One homeowner at their wit's end with an interfering homeowners association came to Reddit for gardening advice.
According to the Redditor, their original problem wasn't with plants at all. "My HOA keeps trying to ding me for some stained bricks," they explained. "It happens at least once a year, and I'm getting annoyed with having to tell them that the white sandstone bricks are just stained in that spot."
They elaborated that cleaning was ineffective: "We have pressure washed it, bleached it, used all manner of special cleansers and scrubbing. It's just 60 year old white stone that sits right next to red clay all day, every day, rain or shine."
🗣️ 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
However, they thought plants might be the answer. "I need a low bush that is safe to plant in front of my house that can also be in the shade," they said, citing the presence of a beautiful magnolia tree overshadowing the location. "It's a natural spot for a plant to be. There used to be roses there, but that was many years ago. Not interested in putting roses again."
One especially beneficial solution would be to install native plants. Not only are there many bushes, sedges, and other tall plants to choose from, but they would be an easy, low-maintenance option since they're adapted to the local growing conditions. They wouldn't need much water, so the homeowner could avoid increasing their water bill. Plus, local wildlife would love them. These are some of the top reasons that people across the country are beginning to rewild their yards.
Commenters on r/landscaping were full of suggestions too. "If the stain is from water splashing onto the dirt, you can put mulch on it," said one user. "Maybe ferns if they're gonna be in the shade all day."
Other suggestions included boxwood, inkberry, and hydrangea.
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