A Shared Garden-The Ultimate Summertime Roommate Project!

Do you think Martha Stewart would be jealous of your skills, or do you kill grocery store potted basil before getting it home? Whether you are a green thumb or a gardening novice, creating a garden with roommates can be a fun way to build a shared routine, beautify your home, and cut down on grocery costs.

Even if you live in a high-rise apartment in the center of a city, or a house with ample outdoor space, there are garden setups that suit every living situation and skill level.

Here’s a detailed breakdown of how to create and maintain a garden together, with regional recommendations and practical tips.

Balcony Gardens Best for: Apartment dwellers, small homes, renters Maintenance level: Low to medium Setups:

• Hanging planters and railing boxes
• Stackable garden beds or vertical gardens
• Lightweight pots for easy rearranging

Great picks:

• Herbs: Basil, mint, thyme, and parsley thrive in small pots.
• Vegetables: Cherry tomatoes, lettuce, radishes
• Flowers: Petunias, pansies, geraniums — colorful and compact

Tips: Make sure to check for adequate sun exposure and weight restrictions on balconies. Use lightweight soil mixes and water-retaining crystals to ease maintenance. Be wary of pots hanging, don’t water your neighbors’ balcony set-up!

Interior Plant Setups Best for: All climates, plant lovers, aesthetic-minded roommates. Maintenance level: Low

Ideal plants:

• Low-light options: Snake plant, pothos, ZZ plant
• Air purifiers: Peace lilies, spider plants, rubber trees
• Statement pieces: Fiddle-leaf fig, monstera, bird of paradise

Tips: Group plants by sunlight needs. Use attractive ceramic or woven planters. Set a shared watering schedule to prevent over- or under-watering.

Greenery for Larger Outdoor Spaces Best for: Houses with outdoor space, suburban and rural roommates. Maintenance level: Medium to high, depending on layout

Design ideas:

• Raised beds for veggies and herbs
• Wildflower section for pollinators
• Small orchard or berry bush zone

Good starter crops: Zucchini, green beans, carrots, strawberries, kale, sunflowers

Tips: Rotate tasks—someone weeds, someone waters, someone harvests. Invest in a compost bin and garden gloves for everyone. Some plants can take over a space! Be wary of mint, Chinese wisteria, English Ivy, and Virginia creeper, to name a few.

Regional Guide Plant Suggestions

Below is our guide for regional plants around the USA. However, if the climate description suits your area, the advice is the same! Always be sure to look for local plants that can handle local pests and avoid invasive species when possible.

New England (cold winters, moderate summers)

• Veggies: Kale, carrots, beets, broccoli
• Flowers: Daffodils, daylilies, black-eyed Susans

Appalachia (humid summers, clay soil)

• Veggies: Corn, beans, okra
• Flowers: Coneflowers, phlox, marigolds

Southwest (dry, hot, desert zones)

• Veggies: Peppers, eggplant, squash
• Flowers: Desert marigold, penstemon, salvia

Pacific Northwest (rainy, cool)

• Veggies: Spinach, lettuce, peas, radishes
• Flowers: Rhododendrons, camellias, hydrangeas

Florida (humid, tropical)

• Veggies: Sweet potatoes, okra, tomatoes, collards
• Flowers: Hibiscus, bougainvillea, ixora

Midwest (short growing season, rich soil)

• Veggies: Sweet corn, beans, pumpkins
• Flowers: Peonies, sunflowers, asters

Dust Bowl/Great Plains (windy, arid)

• Veggies: Potatoes, onions, turnips
• Flowers: Prairie blazing star, purple coneflower, yarrow

How Much Time and Equipment do you Have?

Some gardens are a lot more time-consuming and need more pruning and watering than you might have time for. The bigger the garden, the bigger the tools.

Low Maintenance:

• Succulents and herbs
• Drip irrigation or self-watering systems
• Mulch to keep weeds down

High Maintenance:

• Lawn care
• Large plots with multiple plant types
• Pest-prone plants (like squash and cabbage)

Other Tips and Considerations:

• Local pests (woodchucks can do a number on a veggie patch!)

• Free Resources: your local library, Youtube, or apps that offer free advice are an affordable way to star

• Trick pests with natural deterrents. Brightly painted rocks can make birds associate color with disapointment, and copper tape is a great way to keep slugs out of your veggie patch.

• Compost your leftovers! It makes for an easy fertilizer and is a good way to keep leftovers out of the landfill.

• Trimmings from an existing plant can be a great, free way to start your gardening adventure.

• Bee-friendly plants and grasses are a perfect way to give back to the earth.

• Natural pesticides/fertilizers are often cheaper/healthier than store bought.

• Share the bounty! Does gardening come easy and suddenly you’re knee deep in tomatoes? Check with your local town hall or church for food shelters to make donations to. It’s also a great opener for chatting with the neighbors!

• Seed networks can be a great way to buy specific regional plants, here is one of our favorites: https://frontyardveggies.com/the-ultimate-list-of-trusted-seed-companies-recommended-by-real-gardeners/

Gardening for the Soul

Gardening can offer a rhythm and reward that’s beneficial for your curb appeal, wallet, and physical/ mental health.

Be sure not to ‘beat around the bush’ and choose plants based on your shared lifestyles, local climate, and how much time you (realistically) have to care for them. If you live with someone who tends to forget to take the trash down, realize that they might not be as dedicated to mulching and weeding on the weekends.

Keep it fun, flexible, and choose plants together. Be sure to chat budget as well, some plants can be quite pricey. Local municipal plant sales and Facebook Marketplace are a great place to score low-cost greens. Start your gardening adventure with your roomie today!