By: Kevin Zhou

Have you ever looked at a perfect, weedless lawn? Maybe you have noticed that our understanding of a perfect lawn only focuses on one type of plant! This plant, grass, does not support that many animals. Having only one plant may also be very plain. Having a more diverse landscape can be beneficial to both us and the animals.

One way to get a more diverse lawn is by planting native plants. The plants may seem like weeds to you, but they are actually plants that belong in your area or state. Because of this, they will help the native animals, and they will also grow much healthier, as they are growing in their native soil. If you think doing this may increase the number of insects in your backyard, you do not have to worry. The food web will not let that many insects be in your backyard. By planting native plants, you can help nature a lot, as this can complete the native food chain.