An Australian gardener transformed a sad patch of dirt into a stunning native plant garden — then fielded advice from Redditors on how best to care for their new, low-maintenance oasis.
The homeowner, from the Gold Coast in Queensland, posted images of their freshly planted garden to the r/GardeningAustralia community. The setup included a birdbath, stepping stones, and an array of native plants, including bottlebrush, grevillea, banksia, and kangaroo paw.
The fledgling gardener also asked readers for advice on a watering schedule. Commenters recommended occasional deep waterings to help the plants establish their roots, rather than more frequent surface spritzes.
Native-plant gardens require less water than lawns, allowing homeowners to save money on water bills while eliminating back-breaking lawnmowing sessions. And because native plants have adapted to their environments, they tend to require very little maintenance overall, as Australia's Charles Sturt University noted.
Native plants can also provide hideouts for animals, which is especially important as habitat loss threatens the survival of species around the world. Over time, a native garden can become a biodiverse refuge that feeds and shelters animals such as birds, snakes, and pollinating insects that protect our food supplies.
Many localities have programs that make it easy and affordable to choose the best native plant species for your yard. For example, Brisbane offers free native plants to qualifying homeowners. In the United States, the National Audubon Society's native plants database provides ZIP code-specific lists of appropriate species.
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The post shows that planting a native lawn doesn't need to be complicated — or require a green thumb. The OP reported that it was their first garden ever, and just a few well-picked plants resulted in a total yard makeover.
Commenters were impressed.
"No advice, just wanted to say congratulations on your first garden and it looks great!" one user wrote.
"It will be lovely once established. Well done!" another said.
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"That garden looks amazing," someone else noted. "Congrats."
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