$50,000–$75,000 · 5 weeks
Pecan grove backyard, Seguin
Near the Guadalupe River, Seguin · finished 2025 · led by Jen Alvarez
Landscaping · from $8–$15 per sq ft
Garden beds and mulch in Seguin and New Braunfels
A good bed is mostly what you can't see: loosened soil, compost worked in, a drip line under the mulch and an edge that keeps grass out. Get those right and the plants do the rest. Skip them and you'll be weeding, edging and replacing plants every year.
We build new beds from scratch and rescue tired ones. For new beds we cut the shape, remove turf, break up compacted soil, add compost, set steel or limestone edging, lay drip, plant and mulch. For existing beds we pull weeds and failed plants, re-edge, fix the irrigation and top up mulch to 3 inches.
Who it's for
Who this is for
Homeowners whose beds have washed out, thinned or been taken over by Bermuda grass. New builds where the builder's beds are a strip of rock along the slab. Anyone who wants more planting and less lawn without redoing the whole yard.
Materials and options
Edging and mulch options
| Option | Look | Lifespan | Installed cost |
|---|---|---|---|
| Steel edging, 3/16 in | Thin, clean line | 20+ years | $14–$22 per linear ft |
| Cut limestone edging | Hill Country, solid | Permanent | $28–$45 per linear ft |
| Shredded hardwood mulch | Dark brown, natural | Top up yearly | $95–$130 per cubic yard |
| Native cedar mulch | Reddish, aromatic | Top up yearly | $90–$120 per cubic yard |
| Pea gravel or river rock | Clean, permanent | Rake yearly | $140–$200 per cubic yard |
What it costs
What garden beds and mulch costs
$8–$15 per sq ft
for new beds with prep, edging, drip and mulch (plants priced separately)
New beds cost $8 to $15 per square foot to build before plants, depending on edging and how much turf and soil work there is. Plants add $4 to $10 per square foot depending on size and density. Mulch refreshes on existing beds run $95 to $130 per cubic yard installed; one yard covers about 100 square feet at 3 inches.
Timeline
How long it takes
Most bed projects take one to four days.
- Site walk and quoteSame week
- Cut, clear and amend1–2 days
- Edging and drip1 day
- Planting and mulch1 day
- WalkthroughFinal day
How much mulch, and when
Three inches, kept a hand's width away from stems and tree trunks. Less than that and weeds come through and soil dries out. More than that and water can't reach the roots. We recommend topping up once a year in early spring, after cutting back grasses and perennials, so the beds look fresh going into summer.
Case study
Pecan grove backyard, Seguin
A flat half-acre under five mature pecans that held water for days, regraded with a French drain, new Zoysia, garden beds and a cedar fence.
Read the case study“We got 4 inches of rain in an afternoon in June and the yard was dry by the next morning. That alone was worth it. The dogs haven't gotten out once.”
Questions
Garden beds and mulch questions
Do you use landscape fabric?
No, not under planting beds. It blocks mulch from breaking down into the soil and weeds root into it from above within a couple of years. Good edging, 3 inches of mulch and a few minutes of weeding in spring do more.
How do you keep Bermuda grass out of beds?
Bermuda spreads by runners above and below ground. We dig it out of the bed area, install steel or limestone edging set at least 4 inches deep, and leave a mowing strip so the edge is easy to keep clean.
Can you just refresh mulch on my existing beds?
Yes. A mulch refresh includes weeding, re-cutting edges, checking drip lines and laying fresh mulch to 3 inches. Most refreshes take a day.
Where we build this most
Free · 45 minutes · no obligation
Start with a free site walk
Forty-five minutes on your property with a designer. You'll leave with honest numbers and a clear next step. A fixed-price proposal with a 3D render follows within two weeks.