Homeowner shares photo after spotting unexpected backyard visitor: 'It's so rewarding'

Adding native plants to a yard can make a world of difference. A homeowner can easily go from having no pollinators to a buzzing garden of bees, butterflies, and birds by adding a few feet of native plants.

One Redditor recently let a native plant grow at its own leisure in their yard. To their surprise, it was attracting wildlife even in the offseason. They shared the update and image on the r/NativePlantGardening subreddit.

One clever Redditor got to see how their native lawn attracted bluebirds to feast on pokeweed berries — even in the winter. — Photo Credit: Reddit

"I left a volunteer pokeweed in my native plant garden, and it produced berries. This is the plant now in [the] wintertime, and 2-3 bluebirds regularly visit to snack on the berries. I almost never saw bluebirds in my yard previously. The pokeweed is a bit scraggly in winter, but I love seeing the birds and supporting their habitat!" the OP wrote.

The attached image shows what appears to be a blue robin resting and enjoying the berries on the new native plant.

Native plant lawns are incredibly beneficial for homeowners as they require far less water, energy, and maintenance than monoculture lawns. They also help create a thriving ecosystem for local wildlife, providing nourishment, rest, and nesting space for everything from butterflies to wild rabbits.

Homeowners who want to create safe zones for pollinators and enjoy wildlife views should consider upgrading their yards with native plants, such as clover and buffalo grass.

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Other Redditors were thrilled to see such success from one native plant.

"That's awesome! It's so rewarding to see wildlife thrive in our gardens," one commented.

"I absolutely love the color as they go from bright red/pink to yellow. Birds must still be able to get some nutrition from the berries even after they seem dried out to me as [I] saw cardinals eating them just a couple weeks ago," another shared.

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