Homeowner sparks backlash with before-and-after photos of front yard transformation: 'What a shame'

One homeowner undertook a journey to increase the curb appeal of their property and shared their progress on the r/LawnCare subreddit. The responses the homeowner received, however, took them by surprise.

"Owned the house a little over a year ago. Could hardly see the house from the road when we bought it. Still have a lot of work to do," the original poster wrote. 

The starting picture shows a narrow, fenced driveway with large, tall trees on either side, concealing the property from the street. The following pictures show a progressive clearing of those trees, with only a few left standing by the end. The sparseness of the trees provides full visibility of the house at the end of the driveway as well as the cars parked there. 

In addition to these changes, the OP installed a grass lawn where the magnificent trees once stood. 

"Grass is looking good for less than a year old. Still not the way I want it but it's coming along," the OP said as they shared their process for installing a vibrant and healthy green lawn. 

The comments under the Reddit post, however, expressed equal disappointment with the changes, believing the headache the OP went through to install a small patch of grass lawn was not worth it. 

"Brutal. He ruined it," one commenter said. 

"It was so private before," another user explained. 

While most commenters could not fathom spending so much time, money, and effort to destroy the home's privacy and to gain curb appeal, some commenters applauded the OP for the amount of work that went into the transformation. 

Some homeowners take pride in maintaining a healthy, green lawn. However, pristine lawns require diligence and weekly maintenance due to the fast growth of most lawns, which are often invasive grass species. 

What's your preferred style of yard? Nicely cut grass 😎 Wild grasses and flowers 🌼 Xeriscaping 🌵 Fake grass 🤷 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

A native plant lawn, which contains native plant species, tends to grow more slowly and requires less water than invasive lawns, translating to less maintenance for homeowners without sacrificing appearance. 

Native lawns also support the local ecosystem, inviting pollinators and local wildlife for food or shelter. Pollinators, in turn, support the reproduction of native plant species, feeding a continuous cycle of healthy and abundant native vegetation and nutritious food crops. 

Buffalo grass and clover are two great lawn replacement alternatives for homeowners looking to replace their invasive grass lawns. 

"What a shame," one user commented.

"Mistakes were made," another wrote.

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