Pflugerville Xeriscape

The Challenge · Pflugerville

Dead turf. Expansive clay.

14 Native Species · Zero Irrigation

A treeless suburban lot in Pflugerville with 2,800 square feet of dead St. Augustine grass baking on expansive clay soil. No shade canopy. No drainage plan. No irrigation system worth saving. The homeowner wanted zero lawn maintenance and lower water bills — permanently.

The brief: strip every square inch of dead turf, re-grade the entire lot for proper surface drainage away from the foundation, and replace it all with a curated native Texas xeriscape that requires zero permanent irrigation, zero chemical fertilizers, and zero weekly mowing. Every bed transition defined by steel. Every pathway crushed stone.

Where most contractors would lay fresh sod over the same failing clay and call it a day, Red Agave removed every blade, corrected the grade, and installed a 14-species native botanical palette designed to thrive on Central Texas rainfall alone. Decomposed granite pathways weave through boulder groupings and specimen agaves. COB uplights bring the entire composition to life after dark.

Native Texas xeriscape bed with Whale's Tongue Agave and Mexican Feathergrass behind mild steel edging — Pflugerville TX — 01 · Native Botanical Palette14 species / zero irrigation

Decomposed granite pathway with hand-set limestone boulders and steel edging transitions — Pflugerville TX — 02 · Decomposed Granite18 tons / Texas Tan

COB uplights illuminating specimen agaves and Yucca rostrata along decomposed granite pathway — Pflugerville TX — 03 · COB Accent LightingCRI 90+ / 2700K warm

Design Solution

Native xeriscape. Not sod.

Full xeriscape installation with decomposed granite pathways and native plantings on re-graded lot — Pflugerville TX

Mild steel edging defining bed transitions between decomposed granite and native planting beds — Pflugerville TX

Botanical · 01 Xeriscape System 14 Species · Zero Irrigation 2,800 sq ft of dead St. Augustine turf removed and hauled. Full lot re-grade for surface drainage away from the foundation. 14-species native Texas palette installed over amended beds — Whale’s Tongue Agave, Blue Glow Agave, Artichoke Agave, Flame Acanthus, Mexican Feathergrass, Gulf Muhly, Yucca rostrata, and more. Zero permanent irrigation — hand-watered establishment only for 6 weeks.

System Details

Native Botanical Palette

—Whale’s Tongue Agave (Agave ovatifolia), Blue Glow Agave, Artichoke Agave (Agave parryi)
—Flame Acanthus, Mexican Honeysuckle, Turk’s Cap, Purple Coneflower
—Autumn Sage, Mexican Bush Sage, Blackfoot Daisy
—Mexican Feathergrass, Gulf Muhly, Lindheimer Muhly, Yucca rostrata

Steel Edging System

—340 linear feet of 1/4-inch mild steel edging ($6/lf)
—Defines every bed-to-pathway transition
—Natural rust patina — zero maintenance finish
—Clean geometric lines separating granite from planting beds

Decomposed Granite Hardscape

—18 tons decomposed granite (Texas Tan) at $55/ton
—Pathways weave through boulder groupings and specimen plantings
—8 hand-set limestone boulders (200–400 lb each)
—Permeable surface — zero stormwater runoff concerns

COB Accent Lighting

—12 COB uplights (CRI 90+, 2700K warm-white)
—Independent zones for specimen plant illumination
—ESP32 micro-controller running WLED firmware
—App-based scene control — warm ambient via smartphone

Takeoff / Pflugerville

The blueprint.

01 / Site Prep

Turf Removal + Re-Grade

2,800 sq ft dead St. Augustine removed
Full turf haul-off and disposal
Complete lot re-grade for surface drainage
Drainage directed away from foundation
Expansive clay soil amendment
Bed preparation for native plantings

02 / Hardscape

Steel + Granite + Stone

340 lf 1/4" mild steel edging ($6/lf)
18 tons decomposed granite — Texas Tan ($55/ton)
8 hand-set limestone boulders (200–400 lb)
Pathway routing through boulder groupings
Permeable surface throughout
Clean geometric bed transitions

03 / Botanical + Lighting

14 Species + COB

Whale’s Tongue, Blue Glow, Artichoke Agave
Yucca rostrata specimens
Gulf Muhly, Lindheimer Muhly, Mexican Feathergrass
Flame Acanthus, Sage, Daisy, Coneflower
12 COB uplights (CRI 90+, 2700K)
ESP32 WLED controller — independent zones

Feature / System	Material Specification	Quantity / Rate
Turf Removal	Dead St. Augustine — Full Strip + Haul	2,800 sq ft
Steel Edging	1/4" Mild Steel Edging	340 lf @ $6/lf
Decomposed Granite	Texas Tan DG — Pathways + Beds	18 tons @ $55/ton
Limestone Boulders	Hand-Set Natural Limestone (200–400 lb each)	8 boulders
Native Botanical Palette	14-Species Native Texas Mix — Zero Irrigation	14 species
COB Uplighting	CRI 90+ / 2700K + ESP32 WLED Controller	12 fixtures / independent zones

Location

Pflugerville

Build Time

9 Days

Execution

100% In-House

Turf Removed

2,800 sq ft