Even if you live in a big city, you can still turn your yard into a colorful garden paradise full of life.
One novice gardener in Philadelphia took to the r/NativePlantGardening subreddit to share updates on their "second-year urban native plant garden," as they said in the caption.
"Sharing pictures of my lil itty bitty Philly yard turned native plant extravaganza. Everything is native (except maybe a blackberry?) that's planted in the ground (I took a little liberty with the delphinium in the plant boxes, too, lol)," they said in the post.
"My yard is in an urban area, and it's so cool to see the bees and pollinators show up from what seems like out of nowhere! (Also, the pests do the same thing: looking at you Japanese beetles). Life is everywhere!" they added.
They added four photos of their garden, which was bursting with life and many varieties of flowers. In the comments section, they said they'd planted about 25 different plants and herbs, such as anise hyssop, Virginia mountain mint, oxeye sunflower, and pawpaw trees.
All the plants are strategically placed in their small front yard garden, complete with a decorative picket fence, a bird feeder, and a sign that says, "Home is where the garden is."
In some photos, you can see their neighbor's plain grass yards, which one commenter noted "look so boring and lifeless in comparison."
You might think it's difficult to start a vibrant garden like this, but it just takes some patience and trial and error, as the OP explained. Native lawns offer many benefits for your wallet and environment, aside from adding color to your neighborhood.
You can save hundreds of dollars annually on lawn maintenance and water bills by rewilding your yard, since native lawns are better adapted to the environment.
They're also great for attracting pollinators, which benefits humans since they support our food supply. Replacing even part of your yard with low-maintenance plants, such as clover or buffalo grass, can benefit the ecosystem.
"You have a knack for this; looks full but controlled, very pretty," someone complimented.
"Love this so much! It looks beautiful. I also love how quickly creatures show up when we help support the ecosystem rather than destroy it!" another added.
"So cute and colorful! I love your decor! Maybe some of your neighbors will be inspired to follow suit," one user shared.
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