Native lawns are not only more visually appealing and pollinator-friendly than boring grass lawns, but they also provide a great excuse to stop mowing if you're tired of tedious lawn upkeep.
That's precisely what a Redditor's parents had in mind when they switched to a native plant lawn that looks like something you'd see in a meadow deep in a forest.
"Parents got tired of a grass lawn," they said in their post on r/gardening, adding photos of the vibrant, colorful lawn, complete with stepping stones and several varieties of eye-popping plants and grasses.
In the comments, the original poster said the plants include succulents such as sedum, creeping thyme, and phlox spilling out of the tipped-over planter.
The plants create a tapestry of sorts, weaving together to form an intricate design that looks like a living work of art. Native lawns follow nature's cycles, allowing plants to grow, expand, and display new patterns each season, just as they would in the wild.
Because natural lawns incorporate low-growing plants and grasses such as clover into the landscape, they require less watering, fertilizers, and mowing than traditional lawns.
Many native plants, such as succulents, are also drought-tolerant, helping you conserve water and avoid worrying as much about maintenance.
Having a lawn rich in biodiversity attracts pollinators as well, which benefits local ecosystems and helps humans since we rely on them for many foods we eat.
The OP said the native plants had been established for at least three years as of their post. They added that if you're short on time, transplanting some plants would allow the lawn to fill in more quickly.
If you decide to go au naturel with your lawn, you may even inspire your neighbors to do the same.
"Our neighborhood has a bit of [an] old school suburb mentality that treats lawn care as a competitive sport, but almost all the neighbors ask about the 'purple lawn' now," the OP wrote.
"This is the way. Love it!" one commenter said.
Another praised the OP's parents' landscaping skills: "Well, there is no way they could get tired of a lawn this beautiful! This looks like the kinda place royalty would sit to drink their tea or have a picnic. They've done a great job."
Someone else added, "Way prettier than grass anyways. Biome-diverse yards are the way to go."
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