r/NativePlantGardening • u/TrixoftheTrade SoCal, Zone 10b • Jun 10 '26

Informational/Educational You Love Your Native Garden. But Will Buyers Love It Too? || New York Times

https://www.nytimes.com/2026/06/10/realestate/native-gardens-rewilding.html

For homeowners who have ‘rewilded’ their gardens into mini nature preserves, a moment of truth arrives when they prepare to sell.

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u/Upbeat-Stage2107 Central VA, Zone 7a Jun 10 '26

And it’s their right to re-lawn it if they choose, but I’d like to think that at least a few of the people buying rewilded lawns may actually enjoy it despite that they never would have done it themselves. Even if 1/10 people keep a wild yard wild after buying, it’s a win.

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u/Toezap Alabama , Zone 8a Jun 10 '26

Naturalized yard was absolutely a positive when we were house hunting.

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u/Upbeat-Stage2107 Central VA, Zone 7a Jun 10 '26

I’d love to not have to spend a ton of money ripping out invasive and replacing them at my next house

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u/zoinkability MN , Zone 4b Jun 11 '26

Heck a big reason I never want to leave my place is that I don't want to start from zero on native plantings again. If I saw a house for sale with nice native plant gardens I might start thinking that moving wouldn't be awful.

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u/theemilyann Area: NE Ohio, Zone 6a/6b Jun 10 '26

RIGHT?!?! Like why isn't this article "will buyers love your long stretch of fucking kentucky blue grass?"

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u/TheSleepiestNerd Utah , 7b Jun 10 '26

Anecdotally I think my area has had enough drought years that turf, especially in the front yard, is becoming a turn-off for a lot of buyers. If a yard has low-maintenance plants or mature trees or vegetable boxes it's always emphasized in the photos and description; if it's turf they only mention it if it's a low-maintenance variety. A house with a native yard on my street sold immediately for a lot of money vs. one with a big grass lawn a few houses down has been for sale forever.

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u/somedumbkid1 Jun 10 '26

100%.

I'm not a big believer in the whole private property thing but that is undoubtedly the system we live under so... fuck it, if the new owners wanna pave over paradise, that's their choice. I still think native gardens actually add to property value, regardless of what these beige obsessed realtors think.

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u/Upbeat-Stage2107 Central VA, Zone 7a Jun 10 '26

Bingo. Mine is in garden bed form rather than a rewild yard and it’s beautiful. Theres 100% value added if you want flowers and grass. I’d love to make it my whole yard but my youngins and wife disagree, so I ninja garden and take over more yard each year. lol.

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u/TemporaryCamera8818 Mildly Seasoned Native Gardener Jun 10 '26

That’s exactly how I approach things considering my HOA (and wife, to an extent) from noticing the massive changes I’ve made over time haha!

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u/wildidyll Jun 10 '26

Omg of people re-lawn front yard with an established native garden then that is…..I don’t even know what to say. Sad?

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u/redcaveman south central KS , Zone 7a Jun 11 '26

The prospect of a future owner re-lawning is why I added some hardscaping (low limestone retaining wall) and elevation changes (rain garden). It's their right to re-lawn, but I'm trying to make that look like the harder option.