A gardener on Reddit recently stunned the internet by sharing images of their native fall garden in full bloom.
In their front yard, brilliant yellow coreopsis and pastel purple aster flowers foreground a green backdrop of native dogbane and prairie switchgrass — all carefully cultivated to create a cohesive and dazzling fall display.
"So beautiful," one user who was mesmerized by the OP's garden wrote.
Native garden lawns such as this one are a fantastic solution for homeowners who want an aesthetically pleasing yard that costs less and is easier to maintain than traditional grass lawns.
Unlike grass lawns, native plants have evolved to survive and even thrive on local rainfall. They also help to defend against weeds simply by outcompeting them for water and other essential nutrients. This means saving money (and time) that might otherwise be wasted on water, fertilizers, and pesticides required for maintaining grass and other non-native landscapes.
Mitigating the use of excess water and toxic pesticides is another excellent reason to switch to a native plant lawn. A shocking one-third of all residential water use in the United States goes to lawn irrigation, Population Media Center reported, and approximately nine billion gallons of water are wasted every day. When it comes to pesticides, a disconcerting 80 million pounds are used every year to keep America's lawns green and pest-free, per the National Wildlife Federation.
Even dedicating a small area of a yard to native plants can play a part in decreasing the obscene amounts of water and toxic chemicals used by Americans.
Plus, pollinators will love it, too. Just a few flowers will attract them and provide shelter and a food source while they pollinate the plants. The mutualistic relationship between native plants and pollinators supports the entire ecosystem and benefits humans as well. By attracting more pollinators to gardens, humans can enjoy larger, more abundant, and tastier fruits and vegetables.
Users in the comments were impressed by the garden spectacle.
"Amazing display," one user wrote. "It's something even some non-native gardens aspire to be. You really do great at showing how beautiful our natives can be."
"Pretty. So cheerful," another person said.
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