In an effort to replace their overgrown backyard with a garden, one Redditor created a stunning oasis.
A series of before-during-and-after photos documented the transformation. In the "before" photos, the yard, which is steeply sloped, is overgrown and crowded with fallen branches. Other photos detail the progress being made as they cleared out land to make room for the new additions. The "after" photos of the new garden showcase lush greenery, gravel walking paths, rock walls, and two seating areas.
"It's been totally worth it," the original poster wrote. "It took two and a half years, but I'm still working on it and making changes. It's a happy place for me."
The poster chose to use natural elements that were already present to design the garden. Instead of hiring a landscape architect, they built the walking paths along the preexisting deer paths running through the yard. Retaining walls were built using logs from felled trees left behind by the previous owner.
Being in the San Francisco Bay Area, the Redditor was also mindful of which plants would survive in a dry, hot climate.
"We have micro climates within the yard, extreme seasonal sun patterns, and drought that narrow my options," they wrote.
To ensure survival, they opted for lots of succulents and planted cuttings taken from friends and neighbors.
The new garden is both stunning and better for the environment than a grass lawn. Bees, butterflies, and birds rely on plants for nourishment, so mowing your lawn deprives pollinators of valuable food sources. Gardens, on the other hand, provide pollinators with a bounty of nourishment options.
Lawns also require more water and pesticides than gardens. By replacing your lawn with a garden, you're saving water and money while preventing chemical pesticides from running off into waterways.
Commenters were stunned by the transformation.
"This has to go in some sort of gardening hall of fame, surely?" one wrote.
"You practically turned it into an enchanted forest!" another said.
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