Redditors are awestruck by one user's photos of the wildflowers growing in their garden.
One Reddit user posted photos of stunning pink wildflowers blooming in the garden of their Pacific Northwest home.
"Clarkia amoena is possibly my favourite wildflower for this reason," the gardener wrote in their caption.
The photos show vibrant pink and purple flowers between delicate, tall green stems. Close-up images show the sun's rays hitting the flower's petals, illuminating their gorgeous hues. The Reddit poster writes that the flowers are Clarkia amoena, which are native to western North America and grow in coastal hills and mountains.
Every year, people travel all over the country to see superblooms like the one in the Redditor's yard. However, homeowners with outdoor space could see breathtaking wildflowers in their backyards if they let nature do its work.
Because wildflowers are native plants, they are adapted to their local climate, and native plant experts would tell you that they shouldn't require extra irrigation. That spares gardeners the extra effort and money on watering their plants — which can lead to far less water waste. One Colorado community saved 15 million gallons of water in one year by switching to more native plants.
Wildflowers also do a service to the food you consume. These stunning blooms provide habitats for pollinators like bees and butterflies. Crops rely on these insects to carry pollen to them, which they use to produce seeds and fruits. More than 100 U.S. crops rely on pollinators, so when you grow plants like wildflowers that give pollinators a home, you're helping the entire food chain. Plus, as native plants, wildflowers have root systems that can pull toxic gases from the air, store nutrients in the soil, and store water.
As the Redditor commenters point out, it doesn't hurt that wildflowers are just really pretty, too.
"Omg I need those they are simply stunning," wrote one Redditor."I love clarkia the flowers are so delicate and beautiful!" commented another Redditor.
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