A Texas gardener shared their journey of rewilding on r/NoLawns, a subreddit dedicated to native plants and conservation.
Inspired by the subreddit community, the Redditor replaced 300 square feet of their lawn with native plants, opting for a more natural lawn. Six weeks later, it's become a true labor of love.
The most surprising change, however, is their interactions with their neighbors.
"Normally, people would wave when they walked by, but now they come over and use words!" they exclaimed.
Even a non-English speaking woman on the street spends 10 minutes each day in the reinvented yard giving a clap or a thumbs up when she sees something she likes.
Other neighbors have come looking for advice on how to make the change, what flowers to plant, and how to deal with the HOA. Even a little girl across the street convinced her mom to plant seeds so they'd have flowers, too.
The switch to a native lawn has become a true conversation piece.
The perks of replacing a traditional grass lawn don't end at bringing people together. It's easier on the wallet, better for the environment, and helps relieve stress.
A native plant yard also requires less maintenance, less water, and less fertilizer, and it reduces exposure to harmful chemicals as fewer pesticides are needed.
According to the Natural Resources Defense Council, traditional lawns across the United States consume nearly three trillion gallons of water, 200 million gallons of gas, and 70 million pounds of pesticides.
Rewilding even a small area of your yard with clover lawns, vegetable gardens, wildflowers, or buffalo grass can create an easy-growing, valuable habitat for essential pollinators like bees and butterflies, improving and supporting the ecosystems that sustain us.
Pollinators are integral to our food supply. According to the USDA, bees pollinate approximately 35% of food crops consumed by humans and 80% of all flowering plants.
Unfortunately, HOAs aren't known for their planet-minded decisions. They've proven to be more of an obstacle for homeowners trying to adopt eco-friendly, money-saving lifestyle changes such as solar panels, home gardening, and rewilding.
Luckily, there are guides on how to start the conversation and encourage change in your HOA.
The post was met with similar stories of gardening bringing the community together.
"What a happy story! Love it!" one Redditor exclaimed.
"Gardening is a wonderful way to make friends with your neighbors!" another agreed.
A third worded it perfectly, saying, "Yess! Be(e) the change."
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