Late fall is the perfect time of year for peeping colors. But instead of trees, we're looking at one Redditor's colorful garden full of native species and hues of yellows, oranges, greens, and purples. There isn't a blade of boring grass in sight.
The user shared several photos of their garden on the r/NoLawns forum. The user listed the plant species in their Florida front yard as rust weed, slender blazing star, and Lynn Haven golden aster.
The original poster shared that they did very little work to bring together their garden. "It was 90 percent Mother Nature! Hurricane Michael knocked down all the trees, and after we cleared them, this is what came up," they shared in the comments section.
Not only does this garden boast a nice mix of colors, but it performs more ecological functions than a mundane, monocolored green lawn. Native plants, like the ones that sprung up in this front yard, play a critical role in attracting and feeding pollinators.
In addition, since native species are adapted to a particular region, they are more resilient to ecosystem change. In many cases, these species are less water-hungry than grass, thus requiring less upkeep, maintenance, and water costs over time. Besides water, native plants also do not require as much synthetic fertilizers and pesticides, thus reducing the risk of runoff into surrounding aquatic ecosystems and causing algae blooms — while saving even more money.
Individuals can rewild their lawns and plant more native species to reap the ecological benefits. But there is also some aesthetic value to planting these species in your garden or lawn. To the eye, these different layers and colors can make a visually stunning landscape out of your yard, and very little hard work is needed to keep the plants alive long-term.
Those who want a more manicured look can still use landscaping techniques like stone bordering and pathways to draw the eye and help the curation look more intentional.
Users were impressed by the vibrant and festive-colored lawn. "Love the spooky colors," one user wrote.
"Gorgeous…great job" another shared.
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