Ground-Up Landscape Build on a Modern DFW Estate
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Service
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Landscape Installation
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Location
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Southlake, TX
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Style
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Full Property Buildout
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Property Type
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Residential
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Build Type
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New Construction
A ground-up landscape installation on a contemporary new construction estate with significant elevation change. Our crew managed grading, drainage, irrigation, hillside sod, terraced planting beds, desert-modern softscape, concrete flatwork, and pool-area coordination — all built from raw dirt on a sloped property. Landscape plan by Blount Designs.
A new construction landscape build on a contemporary estate with real elevation across the property. The home's modern architecture called for a landscape to match — clean lines, desert-inspired plantings, gravel and rock media instead of traditional mulch beds, and expansive sod on graded slopes. Landscape plan by Blount Designs. Key elements included:
Grading: Full property graded to manage a significant natural slope — establishing proper pitch for sod establishment, drainage flow, and stable base for all flatwork and terraced beds.
Sod on Slopes: Extensive sod installation across hillside lawn areas, requiring careful grading, soil prep, and irrigation planning to prevent washout and ensure root establishment on angled terrain.
Terraced Planting Beds: Multi-level steel planter beds built into the hillside, each filled with gravel media and planted with desert-adapted species — yucca, agave, ocotillo, rosemary, and juniper — for a xeriscape-forward look with year-round structure.
Softscape and Rock Work: Crushed gravel beds, volcanic lava rock boulders, and dark crushed stone replace traditional mulch across the front foundation zones. Blue steel container planters with agave specimens anchor the entry.
Irrigation: Multi-zone system designed for mixed plantings — low-water desert species on drip alongside high-demand sod zones, each calibrated independently.
Concrete Flatwork: Two-tone driveway and entry walkway with dark banded accents, circle drive, and curved concrete pathways through the lawn — all poured with smooth trowel finish and sealed.
Tree Installation: Deciduous specimen trees placed at the entry and along the home's facade, with evergreen and ornamental species layered into the terraced beds and perimeter.
Challenges and Solutions
Grading a Sloped Lot: Unlike flat DFW properties, this estate required engineered grading to establish stable planes for sod, flatwork, and planting beds — every surface pitched to move water downhill without erosion.
Sod Establishment on Hillsides: Sod on a slope wants to wash out before it roots. Proper soil prep, grading, and immediate irrigation scheduling were critical to keep everything in place through the first establishment period.
Irrigation for Opposing Needs: Desert plantings in gravel beds and sod lawns on the same property require completely different water volumes. Drip zones for xeriscape species had to be isolated from high-output sod zones to avoid overwatering one or starving the other.
Building on Raw, Unfinished Ground: No existing landscape to reference — every grade, drainage path, and utility route established from scratch while coordinating with active home construction trades still on-site.
Terraced Bed Drainage: Each steel planter level needed its own drainage path to prevent water from pooling in the gravel media and drowning root systems — especially important for desert species that don't tolerate standing moisture.
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