Homeowner shares incredible before-and-after photos of yard transformation: 'Gorgeous'

One homeowner showed Reddit what a difference two years can make when it comes to replacing ordinary grass with beautiful, hardy native plants.

"Found these pictures of my yard from not even two years ago that made me laugh," said the original poster, sharing before-and-after images in their r/NativePlantGardening post. 

In the "before" images, their yard is covered with a flat turf grass lawn, broken only by a concrete walk.

The "after" photos show an array of plants and flowers planted in well-tended mulch beds, including the curb strip, which is also called a "hellstrip" because of how hard it can be to grow plants there. But the OP's seems to be thriving. The second "after" photo also shows cheerful chalk drawings on the sidewalk.

All of this character gets them attention, the OP claimed. "I never once had someone stop and tell me that they liked my yard when it was all grass but now at least a couple times per week someone walking by stops to compliment it," they said.

And the benefits don't stop there. Native plants take less water than traditional grass lawns because the plants have adapted to the growing conditions of the area, which is one reason so many people are rewilding their yards these days. Combine that with mulch, which preserves moisture and adds nutrients to the soil, and you have a low-cost, low-maintenance garden that will look gorgeous long term. Plus, those flowers attract pollinators, which are good for cultivated areas and wild ecosystems.

Commenters joined the chorus of voices praising the beautiful garden. 

"Such a gorgeous transformation," said one user. "I will never understand how people prefer massive, sterile lawns over this kind of amazing diversity. You should be really proud of your efforts!"

If you were to switch from a grass lawn to a more natural option, which of these factors would be your primary motivation? Making it look better 🌱 Saving money on water and maintenance 💰 Helping pollinators 🐝 No way I ever get rid of my lawn 🚫 Click your choice to see results and speak your mind.

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