Ecologist shares before-and-after photos after transforming their lawn into diverse native plant patch: 'This is so much better than grass'

One yard got a stunning makeover when a skilled ecologist replaced the dead front lawn with a blanket of native wildflowers.

Yard transformations are common on the r/NoLawns subreddit, but usually they're performed by homeowners feeling their way through the process with the community's help. This time, the before-and-after photos came from a professional ecologist specializing in this type of project.

"I am an ecologist who works with homeowners, teaching them how to manage their yards ecologically and incorporate native plants wherever possible," the original poster explained. They then shared photos of what they described as a "year two native wildflower front yard."

The original "before" photo shows a sloping lawn in front of a brick and white stone house. The lawn doesn't fit the beautiful home; the grass is patchy, with extensive yellow areas. There are also bald patches in the flower beds close to the porch.

The progress photos show a totally dead lawn, then a new mulch bed where the lawn used to be. It's edged with smooth river rocks and dotted with young plants, and more plants fill large pots along the walkway to one side.

In the "after" photo, the plants in the garden are well established, and several sport yellow or white blossoms.

"We have 28 species squeezed into just the area pictured, with many more throughout the rest of the property," said the original poster. "I know this is nowhere near its full potential; I'm just so proud of how well it's all coming back for year two!"

Trading a lawn for native plants like these has multiple benefits. Turf grass guzzles water in most climates in the U.S., but plants native to the area where they're planted are adapted to the local rainfall. That means they rarely need any extra water at all, saving you money and helping with water conservation. 

Native flowers also attract pollinators, which are healthy for gardens and natural areas alike.

Finally, unlike lawns, you never need to mow your native plants!

Commenters loved the new garden design. "This is so much better than grass!" said one user. "It's not like people would realistically use the grass there often. Instead, there's wonderful blooming native plants for pollinators and hosting caterpillars. What an upgrade! I love it!"

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