Turf grass lawn is dead — long live native plants!
That's how one Redditor could have summarized their post, as they shared with members of r/NativePlantGardening their decision to remove turf grass to create "a prairie garden" full of native plants. Full of native plants, and soon full of wildlife.
"I just wanna say thank you for everyone on this subreddit for the wealth of information you all hold," the poster stated. "Without it, I don't think I would have ever made the jump to ditch the grass and replace it with native plants."
It's a jump that is worth it, as the Redditor will conserve both time and money on lawn maintenance since native plants require less water and no chemicals but will also provide food and shelter to pollinators — which, in return, protect our own food supply.
Or, as Garden for Wildlife assures: "It's time that we rethink our obsession with manicured green spaces."
Some organizations go even further and say that "the lawn is an invasive species," like the Long Island Conservancy, which refers to "a European/Asian grass brought over by the first settlers to North America so that their livestock could feed on it."
Accounts of people reporting on the benefits of growing native plants rather than sticking to lawns are increasing.
In an opinion piece published in April, Debbie Hamrick, the founding publisher of FloraCulture International (FCI), explained that native plants were taking a greater market share of landscape plant sales for American consumers. And this is great news for biodiversity.
Why? Because native plants develop relationships with native animals that they can both benefit from.
🗣️ 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
And one U.S. state has understood that well: Utah is offering its residents up to $3 per square foot for removal of their unused turf.
Meanwhile, the Redditor's decision has sparked nothing but excitement from the online community.
"You should start seeing some more wildlife when everything starts flowering," a Reddit user commented.
"I am so excited for you. Ever since I transitioned my front yard into a native garden, I have seen a lot more wildlife," a second one explained. "I LOVE staring out my front window to see who is visiting."
The original poster could not be more anxious to see that, too.
"I hope I get lots of butterflies and bees!" they wrote. "I saw a huge swallowtail recently in my yard and I honestly can't wait to see some more!"
And another Redditor concluded: "This is worth a celebration!"
Ready to bring life back into your yard? If so, check TCD's guide here.
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