Switched to native plants in my Detroit backyard last spring and the difference is wild

I got tired of fighting with a lawn that needed constant water and fertilizer to stay green through July. Tore out 400 square feet of grass and put in wildflowers and shrubs that grow naturally around here. Has anyone else tried replacing their lawn with local plants and seen a big drop in water bills?

2 comments

2 Comments

betty_wells5d ago

Oh man, that monarch caterpillar thing is so cool! I live in the suburbs of Chicago and did a similar switch two years ago. My neighbor thought I was crazy letting the yard get "weedy" but now even he admits he sees more butterflies and birds hanging around. That messy look grows on you after a while when you realize it's actually alive out there.

lewis.terry5d ago

Did you notice if the birds or insects started showing up more? That was the unexpected part for me. I put in some Michigan goldenrod and butterfly milkweed and within a month I had monarch caterpillars all over. The finches went after the seed heads too. A normal grass lawn is basically a dead zone for wildlife. You get a lot more activity with native plants even if it looks a bit messy at first.