Listen to KYW Newsradio for a special edition of "Audacy Conversations: The State of the Environment."
PHILADELPHIA (KYW Newsradio) — All this week, KYW Newsradio and Audacy news stations around the country are taking a deep dive into the state of the environment. Today ... a groundswell of homeowners are reconceiving their landscaping, replacing the idealized suburban lawn with more sustainable native plants, grasses and shrubs.
Ann Best says, not only is it the right choice for the environment — it’s a lot easier for her, too.
“One of my main goals is to have less grass to mow,” Best said. “I’m really tired of mowing a quarter-acre of grass.”
She planted native trees and bushes throughout her Wallingford backyard instead of grass. Sustainable plants that are better suited to the region can help vital ecosystems thrive.
“I feel like it’s my responsibility. I can develop this into a natural area, so why not do it?”
Tyler Kruszewski, who works within the new gardening ethic taking root among homeowners, says the relationship host plants have with the environment shouldn’t be overlooked when designing a yard.
“A bee might be able to visit these daffodils and get a little bit of nectar from them, but if a bug laid their eggs there that’s from around here, those babies are just going to starve and not be able to survive,” Kruszewski said.
There are steps anyone can take toward a more ecological lawn without killing all of your grass, he says.
“If you already have non-native plants that your landscaper brought in, just start adding to it, adding native plants, filling in extra space, making everything more lush.”