One person was struck by gardening inspiration while walking through their neighborhood.
Alternative lawns have become popular across the country, from xeriscaping to clover lawns. One Redditor shared a neighbor's gorgeous front yard that features native plants, stonework, and zero grass.Â
The post features two photos showing the front yard from the street. The yard is a mix of flowers, shrubbery, small trees, and some lovely stone paths. While the original poster does not give a list of the species featured, they do tell us they are in Colorado in zone 6a. Looking at some native Colorado plants, it appears the garden features carpet flowers among others.
Colorado is among the driest states in the U.S. and has had droughts over the past several years. These issues make native plants particularly helpful, as they are well adapted to the weather and potential lack of water.
Drought-tolerant plants can also save you money on your water bill. The movement toward planting more local flora — sometimes known as rewilding — can also attract beneficial insects to your yard, supporting your plants as well as your surrounding ecosystem.Â
Native planting has been gaining ground in recent years as more people learn about the many benefits. The National Gardening Survey found: "12 percent of U.S. adults are converting parts of their lawn to a natural or wildflower landscape."
Moving away from traditional grass lawns has the potential to save the country billions of gallons of water. According to the Environmental Protection Agency: "Nationwide, landscape irrigation is estimated to account for nearly one-third of all residential water use, totaling nearly 9 billion gallons per day."
Commenters on the post loved this beautiful garden.
One person said: "Love the stone stairway... gorgeous yard."
"Love it!" another Redditor wrote.
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