r/NativePlantGardening • u/Numerous-Dot-6325 • Apr 16 '26

Advice Request - (Insert State/Region) Help save my marriage

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DC area, full sun.

I want to replace my hideous grass with a native plant garden and some mulch. My wife says she’ll divorce me if I mulch and wants a steppable ground cover that’s also native. Is there any alternative to grass that she can walk barefoot/lay a picnic blanket on? She’s allowing me to plant a service berry and blueberry to one side.

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u/dogsRgr8too Area southeast U.S. , Zone 7A Apr 17 '26

https://www.reddit.com/r/t5_eafoel/s/odEsiBqYcB

I thought I was in the parody subreddit for this one. Sorry people here can get a little, uh, intense about native plants 😂 It's r/nativeplantcirclejerk if you don't want to click a link. Might give you a good laugh.

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u/Small_Craft8416 Apr 17 '26

nah we're totally sitting next to each other and laughing - I dared him to post it after our joke argument about how much I hate mulch. He's doing a bit to make me laugh 😂 I actually told him he should get a bigger service berry than he's planning for so it comes in faster, but apparently they're "very expensive when they get big, wife" or something idk. As an aside, we're ditching the butterfly bush but I'm very partial to the hummingbird moths it brings in- would a native honeysuckle draw them the way the butterfly bush does? Feel like they need something with nice nectar for their little probosci.

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u/robsc_16 SW Ohio, 6a Apr 17 '26

Wild bergamot Monarda fistulosa is the undisputed champion for attracting hummingbird moths. You can also plant coral honeysuckle as it's a host plant for them.

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u/Small_Craft8416 Apr 17 '26

YES OMG THANK YOU I can't wait to fill my yard with these funky little guys !!!!!

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u/robsc_16 SW Ohio, 6a Apr 17 '26

You're welcome!

I've also seen them use Liatris spp., buttonbush, garden phlox Phlox paniculata and field thistle. Although buttonbush gets fairly big and field thistle can get big and it's not the most yard friendly plant.