A homeowner went to r/NativePlantGardening to flex their landscaping metamorphosis in what would otherwise be a useless strip of grass.
The photos showcase Colorado four o'clock, or desert four o'clock — a large Utah native plant with lush green leaves and attractive magenta blooms — planted along a parking strip.
This is the aftermath of replacing the sod that once ruled the strip.
"I'm obsessed," the OP wrote.
Growing native plants comes with all kinds of benefits, both personal and ecological. Natural lawns save money since they require much less water than traditional water-greedy lawns. They also use less fertilizers and pest control as they're more self-sustainable, which means far less maintenance.
They'll also draw more pollinators to the yard, which is a good thing as they are the front line of our food supply. According to Farmers.gov, pollinators' ecological services are valued at $200 billion every year — busy bees indeed.
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You can rewild your lawn in a variety of ways to make your life easier. Depending on where you live and what you're looking for, you can curate a yard unique to you using the National Audubon Society's Native Plants Database. Find out if clover lawns, vegetable gardens, tapestry lawns, xeriscaping, or buffalo grass is the way to go. If you're still not sure, check out these no lawns for inspiration.
If you're not ready to fully commit but would still like to give it a try, even a partial lawn replacement can help you reap the benefits of a native lawn.
The transformation was met with smiles and applause.
🗣️ 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
"Beautiful! I just planted some in my yard this fall and I'm really hoping they make it!" said one comment.
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"They are awesome to watch bloom in the evening," wrote another.
"4 o'clocks are such neat plants!!! Looks beautiful there," a Redditor approved.
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