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Homeowner shares before-and-after photos of their 'inspiring' backyard transformation: 'This just makes my heart happy'

"It is amazing what 50-60hrs of work, about $900 and some love and care can accomplish over 6 months."

Photo Credit: Reddit

Photo Credit: Reddit

A Reddit user shared the progress of rewilding their yard and the transformation is remarkable.

In a 10-picture post on the r/NativePlantGardening subreddit, the gardener displayed their converted yard.

"Where there was once grass, there is now biomass," the caption announced.

"It is amazing what 50-60hrs of work, about $900 and some love and care can accomplish over 6 months."
Photo Credit: Reddit
"It is amazing what 50-60hrs of work, about $900 and some love and care can accomplish over 6 months."
Photo Credit: Reddit

What started as a plain grass yard has blossomed into a garden complete with native greens, bees, a log pathway, caterpillars, and toads.

"It is amazing what 50-60hrs of work, about $900 and some love and care can accomplish over 6 months," the Redditor commented in the thread.

Rewilding won't only make gardening easier — it's also extremely beneficial to the ecosystem and human survival

Native plants help attract local pollinators and wildlife by replacing manicured grass lawns with native plants and flowers. Bees pollinate approximately 80% of all flowering plants and 35% of food crops consumed by humans. 

These no-lawn yards are also helping homeowners minimize exposure to harmful chemicals and cut down on money since they require less water, less fertilizer, and zero pesticides to thrive.

The U.S. Geological Survey reported that each year in the U.S., around 1 billion pounds of pesticides are used to manage traditional lawns, pests, and weeds. The chemicals in these products are known to cause cancer, among other health concerns.

Traditional lawns are the most grown crop in the United States. According to the Princeton Student Climate Initiative, they cover more than 40 million acres of land — and they're just for presentation. 

Every year across the country, lawns consume nearly 3 trillion gallons of water and 200 million gallons of gas, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council. Native lawns can reduce water usage over a decade by 1.75 million gallons.

From clover lawns and vegetable gardens to wildflowers and meadows, there are plenty of options to rewild your own space. 

The post was received with high praise and envy.

"Very inspiring," a comment read.

"Oh, this just makes my heart happy! Thank you kind steward of the land," wrote another Redditor.

"We have to take it upon ourselves to convert what we can. Volunteer, educate ourselves and others, and share the bounty of our restoration with others," the original poster commented in the thread.

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