A Redditor's recent picture of their beautiful garden on the r/gardening subreddit, which has an impressive 5.5 million members, earned understandable praise.
"I garden for nights like these," the Redditor wrote above the image, which shows the sun setting behind a lush yard filled with trees, plants, and flowers.
Allowing lawns to be wilder by planting more native plants and avoiding using lawnmowers appears to be gaining popularity worldwide.
Last year, the BBC reported how Plantlife, a UK conservation charity, advocates for individuals to participate in their "No Mow May" project. This means refraining from using lawnmowers for a month and allowing wildflowers to flourish instead, further encouraging them to count and document the flowers that bloom.
There are numerous benefits to foregoing a traditional grass lawn for something more natural.
For one, the former demands substantial amounts of water.
In the U.S., for example, it would require approximately 200 gallons of drinking water per day if everyone aspired to have a lush green grass lawn.
Also, the fertilizers and pesticides needed to sustain the lush appearance of lawns are composed of a range of chemicals, which can be detrimental to the environment as they often seep through the soil and end up in streams, lakes, rivers, and sometimes even our drinking water.
Regular lawn maintenance, such as keeping the grass short, also limits their capacity to effectively remove planet-warming gases from the atmosphere.
Converting your grass lawn into a vegetable garden, a landscape featuring a mix of shrubs or flowers, or anything of the sort can yield multiple advantages, like avoiding the issues mentioned above.
These alternatives can also look beautiful and require less maintenance than traditional lawns, giving you more time to simply enjoy the view.
Redditors were also pleased with the image.
"My heart is full for you. Love my garden's evening vibe. Wishing you many more beautiful nights," one wrote.
"Such a perfect picture! Sublime!" another expressed.
This commenter made an interesting point: "Wow, job well done, although I'm sure you don't consider creating that beautiful garden a job."
Whether you view gardening as a job or not, it may be well worth the effort considering the benefits to both yourself and the planet.
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