A well-intentioned homeowner turned to Reddit for landscaping advice and received unexpected warnings along with helpful suggestions.
"Hi all! I'm looking for advice on what plants I could add to my front yard landscaping and where they would look best," the poster wrote alongside a photo of their progress in a post to the r/landscaping community.
"I'm in Zone 9b (California) and I'm aiming for a low-maintenance, drought-tolerant look," they continued.
Most of the comments offered advice not about the blank space but about the black fabric covering most of it.
"Landscape fabric is a mistake," one commenter said. "It will still grow weeds, they come from above and it ruins the soil."
"Best advice here," another agreed. "Landscape fabric is the devil."
The OP was thankful for the advice, admitting in a comment that they are new to landscaping and opted for the fabric because weeds are "brutal" in their area.
As knowledge of the harms and low effectiveness of landscaping fabric grows, more people opt for other weed-control methods.
Not only is its ability to suppress weeds negligible, but it also suffocates the soil. Further, most fabrics are plastic, and as they break down, they leach harmful microplastics that pollute the soil and enter waterways.
Other landscapers have found mulch and cardboard effective as natural weed barriers. Along with avoiding toxic materials, planting native plants and using natural ground cover will benefit your yard and the broader ecosystem.
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Save $1,000 this year 💸 Along with the warnings, commenters also offered suggestions as to what the OP might plant.
"As for what plants to choose, drive around your area and look for things that look good and that you like. Look in local gardens," one said. "Take pictures, take those pictures to the landscape center near you to ask what they are and where you can get them."
"For that Zone 9b climate, Dymondia is a fantastic ground cover to plant between the pavers because it stays flat and creates a nice silver carpet effect," another added. "You might also like blue fescue grasses along the sidewalk edge to add texture and color contrast against the gravel."
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