Proud homeowner shares before-and-after transformation of their once-boring yard: 'I didn't know such a thing was possible'

One homeowner turned their yard from drab to fab while slashing its maintenance needs — and they shared their success story on an anti-lawn subreddit.

"We turned our lawn into a wildflower garden a few years back. It's now the joy of our summer!" said the original poster, sharing several photos.

The "before" picture shows where they removed grass and planted a few seedlings, spreading a layer of straw between raised garden beds. It doesn't look like much, but the "after" shots include at least eight species of gorgeous wildflowers in a range of colors, some as tall as the fence bordering the garden and all of them thriving.

"We planted native perennials like coneflower, butterfly bush, milkweed, and tickseed and then filled in the gaps by throwing seed," said the OP in a comment. "Sweet [alyssum], calendula, and [bachelor's] buttons now re-seed on their own."

Switching from grass to wildflowers is a great move for yard maintenance. If you consider grass basic and other plants more difficult to grow, think again. Grass needs more water, more dedicated care such as mowing, and the addition of more fertilizer and herbicide than many beautiful and popular plants. 

Native flowers are a great choice for reducing your water expenses and your time spent on maintenance because they have adapted to the local growing conditions and will thrive with very little help. Even if you rewild only part of your garden, you can reap these benefits.

Flowers are also helpful for pollinators, which rely on them for food. Since pollinator populations are struggling and we rely on them to pollinate our gardens and farms, giving them a hand is a smart move for people and the planet.

The OP loved their results. "Now there is next to no maintenance — light weeding a couple of times per year," they said. "Definitely easier than grass! Also, we have seen more lightning bugs, harlequin leafhoppers, grasshoppers, monarchs, goldfinches, orb weavers, and even mallard ducks."

Commenters loved the beauty and variety of the OP's new plants. 

"I didn't know such a thing was possible," said one user. "Thank you for the inspiration!"

"Great work! All the wildlife in your area thank you!" said another commenter.

If you were to switch from a grass lawn to a more natural option, which of these factors would be your primary motivation? Making it look better 🌱 Saving money on water and maintenance 💰 Helping pollinators 🐝 No way I ever get rid of my lawn 🚫 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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