I’d airate the soil so it’s not so compacted where its already bare, seed and water it some for the first year at least.
I’m not an expert though. Just shooting a suggestion.
CrunchyWeasel
I think you need trees. They’ll provide more variety in terms of shade, and will help you establish plants to not keep that soil bare. Ultimately, the reason you get weeds is because nothing is already present and able to compete.
Funktapus
/r/NativePlantGardening
Agree with another poster you should start getting some native trees established first. This is a big site with a lot of brutal sun.
Live Oak would be iconic as a centerpiece
There are some cool small trees and shrubs that could be planted around it like anacacho orchid tree, Texas persimmon, and Texas mountain laurel.
Once those are placed, you can fill in with wildflowers and bunches of ornamental grass.
Texas has some extremely beautiful native plants, I’m jealous of the possibilities here.
KeyCommunication8762
If you have lived there for a bit you know how you would use a yard. I bought a house in the Caribbean with 2 acres of old gardens. It was FULLY planted w shrubs and trees and you could only follow the grass paths between the beds. The garden had been neglected for years and that style of garden didn’t work for the family. My college age kids didn’t want to walk a path and “enjoy” looking at flowers. I created a water feature (pond), and a lawn area for the dogs and kids to run on and play volleyball etc. I also have an area for fruit trees and a vegetable/herb garden.
I started by hardscaping and moving existing plants into new places, then filled in the empty areas. If I were you I’d decide how I’m gonna use the space long term, plant trees and add whatever hardscaping you want.
I’m originally from Texas…I’d think about some sort of irrigation system for those hot summers. Or at least a few spigots spread about where you can have a hose and sprinkle at the ready.
And be patient. I thought I’d be done in a year. I’m almost 3 years in and the garden is almost “built”. Be mindful of what you will want to/have time to maintain long term. I switched from a lot of flower beds to flowering shrubs to keep long term maintenance reasonable.
One thing I did was create a couple of little “rooms”. Small seating areas in different parts of the garden. When the kids are all home everyone can be outside and have their own space to read or be on their phone. Think a couple of Adirondack chairs here and a hammock over there, etc.
Cakeminator
This isn’t a yard, but a field my dude.
I’d say split it up into sections. Get some trees too, fruit or no fruit, up to you. If you want to have a food garden get that as an area etc etc. I’d dedicate a good sized space to a “meadow” like area with wild flowers and such, for the bees
Upvoteexpert
I keep seeing people put it in ChatGPT so I tried yours. Here’s what it says:
Thanks for the photo! Based on your location in San Antonio, Texas (USDA Hardiness Zone 8b), you have a warm climate that supports a wide variety of fruit trees, edible plants, and native flowers. Here’s a conceptual layout to guide the design of your yard:
⸻
1. Fruit Tree Section (Back Perimeter)
Plant along the back and sides to maximize sun exposure: • Peach trees (e.g., ‘TexStar’, ‘June Gold’) • Fig trees (‘Celeste’, ‘Texas Everbearing’) • Pomegranate (‘Wonderful’ or ‘Texas Red’) • Plum trees (‘Methley’ or ‘Santa Rosa’) • Loquat (great evergreen fruit tree)
⸻
2. Edible Shrubs & Perennials (Mid-section)
Plant around or between trees: • Blueberries (need acidic soil; consider raised beds) • Blackberries (thornless varieties like ‘Natchez’ or ‘Apache’) • Rosemary (edible and drought-tolerant) • Thyme, oregano, sage (low-growing around borders)
⸻
3. Native Flower Beds (Front section/edges)
Use for pollinator attraction and aesthetics: • Purple coneflower (Echinacea) • Black-eyed Susan • Mexican Hat (Ratibida columnifera) • Milkweed (Monarch butterfly host plant) • Autumn sage (Salvia greggii)
⸻
4. Water Feature (Center or Corner Focal Point) • A small pond with a solar fountain or birdbath • Surround with river rock, lilies, and marsh milkweed • Attracts pollinators, birds, and frogs
⸻
Additional Tips • Add mulched paths for access • Use drip irrigation or soaker hoses for efficiency • Keep taller trees on the north side to prevent shading out sun-loving plants
Same place! I have trees covering my yard so a little different. When I got my yard it was all dirt too. The first fall I threw a ton of grass and native flower seeds. The second year a ton of native flower seeds. And for the most part it worked. My yard is now mainly grass and some generic flowers. I do have some spots that’ll die in the summer but I plan on going to a nursery and figuring out what plants are native to our specific area and will plant those. Idk if it helps but during the spring I keep my yards a little longer than normal. Trying to let it get nice and healthy before the summer comes.
I would definitely throw a cover crop down so you’re not walking on dirt and mud. Plus it’ll give you some time to find what plants you actually want.
8 Comments
Im in south texas san antonio
I like the look of [frogfruit](https://www.thespruce.com/frog-fruit-growing-guide-5115479), a full sun and drought tolerant native texas pollinator.
I’d airate the soil so it’s not so compacted where its already bare, seed and water it some for the first year at least.
I’m not an expert though. Just shooting a suggestion.
I think you need trees. They’ll provide more variety in terms of shade, and will help you establish plants to not keep that soil bare. Ultimately, the reason you get weeds is because nothing is already present and able to compete.
/r/NativePlantGardening
Agree with another poster you should start getting some native trees established first. This is a big site with a lot of brutal sun.
Live Oak would be iconic as a centerpiece
There are some cool small trees and shrubs that could be planted around it like anacacho orchid tree, Texas persimmon, and Texas mountain laurel.
Once those are placed, you can fill in with wildflowers and bunches of ornamental grass.
Texas has some extremely beautiful native plants, I’m jealous of the possibilities here.
If you have lived there for a bit you know how you would use a yard. I bought a house in the Caribbean with 2 acres of old gardens. It was FULLY planted w shrubs and trees and you could only follow the grass paths between the beds. The garden had been neglected for years and that style of garden didn’t work for the family. My college age kids didn’t want to walk a path and “enjoy” looking at flowers. I created a water feature (pond), and a lawn area for the dogs and kids to run on and play volleyball etc. I also have an area for fruit trees and a vegetable/herb garden.
I started by hardscaping and moving existing plants into new places, then filled in the empty areas. If I were you I’d decide how I’m gonna use the space long term, plant trees and add whatever hardscaping you want.
I’m originally from Texas…I’d think about some sort of irrigation system for those hot summers. Or at least a few spigots spread about where you can have a hose and sprinkle at the ready.
And be patient. I thought I’d be done in a year. I’m almost 3 years in and the garden is almost “built”. Be mindful of what you will want to/have time to maintain long term. I switched from a lot of flower beds to flowering shrubs to keep long term maintenance reasonable.
One thing I did was create a couple of little “rooms”. Small seating areas in different parts of the garden. When the kids are all home everyone can be outside and have their own space to read or be on their phone. Think a couple of Adirondack chairs here and a hammock over there, etc.
This isn’t a yard, but a field my dude.
I’d say split it up into sections. Get some trees too, fruit or no fruit, up to you. If you want to have a food garden get that as an area etc etc. I’d dedicate a good sized space to a “meadow” like area with wild flowers and such, for the bees
I keep seeing people put it in ChatGPT so I tried yours. Here’s what it says:
Thanks for the photo! Based on your location in San Antonio, Texas (USDA Hardiness Zone 8b), you have a warm climate that supports a wide variety of fruit trees, edible plants, and native flowers. Here’s a conceptual layout to guide the design of your yard:
⸻
1. Fruit Tree Section (Back Perimeter)
Plant along the back and sides to maximize sun exposure: • Peach trees (e.g., ‘TexStar’, ‘June Gold’) • Fig trees (‘Celeste’, ‘Texas Everbearing’) • Pomegranate (‘Wonderful’ or ‘Texas Red’) • Plum trees (‘Methley’ or ‘Santa Rosa’) • Loquat (great evergreen fruit tree)
⸻
2. Edible Shrubs & Perennials (Mid-section)
Plant around or between trees: • Blueberries (need acidic soil; consider raised beds) • Blackberries (thornless varieties like ‘Natchez’ or ‘Apache’) • Rosemary (edible and drought-tolerant) • Thyme, oregano, sage (low-growing around borders)
⸻
3. Native Flower Beds (Front section/edges)
Use for pollinator attraction and aesthetics: • Purple coneflower (Echinacea) • Black-eyed Susan • Mexican Hat (Ratibida columnifera) • Milkweed (Monarch butterfly host plant) • Autumn sage (Salvia greggii)
⸻
4. Water Feature (Center or Corner Focal Point) • A small pond with a solar fountain or birdbath • Surround with river rock, lilies, and marsh milkweed • Attracts pollinators, birds, and frogs
⸻
Additional Tips • Add mulched paths for access • Use drip irrigation or soaker hoses for efficiency • Keep taller trees on the north side to prevent shading out sun-loving plants
https://preview.redd.it/juerdcfz2yze1.jpeg?width=1024&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=877c32f64943980ad85ec9249d3aedff958a81c8
Same place! I have trees covering my yard so a little different. When I got my yard it was all dirt too. The first fall I threw a ton of grass and native flower seeds. The second year a ton of native flower seeds. And for the most part it worked. My yard is now mainly grass and some generic flowers. I do have some spots that’ll die in the summer but I plan on going to a nursery and figuring out what plants are native to our specific area and will plant those. Idk if it helps but during the spring I keep my yards a little longer than normal. Trying to let it get nice and healthy before the summer comes.
I would definitely throw a cover crop down so you’re not walking on dirt and mud. Plus it’ll give you some time to find what plants you actually want.