$25,000–$40,000 · 3 weeks
Prairie front yard, New Braunfels
East of I-35, off Walnut Avenue, New Braunfels · finished 2025 · led by Jen Alvarez
Landscaping · from $9–$18 per sq ft
Xeriscaping in New Braunfels and San Antonio
Xeriscaping means designing a yard to need very little water. It doesn't mean gravel and three cactuses. Done well, a xeriscape is a planted yard: native shrubs, grasses and perennials that bloom from spring to frost, set off by decomposed granite paths, limestone boulders and a small patch of turf only where you'll use it.
In the Hill Country, xeriscaping is also the practical answer to watering rules. When your city drops to one sprinkler day a week, a yard on drip with drought-adapted plants keeps looking finished while the St. Augustine next door goes brown.
Who it's for
Who xeriscaping is for
Homeowners whose lawn died in a drought and who don't want to pay to replace it. Anyone with a high summer water bill. Lots with rocky, shallow soil where grass has always struggled, common west of I-35 in New Braunfels and across Boerne and Helotes.
It also suits second homes and lake houses at Canyon Lake, where nobody's around to hand-water in July.
Materials and options
Xeriscape materials, compared
| Material | Use | Pros | Watch-outs |
|---|---|---|---|
| Decomposed granite (stabilized) | Paths, patios, seating areas | Firm, permeable, Hill Country look | Needs 4 in compacted base and edging |
| River rock, 1–3 in | Dry creek beds, drainage paths | Moves water, doesn't wash out | Hot underfoot; not for walking |
| Limestone boulders | Accents, slope retention | Local stone, permanent | Need equipment to place |
| Native shrubs and perennials | Beds along house and walks | Bloom, habitat, low water | Need drip the first summer |
| Buffalo grass or Habiturf | Small lawn panels | Uses far less water than St. Augustine | Prefers full sun |
What it costs
What xeriscaping costs
$9–$18 per sq ft
installed, including turf removal, base, plants and drip
Most xeriscapes cost $9 to $18 per square foot installed. The low end is mostly decomposed granite and grasses; the high end is denser planting, boulders and a stabilized granite patio. A 1,500-square-foot front yard typically lands between $16,000 and $26,000.
Some utilities, including SAWS in San Antonio, have offered rebates for replacing turf with water-wise landscaping. Programs and amounts change, so we check what's current for your address before we price.
Timeline
How long it takes
Most xeriscape installs take one to two weeks on site.
- Site walk and design1–2 weeks
- Turf removal and grading1–2 days
- Base, edging and granite2–3 days
- Drip, planting and boulders2–4 days
- Walkthrough and scheduleFinal day
What we don't do
We don't lay landscape fabric under beds; it stops mulch from feeding the soil and weeds root into the top of it anyway. We don't use dyed red mulch or black lava rock. And we don't cover whole yards in rock, which bakes the house and the plants. Every xeriscape we build is at least half planted area.
Case study
Prairie front yard, New Braunfels
A dead St. Augustine front yard on blackland clay replaced with native prairie beds, a dry creek bed for the downspouts and three drip zones.
Read the case study“The water bill last August was about a third lower than the year before, and the creek bed handled the May storms without a drop on the walk. Neighbors stop to ask what the pink grass is.”
Questions
Xeriscaping questions
Is xeriscaping cheaper than sod?
Up front, no. Sod is cheaper to install. Over five to ten years, a xeriscape usually costs less once you count water, mowing, fertilizer and replacing grass after droughts.
Does a xeriscape need irrigation at all?
Yes, at first. Even native plants need regular drip watering for their first summer to grow roots. After that, most beds need water every week or two in summer and little in winter.
Will decomposed granite wash away?
Not if it's built right. We set it on 4 inches of compacted base, edge it in steel or limestone, use a stabilizer on paths and patios, and design slopes and drainage so water doesn't run across it.
Can my HOA stop me from xeriscaping?
Texas law prevents HOAs from banning drought-tolerant landscaping, but they can require approval and reasonable standards. We prepare the plan and plant list for your architectural committee.
Where we build this most
Further reading
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.