In just two years, one homeowner transformed their yard from a struggling lawn to a low-water paradise — and they decided to share photos online.
"Year 2 Progress," they wrote, sharing four photos of the journey.
Their first photo shows an ordinary lawn. There are several dead sections, and what remains is patchy, yellow, and dry.
In the second photo, the grass is completely gone. In its place are beautiful mulch beds surrounded by gravel borders. Stepping-stone paths wind through the yard, dividing artfully arranged beds of desert plants. The owner has added garden lights and even two new saplings.
In the third photo, which the original poster describes as the "end of year 1," the plants have gotten a foothold and a few yellow blossoms are visible. The fourth photo, labeled "the start of year 2," shows even fuller plants and a hint of purple blooms.
The homeowner's only complaint was that the border needed maintenance. "I need to do something about the rocks spilling onto the sidewalk," they said.
Turning dead grass into living, vibrant plants and well-planned landscaping will always improve the look of a yard. However, it also has several other benefits. Lawns guzzle water at an incredible rate, whereas drought-resistant plants rarely need to be watered at all — and only need a little help when they do.
That means homeowners can save money on their water bill, as well as saving the time it takes to water and care for the plants. The effect is especially strong with native plants, which are ideal for the local conditions where they evolved, but it can also be seen with low-cost lawn alternatives like clover.
At the same time, adding flowers to the yard is a major benefit for pollinators, including bees and butterflies. Since we rely on these tiny creatures to maintain our farms and gardens, any boost that home gardeners can give them is a win for people and the environment. Even a partial lawn replacement can bring about these benefits.
Commenters loved the transformation. "That looks beautiful, congratulations!" said one user.
Another Redditor had suggestions for dealing with the escaping gravel: "I put in larger sized river rock around the borders to keep the small rocks in. Works great."
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