Even a little slab of concrete can become a flourishing pollinator garden if you replace it with some native plants. It can also make it less of an eyesore.
In a Reddit post on r/NativePlantGardening, a user shared a few photos of stunning flowers and plants that were growing bright and strong. These plants, all native to Mexico, where the original poster lives, were planted in an effort to reduce concrete and increase biodiversity.
In the post, the user explained that the houses in suburban Mexico are much closer together than in the U.S., and therefore there is little lawn space at all, most of which people cover with cement or tiles.
The Redditor wanted to use their small area for good and ripped up the concrete to instead plant native plants. The result was a beautiful patch of plants, as well as an increase in biodiversity, thanks to the fact that native plants support pollinators and insects.
"I drew inspiration from the mountain nearby to decide how the garden should look like. Overall I am happy to announce that besides feeding countless insects, this garden has turned into a successful breeding ground for at least two butterfly species," the OP wrote, noting that they saw monarch and bordered patch butterflies.
Planting native plant species is beneficial in many ways. In Mexico, native plants can be particularly helpful for monarch butterfly populations, which have a complex, multigenerational, migratory cycle that spans thousands of miles between Mexico, the U.S., and Canada, as per Audubon Mexico.
The migration cycle is described "as the most spectacular in the insect world," but it is struggling due to reductions in natural habitats, warming temperatures, and endangered monarch populations.
Considering this, small projects like creating a native plant garden or rewilding your lawn can make a big difference for important species like monarch butterflies, as well as other pollinators.
Commenters on the Reddit post were impressed and inspired by the success of the user's native plant patch.
"It's so pretty; thanks for sharing. I love seeing native plant gardens from other countries," one Redditor commented.
"You rule. Heck yea and thanks for sharing!" another said.
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