Creeping thyme is a beautiful and low-maintenance ground cover that transforms lawns into a colorful oasis for pollinators.
A resident's stunning photo of their purple creeping thyme inspired Redditors to consider replacing their grass lawns with the vibrant perennial.
"Swap your boring lawn grass with red creeping thyme," wrote the Redditor who shared the photo. "Grows 3 inch tall max, requires no mowing, lovely lemony scent, can repel mosquitoes, grows all year long, better for local biodiversity."
While creeping thyme is not native to the U.S. and comes from parts of Europe, Asia and Northern Africa, it's not considered invasive in North America., and variants of the plant are considered native in parts of eastern and northwestern North America. In Zones 4-9, creeping thyme is listed as a hardy perennial with minimal upkeep.
Thyme and other non-invasive flora in your yard can bring numerous benefits, and like with thyme, in almost all cases that means less watering and maintenance than grass.
Native plants in particular attract key pollinators, such as bees and butterflies, supporting the growth of your garden.
Adding native plants to your yard is a great way to save time and money on lawn maintenance. After switching to a native-plant lawn, you can save $275 on water, $50 on fertilizer, and $50 on pesticides and weed control each year.
Native plants not only require less water, but also don't require upkeep from gas-powered lawn mowers.
Because of their pollution, gas-powered lawn mowers have a significant environmental impact. In just one hour, one emits the same amount of pollution as a car driving for 45 miles, according to the Environmental Protection Agency.
When exploring lawn alternatives, it's important to research native plants in your region to avoid accidentally introducing an invasive species.
🗣️ 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
Redditors were in awe of the lush creeping thyme blooms and discussed additional lawn replacement options.
"Clover is a good one too, especially if you have bare spots," wrote one user.
"I looked this up yesterday and found out this will grow here in Canada!!" commented another Redditor. "I'm SO swapping my front lawn for this!!!"
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