“Every animal of the forest is mine, and the cattle on a thousand hills. I know every bird in the mountains, and the insects in the field are mine.” Psalm 50.
Do we respect God’s Creation, the plants and animals that were created for this land long before we came here? Let’s be humble, leave a piece of our yard wild, and observe.
Will it overgrow with weeds? Yes, and that’s good! Eden wasn’t paved with turf either. Who are we to say which part of Creation is undesirable? The little native forbs, flowers and grasses nurture bugs, bees and butterflies, and your yard will buzz like a little paradise.
Worried about what your lawn guy will say? Don’t worry, this can be a win-win situation. Ask them to install native Florida plants and keep invasive weeds out! That way you get natural beauty as the Creator intended, and your yard maintenance people will be plenty busy with an exciting new job.
This is not a new idea. In England, Churches beautify their cemeteries by wild vegetation and call them the God’s Acres. Cities are opting for low-maintenance natural meadows instead of turf. In New England, the Homegrown National Park movement for backyards habitats is gaining momentum.
This billboard will soon be on a Highway (tbd) in North Florida.
