earth-wise guide to

Landscape
Design
The purpose of this fact
sheet is to provide back- Green Garden, Central Texas Style
ground information on Green Gardens come in many styles. They range from cottage gardens full of color,
creating a green garden for to soothing Zen gardens, to hot cactus rock gardens. Each of these styles can be
either the do-it-yourselfer created using a plant palette tailored to the unique conditions of the Central Texas
of for those working with a area, and more specifically, to the conditions in your own yard. An array of native
landscape professional and adapted plants makes a Green Garden a beautiful, earth-friendly landscape that
reflects the character of our local environment, and gives your yard and your com-
munity a distinct sense of place.
Benefits of a
Green Garden: In addition, Green Gardens require less water and are less prone to insect and dis-
• Reduce water usage ease problems and the need for chemical maintenance. Less chemical input reduces
• Reduce the need for pollution in our creeks and streams. By creating a Green Garden, you are helping
to protect Austin’s environment one yard at a time.
pesticides and fertilizers
• Lower the overall impact
on the surrounding
environment
• Provide wildlife habitat
• Preserve the look and
feel of Central Texas

Steps to a Green
Garden:
• Analyze conditions in
your yard
• Start with a plan
• Plant trees to
create shade
• Incorporate techniques
to keep water on
the land
• Select tough plants
Choose a style or design that
appeals to you (clockwise from
top left): The structural elegance
of sun-loving xeric plants or the
bright colors of a cottage garden,
a tailored formal yard or an
innovative rain garden.
 Optional Plan Layouts
Planning is... The Details:

...the evaluation of what you

already have in your landscape,
and the creation of a clear
road map to what you would
like to achieve. Begin with the
end in mind!

• Lifestyle - Think about how you use

your yard now, and how you would
like to use it in the future, so you
can design with those needs in mind.
Lawns can demand significant mainte-
nance (time, chemicals and water), so
minimize turf areas when possible
• Current Conditions - Evaluate
the current conditions in your
yard...where are the sun and shade?
What views would you like to hide or
enhance? How can you accommodate
difficult conditions such as steep slopes,
deer, problem soils or poor drainage?
• Seasons - Take into account the dif-
ferent seasons. For example, many
landscapes look great in spring, but
lack winter interest. Once identi-
fied, this problem is easily corrected
by adding a few interesting structural The Look:
plants or evergreens
• Budget - Realize that landscaping
can be costly. As a rough estimate,
allow for a budget of $3-5 per
square foot to be landscaped if you
are doing the work yourself. Then
create a budgetary timeline for
completion of your project
• Timing - Implement your plan in the
following sequence:
- Install hardscapes (sidewalks, paths,
edges, etc.) and underground irri-
gation system if desired. Installing
hardscapes after planting endangers
plants that are already in the ground
- Create beds before planting turf
- Plant trees and shrubs
- Install beds according to your own Taking photos may help you to better
priorities – complete them in the analyze your current conditions. Use tracing
order that is most satisfying to you paper over a “before” photo to outline exist-
ing features and then pencil in new plants
and beds. Incorporate plants of different
heights, structures and textures to add
2 aesthetic interest.
KEEP WATER ON THE LAND Gutter downspouts
With increased population growth and smaller
lots, much of our land is being covered with Direct downspouts to either
roadways, rooftops, parking lots and sidewalks a) vegetated areas rather than pave-
that do not let water soak into the soil. This ment to allow water to soak in rather
decreases baseflow (the constant flow in a than run off or
creek) while increasing the chances of flooding b) underground to a rain garden
and streambank erosion. The result is that
many creeks have excessive flow during heavy
rains and dry up shortly afterwards.
You can help both our waterways and your
drainage problems by incorporating some
“greenscape” techniques into your land-
scape plans.

Rainwater Harvesting a
b
By directing rooftop gutters to a rain
barrel, you can then use the collected
rainwater on areas of the land that most
need water.

Swale or “Dry Creekbed”

Installing a stone or grassed channel that
directs rainwater to an area of the yard
where it can be better absorbed.

Soils
At least 4 inches (and ideally 6-8 inches)
of organic topsoil should be added to help
keep nutrients and water on the land.

Berm
This could be a mound of earth
or a low stone wall. It is typically
at the bottom of a slope to help
retain water or prevent erosion.

Reminder: When you change

your landscape design, remember
to change your sprinkler system
as well!
 Cross Section: Rain Garden
Big Muhly Gregg’s Mistflower
Obedient Plant

Slope prior
to garden

Blend excavated soil Mound of

with sand or mulch excavated soil

Trees
Plant disease-resistant natives to
promote water retention, improve air
quality, provide shade and habitat.

Porous Pavement
An alternative to asphalt, porous materi-
als contain voids to encourage water to
infiltrate the land. Some options include
bark mulch, gravel, pervious concrete, paving
stones and tumbled glass.

Your Lawn As a Filter

Grass slows down water flow and
allows infiltration. Lawn does best in an
area that is nearly level and should not
be treated with chemicals in order to
reduce the potential for water pollution.

Rain Gardens
These gardens are designed to catch and store
rainfall for short periods of time and then dry
out; they can be filled with attractive plants
and often help solve drainage issues in the
yard. For details on rain garden design and
plant choices, see the following page and visit
www.growgreen.org/plants.htm.

Illustration adapted from the

Family Handyman, April 2007
Transition is... 2. The S
...the logical and efficient removed
neighbor.
way to convert your yard added to
to a green garden. For more plants an
information look for the An irrigat
installed a
Grow Green Installation and
Maintenace fact sheet 1. The original yard had a
typical suburban look – a
single row of shrubs near
the house and a large area
of St. Augustine grass.

5. The finished product

– a green garden with
textural and seasonal
variety for all to enjoy!

4
 e St. Augustine was
ed and donated to a
or. Enriched soil was
to maintain healthier
and to conserve water.
Step-by-Step Transition
gation system would be
d at this time.
3. Walkways and land-
scape beds were installed
to set the framework for
the yard.

4. Trees and plants

were placed to anticipate
growth and shade
 Design is...
... the arrangement of plant and
structural elements to satisfy
your landscape plan

Use graph paper to draw up your design,
and choose a scale of 1 inch =10 feet
(10 little squares per inch on your paper).
This scale is good for many residential size • Combination of evergreen and • Foliage color - if flowers aren’t in
projects, and using graph paper facilitates deciduous plants - having only ever- season it is possible to have a color-
the placing of plants when you are ready green plants creates a static, unchang- ful landscape using plants with differ-
for installation ing landscape, yet deciduous plants ent foliage color
often have no winter appeal. Use a
Consider the following in your design:
combination of both
• Plant Choice and Placement
- See the Grow Green Native and
Adapted Landscape Plant Guide for
plants that thrive in central Texas.
Copies are available at all Grow
Green nurseries or online at
www.growgreen.org
- Even native and well-adapted plants
can have differing water and drain-
age requirements. Choose mainly
drought-tolerant plants, and group
• Proportion - keep the size of your • Plant texture - coarse-textured them with others of similar needs
plants proportional to the house and plants have large sturdy leaves that - If you select a few more water-
environment around you, i.e., smaller stand still and silent; fine-textured needy plants, group them together,
plants for smaller spaces, larger plants plants have feathery leaves that dance and close to a source of water
for larger spaces in the wind. Use a combination for
added interest - Put the right plant in the right place
- shade-loving plants in the shade,
and sun-loving plants in the sun
- Pay careful attention to plant
spacing. Even the tiniest acorn
grows into a mighty oak. Plant
young plants according to their
adult space requirements to
minimize crowding, pest and
disease problems
- Design your yard to create more
shade. It is an excellent way to save
on water and cooling costs through
• Variation in height - an interesting • Seasonal interest - choose plants the summer months
design has a variety of plant heights, for interest in each season –
from groundcover underfoot to vines structure, berries and bark for
and trees overhead winter, flowers and foliage for the
other seasons

Plants to Avoid - Avoid invasive plants that escape from yards to take over natural areas.
They choke out native species and upset the balance of the surrounding ecosystem. For a list of earth-
wise plants, look for a copy of the Grow Green Native and Adapted Landscape Plant Guide,
or check the web at www.growgreen.org
 Central Texas Fall Obedient Plant
Frog Fruit Alternative: Spring Obedient Plant
Alternative: Horseherb Rain Garden
Plants

Gulf Muhly
Alternative: Black-eyed Susan
Inland Sea Oats Alternative: River Fern

Big Muhly
Alternative:
Gregg’s Mistflower Indian Grass
Alternative: Brazos
Penstemon

KEEP DIRT AND MULCH OUT OF THE

STORM DRAIN!
Soil is one of our most common pollutants. Bare dirt can
erode during rainfall and travel to our creeks, clogging
waterways, damaging fish gills and carrying chemicals with it.
Solutions:
• Plant or mulch any bare soil
• Stabilize eroded areas as needed
• Install erosion controls if you are doing construction
or landscaping projects For a landscape design template that fits your
Caution: If you mulch a sloped area, make sure to contain needs and style, visit www.growgreen.org and
any loose materials with edging so a heavy rain doesn’t wash click on Landscape Design!
it away.

www.growgreen.org
Become a Backyard Habitat
Austin is one of America’s first Wildlife Habitat Communities!
Learn how to certify your yard by visiting the
National Wildlife Foundation website at 512-974-2550
www.nwf.org/backyard/

512-854-9600
03/16