A deservedly proud homeowner recently took to the r/gardening subreddit — described as "A place for the best guides, pictures, and discussions of all things related to plants and their care" — to showcase the payoff from years of hard work on their backyard.
"Before and After BACK Yard Garden - Been Working on for about 4 1/2 Years," they wrote above a series of photos of the transformation.
The first three showed a drab, dying grass lawn, and the following photos showed a lush green oasis filled with beautiful plants and flowers, gorgeous walkways, and even a small pond.
"Someday, someone will buy this house after my death, and think, "ugh, it's going to cost a fortune to tear out all this junk and have a nice grass yard!" the OP commented.
"I don't know about that!" another user reassured them. "The wheels of change have already begun to shift. A lot of people seem to be moving away from purely grass lawns, even at a rural level."
This user was correct. As more information surfaces about the harm grass lawns cause to the environment, more and more people are giving them up in favor of friendlier alternatives, including clover and native landscaping.
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Monoculture grass lawns in the United States use nearly 9 billion gallons of water per day, according to the Environmental Protection Agency. Also, fertilizers used to support them make their way into our waterways and wreak havoc, and gas-powered tools used to maintain them create loads of planet-warming pollution.
Grass lawns have become such an issue that some states are paying residents to remove them.
Conversely, native landscaping requires minimal water and fertilizer, prevents soil erosion, and provides vital habitat for pollinators and local wildlife. It also looks gorgeous, which is something commenters were quick to point out.
"It's absolutely stunning!! The path is so well done and a very clever use of resources! Congratulations on an amazing transformation!" one said.
"That's the coolest back yard," another added.
"Inspiring," a third simply stated.
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