The days of traditional trimmed grass lawns may be on the way out in favor of creative alternatives like one unconventional yard that turned heads on Reddit.
A homeowner shared a photo of a neighbor's front yard that had been transformed into a sprawling pumpkin patch.
"Now this is making good use of a front lawn. Love it!" one Redditor commented.
From the sidewalk to the house, the space is filled with leafy squash vines with several bright orange pumpkins peeking through.
They'll "have families with kids picking their jack 'o' lantern for a few weeks then have great compost for next year's garden adventure. Never mind livening up a dead neighborhood of concrete and grass!" one commenter said.
"That's far more helpful than most lawns in America," another replied.
Grass lawns are a drain on pockets and the planet, requiring costly upkeep with a heavy dose of pollution from dangerous chemicals and gas-powered lawnmowers, the Tennessean explains.
However, trends are changing thanks to new ways of thinking about lawns such as backyard gardening, rewilding, and yard sharing. Shifting toward productive ways to utilize lawn spaces can benefit our wallets, communities, and wildlife, including essential pollinators like bees, birds, and butterflies.
Community gardens and yard sharing, which pairs nearby homeowners with landless gardeners for mutual benefit, can help strengthen community bonds while providing additional food and resources to the neighborhood. They can also help support local food banks and shelters.
Delighted and inspired by the miniature pumpkin patch, Redditors on the thread were ready to change up their traditional lawn.
"Lawns really do suck, why not get something more for your effort," one asked.
Another said, "Now I know what to do when we remove the lawn."
A few other commenters had some decorating advice to highlight the season. "You need to get some Charlie Brown characters … and stick them in the middle of it," one Redditor suggested.
This pumpkin patch is one the Peanuts kids could certainly be proud of, with "nothing but sincerity as far as the eye can see." Perhaps the owner will get a visit from the Great Pumpkin.
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