One gardener from the Pacific Northwest went to the r/NativePlantGardening subreddit seeking advice for their backyard.
With ambitions to create a mini-meadow, the Oregon resident was curious if they were on the right path.
The picture shows a mixed yard of dirt and grass, with a stone pathway through the middle. The Redditor explained that they scattered wildflower seeds and other bulbs but nothing seems to be growing.
"Should I take out the grass now and replace it with small plugs of native grasses?" they asked.
From clover lawns and vegetable gardens to wildflowers and meadows, the native lawn movement is a trend that supports local pollinators and wildlife by replacing manicured grass lawns with indigenous plants and flowers.
These no-lawn yards are also helping homeowners cut down on money and minimize exposure to harmful chemicals since they require less water, less fertilizer, and zero pesticides to thrive.
Native plants help attract pollinators to your yard. Bees pollinate approximately 35% of food crops consumed by humans and 80% of all flowering plants. Human survival is dependent on bees.
Traditional lawns are the most grown crop in the United States. According to the Princeton Student Climate Initiative, they cover more than 40 million acres of land — and they're not for consumption.
Every year across the country, lawns consume nearly 3 trillion gallons of water, 200 million gallons of gas, and 70 million pounds of pesticides, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. Native lawns can reduce water usage over a decade by 1.75 million gallons.
"Maybe as an experiment, you could remove the grass on one half to see which of your seeds can compete with it," one Redditor commented, also saying, "You can put down wood chips or a log. Rotting wood is excellent for the ecosystem, it provides habitat for insects and fungi."
"Call your local extension," another one advised.
One particular Redditor came in hot with all kinds of advice and links on gardening in the PNW, suggesting a YouTube video on how to grow PNW natives with Linda Cochran — a well-respected gardener. He also recommended an informative blog, Real Gardens Grow Natives, as well as a list of companies that sell true native PNW seed.
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