. The ratan willow or coconut coir hanging baskets are more visually appealing but need more watering as they dry out more quickly. I have found the plastic ones tend to hold on to the moisture for longer.
I placed the plants as best I could to place contrasting foliage together – such as the soft grass next to the 2 different types of hostas.
It’s better to view green plants than a concrete pathway – and I can take them with me if I move to another home.
I placed a buxus on either side of the door. Then I placed the silver foliage Senecio next to the Buxus one side for contrast, and another Hosta on the other side.
Before & After
Before: A plain brick entrance with no personality.
After: A soft, colourful entry with movement, texture, and just the right splash of colour — all using pots and baskets I can take away when I move.
Final Thoughts
I think this small, low-cost update has made a huge difference to the look and feel of our home. It’s welcoming, cheerful, and rental-friendly. Our friends and others who visit have commented on the change. It makes us feel more comfortable as we are now not so obviously recognised as tenants.
If you’re renting or just looking for a low-effort and minimal cost way to upgrade your front garden, give hanging baskets and potted plants a try – and don’t be afraid to let AI help you plan it out!
✅ Your Turn!
Have you done a renter-friendly garden makeover?
Thinking about trying container gardening for the first time?
➡️ Leave a comment below and share your ideas or questions
➡️ Pin this post for later inspiration
➡️ Check out my first post: Low-Cost Front Garden Makeover Ideas from AI
➡️ Open your AI account to see how you can get help too