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First-time homeowner shares impressive before-and-after photos of front yard transformation: 'I just want to curl up in there with a cup of tea'

"Lots of native flowers and bushes getting established."

"Lots of native flowers and bushes getting established."

Photo Credit: Reddit

Two years after buying their first home, a Redditor's progress cultivating native plants was lauded by fellow users of r/NoLawns.

That subreddit is devoted to exploring and promoting natural lawns and alternatives to ubiquitous monoculture lawns.

"Lots of native flowers and bushes getting established."
Photo Credit: Reddit
"Lots of native flowers and bushes getting established."
Photo Credit: Reddit

Alongside a dozen images taken in the course of those two years, the original poster remarked that there were "lots of native flowers and bushes getting established" in their yard.

Since their post began with a move-in photo, a few other users were initially dismayed. "At first, my heart sank thinking you went from the first photo to the second," one began.

"After scrolling through, I am more delighted with each photo. … Amazing work after only two years," they continued. Another person was stunned at how far the original poster's yard had come in such a short time span.

"I would be thrilled to have results like this in two years. So inspired!" they said. Several r/NoLawns members expressed similar opinions, envying the bucolic images.

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"Wowwww I'm in love with your yard. I just want to curl up in there with a cup of tea," a user commented. A few pollinators appeared in the images, which the original poster discussed in a separate comment.

"I go out at least once a day to check on my little pollinator friends. The biodiversity is amazing and really improves my mood!" they stated.

Rewilding your yard is a process, one that saves money and time in the long run, but comments on the thread likened it more to an enjoyable adventure. One user was curious about the specifics of maintenance, asking how frequently the submitter had to "trim" foliage.

"Trim what? If you mean the ground cover, I haven't mowed in over a year. I prune the peach tree twice a year, and trim the black raspberries and golden currants back from the stone pathway when they're done fruiting," the original poster clarified.

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.

Overall, the thread served as a fantastic practical example of how natural lawns cost less in terms of time, money, and resources. The same commenter asked about watering, a constant hassle with monoculture lawns.

"When things were first planted, I watered a couple of times a week- now I do once a week if it didn't rain that week and the plants look like they need it. The clover only gets rainwater," the homeowner replied.

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