Homeowner shares photos after battling with creeping backyard menace: 'That's a beast of a project'

Gardeners know the joy of watching their hard work slowly come to fruition as a beautiful yard takes shape. 

But you can also find joy in tracking the progress of removing invasive plants, which can stop an outdoor space from thriving.

A series of pictures on the subreddit r/NativePlantGardening showed the progress of removing thick ivy and bamboo from a garden. 

"My husband and I have been removing English Ivy and bamboo from dense jungle of a yard we inherited from a previous homeowner," the caption read. "Replacing with some phlox and green and gold!"

The post clearly demonstrates the massive headache that can come with having to remove invasive plants. It can be expensive and time-consuming, but it's necessary, as they are a threat to native plant species that have to compete for vital nutrients. 

Rewilding your yard with native plants comes with a wide variety of benefits. First and foremost, the process ultimately saves you money. They require less water, which lowers your monthly utility bills compared to irrigating a monoculture lawn. They also don't require costly, time-consuming mowing and treatments that traditional lawns need to flourish. 

The environmental benefits are also wonderful and go beyond simply saving water. Native plants offer natural protection against invasive species. They also attract pollinators, which are the small birds and insects that keep our ecosystems, including our food chain, healthy and thriving. 

If you are thinking of rewilding your yard or upgrading to a natural lawn, there are many options. For example, clover and buffalo grass provide low-maintenance ground cover, while xeriscaping using rocks and drought-tolerant plants can look great year-round. 

Commenters on the original post were impressed by the homeowners' hard work. 

One said, "That's a beast of a project. Nice work!" 

"It is a tedious process!" another added. "The more natives you can plant, the easier care they will be! Please repost when planted! So many amazing possibilities there!"

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