Empty house's lawn sparks debate after neighbor shares photo online: 'Would love to live there'

When you're on a walk, it's fun to admire the lawns and gardens of the homes you pass. One Redditor took this a step further and posted a photo of a neighboring home, admiring their moss lawn. Don't worry too much about privacy; the house was unoccupied.

The picture shared to Reddit showed a cottage-like house with stonework and wooden shingles, but the Redditor highlighted the lawn. The caption of the post reads, "I also live on this lake and I've got a mix of clover, grass and moss, but I always find this (empty) house's all moss landscape to be impressive."  

The post was shared to r/NoLaws, a community of people "devoted to alternatives to monoculture lawns, with an emphasis on native plants and conservation." We couldn't agree more with the no lawns sentiment. Moss lawns, clover lawns, and xeriscaping are all great alternatives to grass lawns. 

Grass lawns are seen as traditional and required by some homeowners associations, however, in most cases, such yards are non-native grasses that require tons of water to maintain. One native plant advocate even showed that grass lawns may make your property hotter in the summer. 

Changing how you utilize your space can be a lovely way to have a positive impact on the planet and your local ecosystem. Alternatives to grass lawns can save you money on lawn maintenance and your water bill. Additionally, many types of nontraditional lawns will save you time, as they need to be mowed much less frequently. 

Moss also has benefits for the planet. According to Forbes, mosses "are actually superheroes when it comes to absorbing air pollution and could be an important ally in the fight against climate change."

Some commenters touted the benefits of moss lawns, while others simply loved the look of the house. One no-lawn advocate said: "Moss is the best! I have several large patches and I hope more keeps growing and spreading."

Another person said, "A witch totally lives there."

A third was not spooked at all: "I mow lawns for a living (lawn-free at home) and have several clients who would do well to just give up and let the moss win. Moss is so gorgeous and soft! If it's already doing better than the grass, why fight it? This place is beautiful, btw, would love to live there."

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