One homeowner on Reddit shared photos of their first year of progress in creating a lush native plant garden.
Native plants evolved to live in the area where they developed, so they've adapted to the rainfall, temperature, and soil conditions — making them the perfect low-maintenance choice for a garden. They're cheap and easy to keep because they don't need much extra water or chemicals, and many provide food for wildlife, including pollinators.
The r/NativePlantGardening subreddit is full of members who went from lawns and invasive plants to beautiful, beneficial natives — including this homeowner. "We bought our house a year ago, and it had a tiny yard that was mostly paved with concrete," they said. "We got the concrete torn up in February, laid a brick patio in March, and I've basically been out here since then planting natives and staring at them."
Their first photo showed an L-shaped yard surrounded by a wooden fence and almost covered in a single concrete slab. It also offered a glimpse into a neighboring property. "You might also notice a mass of bamboo on the neighbor's side of the fence in the first photo, which I got permission from the owner to dig up," the original poster said.
With the invasive bamboo and the pavement removed, the homeowner created an enchanting garden with a stepping stone path, a bird bath, and trellises. "The pots/raised beds are vegetables, and everything I've planted in the ground is native (with a few near-natives and a handful of thoroughly researched nativars)," they said.
By August, the yard was full of blossoming flowers, and the trees in the corners had filled in. A trellis made from two dead branches over the garden gate had vines growing and the vegetable garden was thriving.
Commenters congratulated the original poster on their beautiful results. "I love the tree branch trellis," said one user. "It's going to keep getting better and better every year."
"That is just amazing," said another commenter. "Great job."
As luck would have it, the original poster even connected with a neighbor through the post. "OMG you live down the street from me," said another Redditor. "I recognize that house with the boarded-up windows. I'm in the house with the chickens on Willow."
"OMG, hi neighbor!" the original poster replied, before making plans with the other user to visit in person.
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