Homeownership comes with a lot of opportunity and some annoyances. Dealing with neighbors is one of the biggest struggles that new homeowners face. One person took to Reddit to complain about criticism over their front yard.
The first photo shared with fellow gardeners on Reddit shows a cute white house with a green lawn and a small row of plants along the porch. As gardens go, it appears to have a small footprint and be growing well.
The OP wrote, "Well, the neighbors don't love it, but the bees do." They included two additional photos showing close-ups of some of the flowers, including several native species.
They do not say if the complaints have come from an HOA, but this is a common occurrence. HOAs are local governing bodies that have little legal authority but can impose rules, restrictions, and even fines. According to the Foundation for Community Association Research, around 30% of U.S. households live under some type of community organization.
People have incurred massive fines, found their gardens damaged, and even had legal battles when dealing with difficult HOAs. In certain circumstances, you may be able to band together to change rules or leadership to allow for more environmentally friendly choices. HOAs are notorious for preferring manicured lawns over grass alternatives.
This preference, while allowing for a unified neighborhood look, is one of the most wasteful uses of yard space. Traditional grass lawns are very high maintenance, requiring lots of water, pesticides, and herbicides that can damage ecosystems. These lawns are also less likely to support local fauna.
Choosing nontraditional lawns like clover, while it may pose an upfront cost, can save you money on your water bill and reduce the amount of necessary lawn care. You can go a step further and grow a yard full of native flowers that will make your home colorful and lively and support pollinators like bees and other insects.
Other Redditors were surprised that anyone would object to this gorgeous yard.
One person wrote succinctly, "I don't see the problem."
🗣️ Should HOAs be able to force homeowners to change their yards?
🔘 Absolutely not 💯
🔘 Yes — it's part of the deal 🤝
🔘 Only in extreme circumstances 🏚️
🔘 We should ban HOAs 🚫
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
"That is the most restrained wildflower garden I've seen yet. Your neighbors are miserable scrooges," added another garden supporter.
Someone else pointed out the importance of pollinators, saying, "Beautiful home! Keep up the amazing work. We need bees, so whatever makes them happy is more important than pretty much anything else."
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