Making your dream garden can be daunting, but one person showed how they gradually transformed their yard.
GardeningGrant (@gardeninggrant) is a "Master-Gardener-in-Training" who shares tips for how to get the most out of your yard. In the past, they have shown their followers how to maximize perennials and keep invasive beetles at bay.
@gardeninggrant Progress Update on my project of converting my grass front yard to beautiful gardens. This is Year 3ish. This year it's been all about adding more native plants to my garden and establishing a few native ornamental trees (nannyberry, dogwood, eastern redbud, serviceberry). I also added a new path to try and create a cottage garden vibe in the city. I am still learning and keep moving things around as I see how they grow and look with the more established plants. Gardening is all about trial and error. Playing around with shapes, textures, bloom times. And I AM LEARNING SO MUCH! Thanks for following along ❤️ #gardenupdate #gardenhouse #gardenmakeover #planting #gardenproject #frontyard #pollinatorgarden #sustainablegardening #nativeplants #zone6b #beginnergardener #gardentour ♬ original sound - GardeningGrant
In one clip, they explained how they transformed their yard over several years. Starting with a basic grass lawn, they slowly added more and more gorgeous plants. The first year, they overhauled the existing garden bed along their house, adding plants such as hydrangea and phlox.
After that, they added a new garden bed each year, removing grass and planting a high percentage of native plants. In their most recent addition, they chose 80% native flora. They supplemented the garden beds with mulch and pathways, creating a lovely front yard oasis.
If you have the ability to modify your yard, it can be a beautiful and environmentally friendly choice. Growing native plants supports your local ecosystem. Your garden can provide food for native wildlife and sometimes reinvigorate rare habitats such as prairies.
Many people have worked to create gardens that pollinators and other critters can call home. According to a survey commissioned by the National Wildlife Federation in partnership with the National Gardening Association, "28 percent of U.S. adults are purchasing plants that are beneficial for native bees, butterflies and birds."
Many pollinators, including bees, have faced population decline due to habitat loss. The Associated Press reported that "the Northern Great Plains of the Dakotas and neighboring areas … lost about 629 square miles (1,630 square kilometers) of prime bee habitat."
Fortunately, efforts such as rewilding your lawn and planting natural yard cover can help combat these losses.
This gorgeous transformation was inspiring to many folks on TikTok.
🗣️ Which of these benefits is your biggest motivation in gardening?
🔘 Getting outside more 🌱
🔘 Growing healthy food 🥕
🔘 Making my yard beautiful 🏡
🔘 I don't garden 🚫
🗳️ Click your choice to see results and speak your mind
"WOW! There's so much life now. It feels so comforting and welcoming," wrote one person.
Someone else said this garden is what they are working toward: "I bought a house in June 2024, and this is my goal over the next few years. Slowly, but surely."
Another person added: "I love it. Wonderful job!"
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