Austin Outdoor Transformation

A Complete Outdoor Transformation.

A longtime Houston client called after moving to Austin and asked if I would make the trip to help transform their new property. The goal was to create a beautiful, water-conscious landscape suited to the Texas Hill Country while addressing the property’s natural slope, drainage, and runoff. From drought-tolerant plantings and seasonal color to a natural stone riverbed, bluestone patio, specimen trees, and landscape lighting, the project evolved into a complete outdoor transformation designed around both the property and the way the homeowners wanted to enjoy it.

Designed for the Hill Country

Austin’s hot summers and limited watering schedules made water conservation an important part of the design. The property’s natural slope also meant drainage and runoff had to be incorporated into the landscape rather than treated as an afterthought. A natural-looking riverbed, built with large moss rock boulders and multicolored New Mexico river rock, became both a functional drainage feature and a major visual element of the landscape.

Transforming the Outdoor Living Space

One of the homeowners’ primary goals was to transform the existing stamped-concrete patio into a more refined outdoor living space. Overlaying the patio with natural bluestone gave the area an entirely new character while connecting it visually to the stone, planting, and natural materials used throughout the landscape.

A View Worth Looking Out On

From her office at the front of the home, the homeowner wanted to look out onto something beautiful throughout the day. The planting design brought together colorful perennials, drought-tolerant plants, Japanese maples, red oaks, and other carefully selected material to create layers of color, texture, and seasonal interest while remaining mindful of Austin’s watering limitations.

Five Years Later — An Encore

Five years later, the homeowners called me back as their property continued to evolve. With a newly built backyard office creating another way to use the property, we returned to design and build an elevated seating area and connecting walkway. The new space was designed to feel like a natural extension of the landscape we had created years earlier, carrying the same materials, character, and attention to detail into the next chapter of their outdoor space.

From working together years earlier in Houston, to their move to Austin, to returning again for the Encore phase, this project reflects the kind of long-term client relationships I value most. As their property and needs evolved, so did the landscape—each new phase building naturally on what came before.