One green-thumbed Redditor has ignited some helpful debate in r/NativePlantGardening after asking for advice on making their garden appeal to their condo neighborhood.
"I'm nervous a neighbor will complain to the HOA and I'll have to remove the plants," they posted. Attached were two images of a corner garden outside their home, full of tall stalks that naturally occur in their region, such as milkweed.
The concern is common — homeowners associations across the country have stood in the way of homeowners updating property in eco-friendly ways that could help save money, stifling both their wallets and local environments.
Fortunately for the original poster, this subreddit is full of people who ask questions, share their struggles, and celebrate their triumphs. They tasked the community with making their garden blend in and look like a traditional planted area to avoid getting flak. The advice?
"I would add shorter grasses and sedges by the edging, it will look more natural with the transition in height," one user commented, getting over 150 upvotes.
Many others agreed with a gradual height transition, the consensus being that the more intentional the space looks, the better the chances of it blending into the neighborhood.
Using additional decorations — stone borders, painted containers, and species tags — as well as planting in organized clusters were also called out for the same reason.
Another user noticed the plants in the images bloomed in June and July, similar to their garden, and spilled their unique strategy.
"Use 'traditional' garden plants ... in front to hide the mass of green stalks until they're blooming," they commented. "If you want to keep the garden 100% native plants the idea is the same: look for May blooming perennials."
They were confident that early bloomers could disguise the rest of the garden during times when it might receive complaints.
"These are plants that my neighbors immediately recognize, so when they view the garden at a glance it looks like a 'normal' garden space to them," they wrote.
Taking these steps to ensure native plants are accepted is a win-win. Gardeners can plant as they wish while promoting biodiversity, which is essential to a healthy environment.
Want to bring native plants into your home garden? There are tons of tips and tricks out there, plus plenty of inspiration. You can also check out this guide for help working with an HOA and changing rules for the better.
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