Slowly but surely, native lawns are growing in popularity, taking the place of monoform or monoculture lawns, bringing nature’s boon with it.
A recent observation, posted in the r/NativePlantGardening subreddit, is testament to this, and it’s nothing more than a short clip of a bee (possibly a Florilegus) returning to the ground with “pollen pants” big enough to elicit a “wow” in the comments section.
Why is the bee important? Well, pollinators are one of the most important gears in the complex machinery of life and food cycles.
Plant reproduction, food production, ecosystem health, and environmental stability are all owed to pollinators, without whom none of these could take place.
That’s where native or natural gardens and lawns come into play. Natural lawns are beacons of welcoming light for pollinators of all kinds.
These lawns typically contain a variety of plants that bloom at different times. They are robust and healthy in their zones, including buffalo grass in USDA Hardiness Zones 3-9 and prairie clover in Zones 3-8.
Blue grama, wild strawberry, sedges, creeping phlox, and self-heal are a few varieties that beautify a lawn and thrive in their natural environments.
These environments are tailored to the needs of pollinators — so long as chemical pesticides are out of the picture. Plus, native lawns drastically cut the need for draining water resources, are very low-maintenance and low-energy, and reduce caretaking costs.
According to a National Gardening Association survey, 1 in 3 U.S. adults actively purchase plants to assist wildlife, with 19% (a 10% increase in less than two years) switching at least a portion of their lawns to native landscapes.
It’s a growing trend and a positive one that works in everyone’s favor. While monoculture lawns are restrictive, native lawns are vibrant and diverse, offering more to selective pollinators looking for a place to call home.
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The post’s responses reinforce this trend.
“Awesome!” one person wrote. “I had a Golden Northern Bumble Bee in my garden today! I love just hanging out and trying to spot all the different kinds.”
Another user commented, “She had to widen that entrance to her tunnel because her pollen pants were so big!”
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