That chat with my neighbor about native plants changed my whole backyard plan

My neighbor Dave saw me digging up a patch of grass last Saturday. He asked what I was planting. I said some generic flowers from the big box store. He just laughed and told me I was wasting my money. Said those plants would die by August here in Texas. He pointed at his yard full of wild looking stuff. Called it native landscaping. Said he waters maybe twice a month total. I spent $85 on those flowers too. Now I'm looking at his yard and he's got bees and butterflies everywhere. Has anyone switched over to native plants and seen a big difference in their water bill?

3 comments

3 Comments

haydenhayes1d ago

My neighbor tried the same thing with me last spring.

danielowens16h ago

I read that native plant roots go way deeper than grass so they handle drought way better.

ray6131d ago

That thing about generic flowers dying by August hit home for me, @haydenhayes. My neighbor had the exact same conversation with me two years ago, except I was stubborn and planted my annuals anyway. They were crispy by late July. I switched over about 60 percent of my yard to natives the next spring and honestly, the water bill dropped by maybe 30 bucks a month during the hottest months. The other thing I noticed was way less work - I'm not out there every weekend fighting with sad plants. Your mileage may vary based on your soil and how much sun you get, but for me it was a no brainer once I saw how little maintenance Dave's yard needed. Just keep in mind it takes the first season for the roots to really settle in, so don't panic if things look small at first.