Now that I have been here a little more than a year, I am just as excited about my nature project as I was when I started in February 2023. I was not in a hurry to create a master plan immediately. There were some basic principles that I wanted to follow, and some early priorities to achieve, but I also wanted the land to guide me in how to develop it in a way that would be most welcoming to wildlife in this small urban (and HOA-regulated) environment.
In general, my goals are:
- to capture and conserve water,
- to improve soil health,
- to prioritize native plants,
- and to be an ambassador for nature in my community.
An approximate timeline for achieving those goals is:
- YEAR 1 (2023) – complete. Remove Bermudagrass behind the house; plant trees, native grasses, a few perennials, and a “green mulch” of annual plants; install pathways, a compost system, rain barrels, and a drainage swale; create a pollinator garden in front of the house, and an annual wildflower meadow in the front lawn.
- YEAR 2 (2024) – in progress. Experiment with a Three Sisters Garden, finish seeding of native grasses, plant milkweeds, define more perennial areas, install an ecosystem pond, replace the swale with a rain garden, plan shade seating, and reseed annual areas as needed.
- YEAR 3 (2025). Make adjustments to layout if needed.
Unpacking the overall goals in more detail:
- Capture and conserve water. By prioritizing the use of native plants, I am developing a garden that has low water needs and with deep roots that can help to retain water underground. If there should be surface water in heavy rain, a secondary capture system is the drainage swale (to be replaced with a rain garden in 2024), and only when that is full does excess water eventually exit to the street. Two 50-gallon rain barrels collect rainwater from the roof and are the primary source for supplemental water if needed (for new plants that are still being established, and in times of drought).
- Improve soil health. As a new developer lot, the soil here originally was extremely poor quality and it will take years to restore its health. I try to avoid having bare soil, using mulch or woodchip on places where there are no plants. Organic matter is added to the ground at every possible opportunity. Deep roots and insect activity help to aerate the soil. I compost as much as possible, some quickly in the composter and other things more slowly on the ground. When an annual plant has served its purpose for the season, it is given back to the ground in the form of mulch or compost. Some plants have been chosen because of their feature of fixing atmospheric nitrogen into the soil, e.g., bluebonnets, beans, clovers. Fungal and bacterial activities that enhance soil health are encouraged, and I add extra mycorrhizae when I plant new plants.
- Prioritize native plants. Plants that are native to this region, or well adapted without being invasive, will be key to my success. In particular, their role in conserving water means that my garden is resilient and even in times of extreme drought, my supplemental water needs are minimal. Some of the plants here I have planted or seeded, but others have arrived as volunteers. Once I have identified a volunteer plant, I have to decide if it stays or goes. If something other than Bermudagrass grows in my front lawn, if it is not a weed to me, and if it will tolerate mowing, it is welcome to stay. I have learned a great deal from my local chapters of (and the delightful people within) the Native Plant Society of Texas and Texas Master Naturalist.
- Be an ambassador for nature in my community. I live in an urban area alongside properties that are often maintained in the “traditional” way — i.e., manicured lawns, sprinkler systems, and plants that do not provide food or shelter for wildlife. I want to create a healthy ecosystem on my own property to counteract those traditions, support nature, and encourage others to try some of the things that I’m doing. So for instance, I have a “Pollinator Friendly Garden” sign in my front yard, and have made it known in my neighborhood group that I am pursuing a native gardening approach. I’m happy to share knowledge (and plants!) with those who are interested.
Following are photographs that show the current (early May 2024) status of some of the projects described above.
Wildflower meadow in front of the house
Pollinator garden in front of the house
“Green mulch” of annual plants
Short native grasses (Thunder Turf) along the fence line
Three Sisters Garden — corn, beans, squash
Desert Willow, my feature tree in the back yard that is currently 6 feet tall
And for comparison, here is what it looked like when it was planted a year ago, also 6 feet tall but a lot skinnier!
Rewilding My Lot 
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