A proud homeowner posted before-and-after photos of their stunning native garden, inspiring others to transform their yards.
A Redditor in Zone 4b/5a of the Minneapolis suburbs shared six photos of their spacious front yard. The first two were "before" pictures of a sad, shriveled lawn. The last four showed the luscious and colorful garden that now exists. The caption explained: "I have a 1/3 acre suburban lot. … I have converted about 2/3 of the lawn into gardens."
You can see various flower species, bushy grass, and healthy trees where the depressing lawn once was. The original poster beamed about their triumph and said, "I hope my transformation photos serve as an inspiration for your native plant projects!"
People had plenty of questions for the OP. One asked about the maintenance involved. The OP explained that it was more work in the beginning. Now, they "probably spend 1-2 hours a week" on maintenance.
Native plants don't require much care and attention once rooted. Non-native, manicured lawns require hours of weeding, mowing, and watering. While the garden took effort to start, the OP now has a gorgeous, low-maintenance garden.
Rewilding your yard can reduce the time you spend pulling weeds or pushing a lawnmower. You can also save money on chemical products, equipment, and water.
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Native lawns also make local pollinators happy. In the post caption, the OP explained: "I started my gardening journey 11 years ago after watching a documentary about Honeybee Colony Collapse Disorder. I felt a call to action."
They were right to take action. The collapse of bee colonies threatens pollination and honey production, which are vital processes for the global food supply. Over 100 U.S. food crops depend on pollinators.
Pollination also supports healthy ecosystems, creating clean air, stable soils, and wildlife diversity. Without bees, humans would face a severe food shortage and an onslaught of other issues.
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If you were to switch from a grass lawn to a more natural option, which of these factors would be your primary motivation?
Click your choice to see results and speak your mind. |
Making it look better 🌱 The gardener's hopes of inspiring others were realized in the comments section. One person wrote, "This is so inspiring!"
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Another commended the OP for the balanced garden: "Absolutely stunning! You've really nailed the difficult three-fer of native, floriferous, and tidy."
Someone else noted how picture-perfect the flourishing garden was: "Looks like a magazine."
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