A Minnesota homeowner's native plant lawn is turning heads on Reddit's r/NoLawns community. The user shared a post titled "No Lawn Year 4: Native Plant Success," featuring six stunning photos of their small yellow house surrounded by a thriving native plant paradise.
The front yard boasts a fruit forest with hidden vegetable plants, while the back and side yards showcase raised vegetable beds, a spontaneous sunflower patch, a wildflower meadow, and newly planted trees. Even the driveway is lined with veggies.
According to a follow-up comment, the homeowner started digging up their grass in 2018 and got serious about it in 2019–2020. They've loved watching their native plant haven grow, especially during Minnesota's third summer drought in a row. While their remaining lawn is toast, their native plants are thriving.
Replacing a traditional lawn with native plants, clover, buffalo grass, or xeriscaping is helping this user save money and time on maintenance, conserve water, and lower their water bills. Lawn replacements also create a healthier ecosystem for pollinators, which ultimately benefits humans by protecting our food supply.
Even a partial lawn replacement can allow homeowners to reap these benefits. Native plants are adapted to local conditions, requiring less water, fertilizer, and pesticides than non-native species. They also provide habitat and food for beneficial insects, birds, and other wildlife.
If you'd like to reap these benefits, too, check out our step-by-step guide to rewilding your lawn.
The Reddit community is loving this native plant success story.
One commenter raved, "Wow, one of the best I've seen! Mostly all a native pollinator/fruit meadow, with just a side of veggies. No rockscaping, plastic weed fabric, metal raised beds, tons of potted plants, and other big box junkyard clutter. Just keeping it simple and natural! Very well done!!!"
Another user chimed in, "I love this. It's beautiful. I'm in St Paul and am trying to let my driveway 'go to seed' with natives."
This Minnesota homeowner's stunning transformation is proof that ditching your lawn for native plants can be a win-win for you and the environment. As more and more people join the native plant movement, we can create a healthier, more sustainable future for ourselves and the planet.
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