Rewilding My Lot

This is how it all started. In February 2023 we took ownership of a newly built house in Seguin, Texas, USA and this is how the lot was landscaped by the builder.

The front yard was turfed with Bermudagrass sod, with two small Live Oak trees (variety unknown) and a bed near the house with standard landscaping plants. The house faces east.

Because we have a Home Owners Association (HOA), my plans for the front will stay within their design framework, but with modifications that should encourage wildlife and minimize water demands. By choice, there is no water sprinkler installed here.

We are fortunate to have one of the largest back yards on the development. It’s about 3,000 sq ft, and this is where I will spend most of my time. The back yard faces west and is mostly full sun, except for a little shading from the house in the morning.

And the soil… Oh my, this is going to need some work.

If there ever was healthy soil here before, it disappeared during the building process. Restoring health to this ground is going to take considerable time and effort, but it is a high priority for the strength of the plants and to prevent water runoff (with minimal organic matter, the soil is hard and not absorbent).

The deepest hole I have dug so far was 18 inches down. What I found was an inch or so of sand below the turf, then MANY stones, then a white/orange chalky substance. It was also a slow process — this hole for the Desert Willow tree in a 15-gallon pot took about 4 hours to dig.