The outdated notion of a perfectly picturesque and meticulously mowed lawn covered in commercial grass is dying out in favor of natural lawns filled with native plants and pollinating wildflowers.
These days, the r/gardening subreddit is continuously filled with stunningly beautiful photos of home gardeners transforming their yards back to the way nature intended.
For example, one Redditor shared photos of a lovely front yard display and described it as "low budget, mostly seed grown, mostly native front lawn turned garden 10 weeks after planting."
The before-and-after photos show how the plants have bloomed and are thriving with vibrant colors and lush foliage.
The original poster explained that the lawn died in the 2023 drought and that planting flowers sounded like a better idea than buying sod to replace it. Among the new plants are shrubs, grasses, creeping phloxes, goldenrods, and swamp milkweed.
"With the exception of one preexisting plant, everything is native to the eastern half of the U.S., and the majority can be found in southeast Texas," the gardener wrote.
Not only are the plants native to the region, but they also save the gardener a lot of money. The average cost to lay sod is $800 to $10,000, depending on your lawn size and sod type.
"Most of the plants growing, I grew from $50 of seed," the gardener revealed.
And the cost savings go far beyond the initial investment in plants.
Switching to a natural lawn helps you conserve water, save time from mowing, and reduce your exposure to fertilizers and pesticides. Wild yards make excellent habitats for pollinators, attract beneficial wildlife, and allow nature to run its course to benefit your wallet and the environment.
"Fantastic job!" one Reddit user commented on the post.
Another Reddit user wrote: "This is amazing!"
"Very well done," commented another Redditor. " It's really pretty and well-designed."
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