One delighted gardener has taken to Reddit to show off their gorgeous front yard full of native plants.
"Year 3 of no front lawn. 100% native," they captioned the picture.
"This is the dream, thanks for the motivation," one Redditor said.
More and more homeowners are turning away from traditional monoculture lawns at their respective properties in favor of more biodiversity like that showcased by the OP.
Most grass lawns require a lot of water to keep them green in the summer, making them a significant drain on resources — especially in areas prone to drought. This becomes a particular problem if water enforcement measures are introduced when drinking supplies dwindle.
To solve this problem, some gardeners have taken advantage of xeriscaping, which sees drought-tolerant, slow-growing plants added to a garden to avoid the need for irrigation — and can stop water bills getting out of hand.
Monoculture lawns also require plenty of mowing, which can be a time-consuming and exhausting exercise.
However, growing native plants requires comparatively little maintenance, as they need space and time to grow and will be more suited to local weather conditions. They also provide an easy way to keep your garden vibrant and full of life.
Meanwhile, flowers will encourage the presence of pollinators, which are vital for the ecosystem and benefit food production. The plants will also bring bugs that help keep soil healthy.
Native plant lawns are also much better at absorbing floodwater during intense storms, and they recover much quicker after these extreme weather events — which are becoming longer and more intense because of global heating.
Our green-thumbed Redditor detailed they have more than 30 plant species in their patch, including prairie phlox, columbine, and oakleaf hydrangeas.
"YA BABY THATS THE GOOD STUFF!!!" one commenter said. "Love it," added another, with one simply calling the plot, "Perfection."
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