Gardener shares stunning before-and-after photos of yard transformation: 'Lovely progression'

A gardener from the western U.S. recently cut back dramatically on their lawn space — with amazing results, which they shared on Reddit.

"One month later," they said. "Before and after photos."

Their "before" photo shows a struggling lawn filling a small backyard. The only features are a small sapling to one side and a chicken coop.

The "after" photo, from a mere month later, shows a backyard bursting with life. The nearest corner of the yard has had all the grass removed, replaced with a bed full of plants edged with logs and stones. Other beds dot the area. The garden now features a bird bath, a bench, a stepping stone path, a pond, and other charming additions that make it a beautiful place to sit and enjoy the view.

The original poster was especially pleased to share that they had planted native plants.

"Notable additions to the garden: Saskatoon Serviceberry, Shrubby Cinquefoil, Syringa/Mock Orange, Showy Milkweed, Blue Grama Grass, Coyote Willow, Wild Strawberry," they said. "Those are the only 'true natives' that I have so far. Trying to get some blanketflower started. Also have quite a few North American natives but I am Intermountain west and they are mostly central and eastern natives."

Reducing your lawn area and rewilding the area with native plants is an effective way to save money and time while helping the environment. Native plants thrive on the amount of rainfall that is normal in their local area, so you don't have to water them much, and they also don't need mowing like a lawn does. Meanwhile, they are wonderful for the local environment, providing shelter and support for wildlife, including pollinators.

Commenters were enthusiastic about the original poster's yard transformation.

"Wow! Lovely progression and being eyeball deep in a yard project I can admire how much work that must have required!" said one user.

"I like how you're using small logs as edging, and it gives me some ideas for my garden," said another commenter.

How much time do you spend taking care of the plants inside or outside your home? Several hours a week 🧑‍🌾 One hour a week ⌛ Less than one hour ⏳ I don't have any plants 😢 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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