Homeowner stuns internet with before-and-after photos revealing amazing landscaping revamp: ‘This has been my dream’
One homeowner took advantage of the unused space where their lawn met the forest to create an extraordinary “woodland edge garden project.”
Like many other homeowners in r/NoLawns, this Redditor said they struggled with removing an invasive plant before they were able to start their garden with the flowers they wanted. They shared a “before” photo after clearing the ground.
“I cut down and killed all the large honeysuckle here and I solarized the area with a black tarp for the better part of the summer. I then sowed a seed mix in winter,” they said.
They then shared a progress shot from two years later — a night and day difference from the bare dirt and dead grass in the first image. A gorgeous mix of pink and yellow flowers grows in a tangle so thick, you can barely see the trees behind it.
“I spent the first year cutting everything back to about eight inches in height,” they said. “I had tons of bee balm, black-eyed Susans, and purple coneflowers this year.”
They also shared closeups of the wildlife, proving that their flowers were feeding local pollinators. “Hummingbird clearwing moths were all over the bee balm!” they said, sharing a photo of a huge moth with a fuzzy body and red-edged wings that could easily be mistaken for a bird. “The butterflies loved them too!”
Several commenters wanted to do the same with their yards.
“This has been my dream since we moved into our house,” said one user. “We have about 10 feet between our fence and the neighboring pasture, and I’d love a wildflower ‘border’ on that part of our property. My biggest struggle has been getting rid of the existing growth, so I appreciate your notes about how you achieved this!”
Removing tough invasive plants like bamboo and English ivy is an ongoing problem for gardeners across America. One low-cost and pesticide-free way to clear the ground is with goats.
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