One homeowner with a unique and picturesque yard took to Reddit to share photos of their success.
"More moss," they said in their r/landscaping post. "For those who wanted to see more moss photos, I couldn't add to my original post so here are more pictures here."
The photos show a scene from a fairytale: a yard full of multiple mature trees, bushes, and ferns. They are arranged in clumps, with wide open areas in between. In a normal yard, those open areas might be planted with turf grass, but most of them here are covered with a thick carpet of bright green moss.
Arranging a yard this way has many benefits. The trees provide shade, prevent heat islands, and add value to the property, while the moss is much cheaper and easier to keep than a normal lawn, which needs lots of extra water and mowing.
"Damn that yard is like a dream of mine," one commenter said. "Complete with ferns and all. Is it easy to maintain?"
"Yep! The grass is the hardest to maintain," the original poster replied. "I mow in the summer a couple times a week. The dogs are honestly the hardest on it but a couple times a year I replant grass seed and we are set."
A yard like this also provides shelter for wildlife like birds. They're beautiful and fun to watch, and they increase the biodiversity of the local ecosystem.
Another commenter had a piece of advice for maintaining healthy forest conditions in the yard. "I would suggest adding a few small (maybe 2') of the same species of the big trees so that there will be more age structure," they recommended.
"I love that idea!" the original poster said. "We get live Christmas trees every year and plant them in the new year. I've been planting them and they take pretty well with the big trees."
🗣️ 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
Moss isn't the only natural lawn upgrade available. You can also replace grass with clover, buffalo grass, or xeriscaping to enjoy many of the same benefits.
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