Homeowner shares stunning before-and-after photos of incredible backyard transformation: 'Absolutely massive improvement'

One enthusiastic gardener took their yard back to nature by removing the unwanted AstroTurf behind their new home and replacing it with real plants.

They shared their journey in a series of photos on the r/GardeningUK subreddit. "From zoopla listing AstroTurf, to a wildlife sanctuary!" they said. "I posted a LOT when I first started my gardening; had a lot of help, and some hate!"

Their "before" photo shows a flat, featureless backyard covered in slightly worn fake grass. That's a big problem for several reasons. 

Artificial turf might not need mowing, but it doesn't let leaves and debris filter through like real grass, so it needs vacuuming or other cleaning, meaning it's a wash from a maintenance perspective. 

Water tends to pool on it, breeding mosquitoes, and so does animal urine, causing smells. It collects heat instead of cooling the area like grass does, leading to higher energy bills and less comfort in your yard and home. Plus, the plastic is toxic to you and the environment, and leaves microplastics in your soil.

With all that in mind, it's a good thing the original poster decided to remove the AstroTurf first thing. They then started planting real plants, including a lawn, crocuses, a line of trees along their back fence, and a wall of potted plants. They even installed a small pond.

Their latest photos show flowers blossoming. "This is the latest update, spring in coming into bloom," they said. "I had around 150 crocuses pop up; the back fence had 100+ spring bulbs growing, and now the pond is in full bloom. 

"The trees along the back, which caused controversy, are growing great and should provide us with some privacy by summer and great privacy by next year."

They noted how the flowers are attracting pollinators now: "It's messy, it's not for some, but it is for the animals, bugs, and bees."

"Absolutely massive improvement!" said one commenter. "Well done."

You can get all of the same benefits with minimal maintenance by planting native species for your area. They're cheap to water, since they're adapted to local rainfall levels, and they don't need much care, fertilizer, or supervision at all.

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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