A curious landscaping choice had the internet scratching its head. One Reddit post showed what the poster jokingly called a "mulch hill," a ramped up version of a mulch volcano spotted in a neatly kept green space.
The caption reads: "Mulch volcano? I raise you a mulch hill." While it may look impressive at first glance, people in the r/arborists community were confused. One person even added a reaction GIF saying, "But why?"
Piling up that much mulch is more than just weird — it's also a mistake. Landscaping experts often caution against so-called "mulch volcanoes" because they waste huge amounts of material and money, not to mention the extra effort needed to haul and spread it all.
The problem is that mulch piled high around a trunk doesn't make trees healthier — it does the opposite. As the National Association of Landscape Professionals and others point out, mulch volcanoes trap moisture, leading to rot and inviting pests. That means all the money spent on the mulch and maintenance goes to waste when trees or shrubs die. Beyond the dollars, there's also the bigger picture: Overmulching can suffocate roots and harm surrounding soil, which in turn disrupts green spaces and ecosystems.
For anyone inspired to try a greener (and cheaper) alternative, experts suggest spreading just two to three inches of mulch in a flat layer — enough to retain soil moisture and keep weeds at bay without drowning plants. You can also consider low-maintenance swaps such as rewilding your yard with native plants, which cost less over time and support local pollinators.
Reddit users pointed out the strangeness of the scene. "It's......unique," one said. Another person added, "Lordy that's odd." A third commenter quipped, "Architects gonna architect." A few people even set a bot reminder to revisit the post in seven years, presumably to see how well this landscaping choice worked out (or didn't).
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