Homeowner stuns with before-and-after photos of lawn transformation: 'Absolutely spectacular'

One Utah homeowner just demonstrated the concrete benefits of rewilding your yard by detailing the change they saw after switching to native plants.

They posted their success story in the r/NativePlantGardening subreddit. 

"I removed 2300 sq ft of traditional lawn and replaced it with native plants, and ended up saving 79,000 gallons and 58% of my water usage every year," they said. 

They posted a collage showing pictures of their dramatic yard upgrade. In addition to many close-up shots of drought-friendly flowers, they also show a shade structure covering a comfortable patio with a seating area and a fire pit, extensive xeriscaped mulch beds, and charming flagstone paths.

"When I started the project in 2023, I intended to save water, but along the way, I found this sub, and now I have a native habitat in the front and permaculture food forest in the back that also heavily features native plants," said the original poster. "Thanks for all the inspiration and knowledge!"

Gardening with native plants is one of the best ways to save water, especially in a desert environment like this one. Species that are native to a given area will be adapted to the local rainfall, so they rarely need additional water. Compared to grass, which is an extremely thirsty plant, the difference can be shocking. 

Not only that, but since a plant's native region contains the growing conditions in which it will naturally thrive, landscaping with native plants leads to low-maintenance gardens that are easy to care for.

Meanwhile, a colorful garden like this one has plenty of curb appeal — way more than a traditional lawn. Even replacing part of your lawn can make a huge difference.

Commenters fell in love with the original poster's results. 

"Absolutely spectacular," said one user.

"You should be proud! Look phenomenal, can't imagine the work you put into that," said another user.

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