New gardener shows off amazing before-and-after photos of backyard patch: 'Mind blown'

There are many benefits to gardening. The Mayo Clinic reported that gardeners tend to eat healthier and have reduced stress levels. But there's also the joy and satisfaction from witnessing the progress of a job well done, as one amateur gardener demonstrated on the subreddit r/GardeningAustralia.

The post is titled "Here is my veggie patch six weeks apart!" The original poster shows two pictures: one of a relatively bare garden full of freshly planted veggies, and one with plants overgrowing with abundance. The caption under the photo reads, "I won't lie, I am fairly happy with how the garden is progressing. Have a gander!" 

In the comments below, the original poster summed it up best: "I am mind blown by the growth." 

As the post demonstrated, professional and amateur gardeners alike are increasingly upgrading their yards with native plants or other options beyond just monoculture grass. This is because these kinds of gardens come with a ton of benefits. 

First and foremost, they save you money. Native plants require much less water, which helps lower monthly bills. They also require much less time-consuming and costly maintenance. For those who plant fruit and vegetable gardens, you can also save money on food. 

The environmental benefits are also huge and go beyond simply saving water. Native plants attract pollinators, which are the small birds and insects that keep our ecosystems thriving. That includes our food chain. It is estimated that pollinators are responsible for one out of every three bites of food we take, according to Pollinator.org.  

There are many great options for upgrading your yard. Gardeners can plant fruits and vegetables, or they can turn to clover, buffalo grass, or xeriscaping. Incredibly, even a partial lawn replacement can lead to those benefits. 

Commenters on the original post were blown away. One said, "Well done — everything looks happy and healthy."

Another added, "Great job maintaining it."

How did your garden turn out this year? Amazing 🤩 Could be better 🙂 Terrible 🤬 I don't have a garden 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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