Hoping to reduce the upkeep of their garden, a gardener set out to create a low-maintenance, eco-friendly yard filled with native flowers. But what started as a well-intentioned project quickly took an unexpected turn.
The gardener reached out for confirmation of their mistake, posting a picture of the seed packet they had used on the r/NativePlantGardening subreddit.
"I did a quick search to make sure that these were not considered invasive in my state and I couldn't find anything stating they were. Now I'm thinking I should have checked to see if they were native, which I realized not all are," the gardener wrote.
Lots of replies in the comments told the original poster that two of the plants whose seeds were included in the packet are considered invasive in the U.S. Baby's breath is an invasive species, according to the Invasive Plant Atlas of the United States, and bachelor's button is considered invasive by some authorities because it is self-seeding and spreads quickly.
Invasive plants are problematic because they outcompete native species for resources such as water and nutrients. They can also disrupt gardens and ecosystems, degrade soil quality, and cause damage because they spread rapidly and are difficult to control.
Rewilding your yard using native plants is a good way to reduce garden maintenance and save money on water and fertilizer. This is because native plants are adapted to local conditions and can get everything they need from the soil. Even a partial lawn replacement with a natural substitute — such as clover or buffalo grass — can save cash and time while helping the environment. Native plants support pollinators, which are critical in protecting our food supply.
Making sure the seeds you buy are native is really important, though, because you don't want to accidentally plant invasive species like this gardener and spend time correcting the mistake.
"So you're not quite getting as much bang for your buck. I wouldn't call this a bad scenario however. 7/10 you weren't scammed nor causing devastation," wrote one commenter.
Another added: "Some of these are nasty but you're gonna be okay. Bachelor's buttons really stand out because of the blue so they're easy to go pull up when they bloom."
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