Tenant in disbelief after gardener hired by landlord butchers backyard landscaping: 'Looks like he trimmed it with ninja stars'

A recent post in Reddit's r/mildlyinfuriating community is getting a lot of attention — and laughs. 

The user shared a photo of their backyard patio strewn with green debris, with the succinct caption: "Our landlord hired a gardener to prune our trees and bushes."

The image shows chopped-up twigs and leaves scattered on the bricks and furniture. Bordering the patio are several shrubs and small trees that look like they lost a fight with a weed whacker. 

The "pruning" is uneven and haphazard, with some branches cut halfway and others ripped away completely.

This yard cleanup gone wrong struck a chord, garnering over 60 upvotes. Many renters can relate to the frustration of landlords making questionable landscaping decisions. Beyond the mess and aesthetic offense, restrictive landlord policies often prevent eco-friendly changes that benefit both renters' wallets and the environment.

Across the country, landlords have been caught prohibiting green lifestyle adjustments like growing gardens, line-drying laundry, and upgrading to energy-saving appliances. These simple swaps add up to major savings on grocery, electricity, and water bills. They also conserve precious resources and cut down on pollution.

The best path forward is often working with landlords to update outdated rules around sustainable upgrades. With a bit of education and negotiation, many are happy to greenlight changes that make their properties more efficient and attractive to eco-conscious tenants.

Back on the Reddit thread, commenters couldn't resist taking a few digs.

"Looks like he trimmed it with ninja stars," one joked.

Others speculated about the motive: "So you're saying the landlord's son is starting a gardening business and needed his first client?"

One enterprising user had an idea for a career pivot, writing, "You're telling me I can swing a chainsaw on a rope around in circles and get paid for it?! Clearly I'm in the wrong industry." 

While you probably shouldn't try that at home, advocating for your right to sustainable landscaping is one (much safer) way to trim costs and do right by the planet.

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