A homeowner shared how they gradually transformed their yard into something completely new — and much more sustainable.
They posted about the process, with in-depth information about each step and the price of each item required, on the Reddit community page r/NoLawns.
The first picture showed the original lawn itself, while the second showed two Pygmy date palms worth $170 each.
In the third and fourth photos, the Redditor posted that their county has a "Lawn Be Gone" program that offers homeowners $4 per square foot to convert their traditional lawns into a space for drought-tolerant plants.
In the fifth and final picture, the Redditor explained how the larger Guadalupe Palm, which is 24 gallons, was $425. The smaller 15-gallon one cost $300, while the yucca, 15 gallons, was $225.
"First time homeowner excited to share my lawn transformation," the Redditor wrote.
You may wonder why a homeowner would be so enthusiastic about getting rid of their lush grass and replacing it with rocks and plants.
Some parents and children may even feel appalled at the idea that the young ones don't have grass to roll around in, but there are a number of logical reasons to take the plunge into more natural territory.
One reason is the chemicals involved in maintaining grass lawns, which are often susceptible to infestation by pests. Homeowners use 70 million pounds of pesticides each year to keep those pests at bay, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.
The chemicals in these pesticides have been known to cause cancer in humans.
On average, homeowners use 200 million gallons of gasoline each year for mowing, making the air we breathe dirty and creating a noise that is not always appreciated by birds, squirrels, and neighbors.
Transforming your grass lawn into a vegetable garden, a landscape with shrubs and flowers, or any other creative alternative has a multitude of advantages.
First and foremost, these alternatives create an aesthetically pleasing atmosphere due to their diverse composition. They also require less maintenance than traditional lawns, resulting in a reduced workload and more time to do the things you love.
Having an array of real plants in your yard also does the world a favor. It helps suck carbon dioxide, a planet-warming gas, out of the atmosphere at a time when we face the urgent need to do so.
"Awesome vision and impeccable execution. Love it. I hope your neighbors take note," one commenter said.
Another admitted, " I'm usually not huge on red mulch but this is the exception."
The phrase "aesthetically pleasing" can be subjective, but considering the real-life benefits of natural lawns, this is a solid option for homeowners.
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