One North Dakota homeowner just showed the internet what you can do with a neglected yard, and it looks amazing.
According to the homeowner's post in r/NoLawns, what looks like a lawn in their "before" picture isn't.
"Please note I didn't have grass to begin with; these are just mowed weeds that look decent from afar," they said. Indeed, the picture they showed looks incredibly patchy, with green and brown sections.
But the homeowner wanted more from their yard. "I started with my hellstrip and worked backwards towards the side and rear," they said. In the second image, all the patchy growth has been cleared out of their hellstrip, replaced with an assortment of flowers and bunch grasses.
The hellstrip, a narrow stretch of soil between a road and a sidewalk, is a notoriously difficult place to plant. Since it's between two paved areas, it gets baked by the sun, and it also gets runoff from the pavement, which can contain chemicals like oil and road salt. Even when the water is clean, it can be enough to drown some plants. That makes it a good place for hardy native plants.
"I wasn't sure where to start and visited my local library and found a book titled 'Hellstrip' and this was my jumping off point," said the original poster.
The homeowner didn't stop there, instead transforming their whole yard. Their final photo shows the completed garden decorated for Halloween, with grinning jack-o'-lanterns among the blooming flowers.
"This was my therapy and labor of love and I am proud of how much I learned this year," they said.
"I see yellow daylillies, confirmed North Dakotan," joked one commenter. They also added: "It's the first grab choice when doing landscaping in ND. You can NOT escape them."
🗣️ 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
The original poster agreed: "I went to one of my client's homes and dug them up. I also got some hosta, yellow loosestrife, and speedwell."
If you want to transform your yard with native flowers, check out The Cool Down's guide to rewilding.
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