One gardener just showed Reddit the simple yet profound change they made in their yard by switching out their ordinary lawn for local native grass species.
Lawns have become controversial in recent years, leading to the birth of communities like the r/NoLawns subreddit where this post appeared. While many still cling to the tradition of flat, manicured turf grass, opponents point out the huge amount of time, water, and money wasted on growing what are usually non-native plants in environments that aren't hospitable to them.
This Redditor, though, found a way to have the best of both worlds. They posted two photos of their yard three years ago versus now.
The "before" image was nothing unexpected — a simple lawn surrounded by a picket fence.
The "after" shot looked like another world — and not just because it was taken under a flaming orange, stormy sky with a hint of a rainbow in the distance. Much of the grass had been removed to make way for a vegetable garden and some xeriscaped beds designed to save water. The grass itself showed only a subtle change — yet it might have been the most significant one of all.
"There's still grass, but it's now a native mix," the original poster said. In a comment, they explained further: "The grass is a native blue grama/buffalograss mix which barely requires any supplemental water. We haven't watered it once this year."
That's a common experience for homeowners who make the change to native plants. Companies like Yardzen can help owners choose the species that are perfect for the local growing conditions.
Despite shutting off the sprinklers, this Redditor's grass was actually healthier, thicker, and greener in the "after" photo. That's because native plants are adapted to the local climate, including the amount of rainfall usually seen in the region. Instead of playing the Goldilocks game of keeping the lawn moist without overwatering, all the original poster had to do was let the grass do its thing.
According to the Redditor, the grass doesn't even need as much maintenance as their old lawn. "Do you mow the buffalo?" one user asked. "Every once in a while," the original poster replied. "It looks really nice grown out with the seed heads blowing in the breeze."
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