New Yorker taken to court after being accused of not maintaining her garden: 'I can't plant some good flowers?'

Growing beautiful plants in your yard may seem like an obvious right you have as a homeowner. 

However, some people are facing lawsuits and thousands of dollars in fines for growing natural gardens. 

As the New York Post reported, Long Island, New York, resident Xilin Zhang has faced significant opposition for growing a tall natural garden on her lawn. Village officials in New Hyde Park received an anonymous complaint that she was not maintaining her yard.  

Zhang grows a variety of native plants, including milkweeds, blazing stars, New York ironweed, false sunflowers, and false indigos. Some plants in her front yard grow as tall as 6 feet. 

She received a summons from the village court threatening a $2,000 fine. After battling various government agencies, a final resolution forced her to move some of her large plants from the front of her property to the side. 

However, no neighbors have ever complained about her garden to her face. 

"In the land of the free, I can't plant some good flowers in my front yard?" Zhang asked, per the Post. 

Zhang has posted a sign explaining that her lawn is a native plant garden and that she maintains it. 

Even though Zhang ultimately had to move some of her plants, her story shows that with perseverance, you can fight the system of traditional monoculture lawns and still grow the plants you love and that benefit the environment. 

Many other people worldwide have shared Zhang's experience and faced fines and legal repercussions for growing natural gardens at home. 

However, there are many benefits to rewilding your yard, including supporting local pollinators and wildlife. When you grow native plants instead of forcing species to grow where they don't belong, you also save time and money on lawn maintenance. 

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Zhang noted that her native plants don't require any fertilizers, pesticides, or herbicides to grow. Therefore, natural lawns can help you limit your exposure to toxic chemicals in daily life. 

If you live somewhere governed by a homeowners association, you may be able to work with your HOA to change outdated rules about natural lawns. You can also build on the momentum of activist gardeners such as Zhang, who brought documents to court showing her garden consultations and evidence of its natural benefits.  

Fortunately, many people are beginning to see the beauty and benefits of wild lawns, and some shared their support for Zhang in the Post article's comments. 

"She's absolutely right, native plantings are the best!" one person commented. "I plant native, but contain the plants with borders, and arrange them according to seasonal blooms. There are a lot of ways to manage native flower gardens so they don't turn into wild fields." 

"Her neighbors should take notes of what she's planting and get on board," someone else wrote. "Ecologically sound, she's an intelligent gardener!"

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