San Marcos couple wins Yard of the Month with drought-tolerant garden

Tara and Wes Grumbles of San Marcos, Texas, have been awarded the September Yard of the Month for transforming a traditional grass lawn into a drought-tolerant landscape. The project, which began in 2023, involved removing grass and improving clay soil with organic compost and mulch to create a low-water garden.

The new landscape utilizes rock, flagstone, cacti, and succulents alongside a variety of Texas native and non-native plants, including salvia, Texas lantana, and agave. The garden has become a habitat for pollinators such as honeybees, monarchs, and pipevine swallowtails, as well as a nesting mourning dove.

This transition to xeriscaping or native planting offers benefits for homeowners facing drought and high temperatures, including reduced water usage, lower utility bills, and decreased need for fertilizers and mowing.