A proud homeowner on Reddit shared the amazing results of years of work to transform their drab lawn into a vibrant garden with native plants.
They mentioned that the garden got some attention from media outlets, which they hope will inspire others: "Media picked up the story and published it! I was scrolling through Newsbreak on Friday and stopped in mid-scroll when I saw my own garden. … Way to spread the word about shrinking the lawn and planting natives! We are making a difference here."
Native plants are an ideal pick for gardeners for other reasons beyond aesthetic value. For one, they exist in perfect harmony with the area where they grow, the result of thousands of years of adaptation. They attract vital pollinators and help sustain local wildlife.
Better yet, upgrading to a natural lawn also saves time and money. There's no need for harmful chemical fertilizers or pesticides to maintain it, and it doesn't even come near to the water needs of a standard grass lawn. That means hundreds of dollars in annual savings.
Other great sustainable gardening options include xeriscaping and clover lawns. The former is particularly useful for those in areas afflicted by droughts and water shortages. As the latest map from the U.S. Drought Monitor shows, that's a large portion of the country, particularly in the Southwest. With the latter, it's possible to cover a large area in lush green clover for as little as a dollar.
For a natural lawn, the only challenge is that, as a comment pointed out, the process will take time, but the results are worth it: "It's hard not to be envious of people who have made the transition then you have to remember it's a long process. This person took 7 years to get here."
The original poster responded that native plants will do most of the work for you: "They reproduce, so you get free plants. In the spring, I dig up the baby plants and move them."
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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. |
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