Lawn projects for burgeoning gardeners and veteran horticulturists are changing for the better.
A BBC article dove into several "meadowscaping" projects in North America and detailed their exciting benefits.
For example, in Pennsylvania, Sara Weaner Cooper and her husband shunned a typical monoculture lawn in favor of a wild meadow. The project brought an abundance of color and drama to their yard, which is now a vital habitat for animals.
The Weaner Coopers grew native plants to cut down on maintenance time. Since these plants are well-suited to local soil and weather conditions, they can thrive with little attention and not as much water as grass slabs.
Meanwhile, Marc Johnson in Toronto, Canada, took inspiration from his research into how urban populations impact pollinator species to overhaul his typical lawn in favor of a flourishing meadow.
He created small pollinator gardens throughout his space, and he saw the difference almost immediately, with creatures turning up that weren't typically seen.
His efforts have helped boost the local ecosystem and support biodiversity, all while giving him a sense of pride.
"Imagine if half of an urban population took that view," Johnson told the BBC. "We could dramatically change our ecosystems for the better, making cities much healthier environments."
Slowly but surely, gardeners and landscapers are shifting away from the old, traditional lawns that have long dominated suburban and urban neighborhood landscapes and embracing native lawns, rewilding projects, and meadowscaping.
The beauty that results from these projects is often stunning, drawing in much-needed pollinators while returning real estate to a native, natural system.
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If you were to switch from a grass lawn to a more natural option, which of these factors would be your primary motivation?
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There's an obvious degree of upfront work, re-establishing ecosystems previously stripped away by modernization and industrialization. But the work pays off, as native lawns are very low-maintenance, require less water, and are stunning to look at.
Xeriscaping is another gardening method that's more popular in drier climes. It's a process of returning and nurturing drought-resistant native plants. Like more traditional native lawn projects, it decreases the need for water, conserving resources and thriving as it was meant to.
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