Homeowner shares stunning before-and-after photos of garden transformation: 'So incredibly lovely'

A user on the r/gardening Reddit forum shared their incredible before-and-after garden transformation, transitioning from a barren stone monoculture lawn to a gorgeous, colorful landscape of plants and shrubs. 

"This photo series is the transformation between then and a year later, July 2022. We had the pergola built by professionals as well as the new fence, but the rest we all did ourselves," they explained in the post.

The transformation shows firsthand that even the most barren of lawns can become beautiful gardens with enough hard work, research, and dedication. And it only took a year! 

The homeowner moved onto the property in June 2021 when the yard was nothing more than a barren patch of soil with a stone circle in the middle. 

They began with just a couple of basic plants in a row but slowly bought more and more to fill out the spaces in the soil and run along the edges of their stone pathway leading to the backyard, transforming the home into a thriving garden oasis. 

"This is all so incredibly lovely. I'm both impressed and envious," one user wrote in the comments.

"You all really did some amazing work in just a year. It looks like a beautiful English garden! So many colors and textures, it should be in a magazine," another wrote. 

Upgrading your yard into a thriving garden like this takes a lot of work, but it can be made easier if you understand where to begin. The TCD Guide on upgrading your garden can help you get started by outlining the host of benefits that come with transitioning into a natural lawn full of native plants. 

Not only do many native plants help deter pests, eliminating the need for harmful pesticides and chemicals, but they also attract helpful pollinators such as bees and butterflies that support our food supply and help the garden grow even more by spreading pollen. 

You can also control weeds with native plants, and using organic fertilizers or even compost can help you save money on more expensive brands. 

Would you want a garden that can take care of itself? Sign me up 👍 Depends on the price 🤔 No — that ruins the fun ☹️ I don't like gardening ❌ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

In fact, switching to a native plant lawn can help you save money in general because they often require little to no maintenance compared to a monoculture lawn, as they have adapted to local climate and rainfall patterns. 

You can even invest in xeriscaping your lawn so it requires even less water! 

Get TCD's free newsletters for easy tips to save more, waste less, and make smarter choices — and earn up to $5,000 toward clean upgrades in TCD's exclusive Rewards Club.