A native plant restorationist posted a lawn transformation video that quickly gained attention and garnered praise for pointing out the benefits of native plants over monoculture grass lawns.
"This land never wanted to be lawn, it never asked to be lawn, and we freed it from the turf grass and replaced it with native wildflowers," the narrator says in the video by Birdsong Landscapes (@birdsonglandscapes) as the camera first shows bland, burnt strips of lawn and then the effects of replacing the grass with vibrant native plants and flowers.
@birdsonglandscapes lawn to wildflowers transformation near the road in a homeowner assoc. neighborhood #restoration #nativeplanttok #homegrownnationalpark #nativegarden #plantnative #nativebees #bumblebee ♬ original sound - Birdsong Landscapes
The video's caption explains that the transformation happened under a homeowners association, which have been known to prevent this type of landscaping, as many commenters on the post pointed out. Thankfully, this HOA didn't because, as the narrator explains, the change brings a boatload of benefits.
Among the advantages explained in the video are erosion control, no need to mow or use polluting gas on a frequent basis to maintain it, its beauty, and the fact it supports pollinators and countless other creatures.
"We've got the bumblebees going here," they say. "A lot of these smaller bees, they cannot fly more than about 300 feet in any direction, so they take what they can get, and these wildflowers are literally giving them life … supporting the food chain.
"... So, we've got to get rid of this lawn and replace it with these beautiful creations that should be here and want to be here."
Not only does native landscaping benefit the environment, but it also saves homeowners money on maintenance. According to the Environmental Protection Agency, outdoor water use in homes across the United States is nearly 8 billion gallons daily, mainly for landscape irrigation.
This is a huge drain on the planet and pocketbooks. You don't have to undertake a massive makeover to make a difference, either. Rewilding or replacing even a portion of your lawn, like the strips shown in this video, with natural lawn alternatives allows you to reap these benefits.
Commenters were delighted by the beauty and benefits brought about by the change.
🗣️ If you were to switch from a grass lawn to a more natural option, which of these factors would be your primary motivation?
🔘 Making it look better 🌱
🔘 Saving money on water and maintenance 💰
🔘 Helping pollinators 🐝
🔘 No way I ever get rid of my lawn 🚫
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
"This is such an important message!" one wrote.
"It looks SO MUCH better. Why don't people do this by default?" another asked.
"That's what I'm talking about!" one more said. "HOA's can get stuffed if they have a problem with such a gorgeous hell strip."
Join our free newsletter for easy tips to save more and waste less, and don't miss this cool list of easy ways to help yourself while helping the planet.
Cool Picks
