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Garden design plans
A scaled planting plan drawn for your lot, your sun and your soil, with a plant list you can install yourself or hand to us.
From $650
Details
Killeen, TX · Native & drought-smart landscapes
Yards that belong to Central Texas.
Mahamai designs, plants and cares for native gardens across Bell and Coryell County. Landscapes that handle August heat, shallow limestone soil and summer watering limits, and still look good from the curb.
Call us254-628-1438
Hours (CT)Mon–Fri 8–6 · Sat 9–2
Why go native
Less mowing. Less watering. More birds.
Most yards around Killeen were built for St. Augustine grass, which spends every August asking for water it can't have. Plants that evolved here don't ask.
- Built for 6 inches of soil over limestone. We choose plants that root into rock and caliche instead of fighting it.
- Water once it's established, not every day. Most native beds need a fraction of what turf uses after the first year.
- Habitat you can watch from the porch. Monarchs, hummingbirds, painted buntings and native bees.
- Neat enough for the HOA. Clean edges, repeated plants and evergreen structure, so it looks designed, not abandoned.
What we do
Six ways we help a yard settle in
Every project starts with a site visit. From there you can take a plan and run with it, or have us handle planting and care from start to finish.
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Lawn-to-native conversions
We remove tired turf, amend where it matters, and replace it with layered native beds and small, useful patches of buffalograss.
Quoted per project
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Dry creek beds & drainage
Limestone and river rock channels that move storm runoff away from your foundation and look good when it is dry.
Quoted per project
Details
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Pollinator & wildlife gardens
Nectar plants, host plants and bunch grasses chosen for monarchs, native bees and the birds that move through Bell County.
Quoted per project
Details
05
Shade gardens & patios
For the yard under a big cedar elm where nothing seems to grow. Turk's cap, inland sea oats and flagstone that stays cool.
Quoted per project
Details06
Seasonal care plans
Cut-backs, mulching, weeding and a walk-through every visit, so the first year goes well and the garden matures the way it should.
From $135 / visit
DetailsHow it works
From bare dirt to first bloom
A typical front-yard project takes four to eight weeks from site visit to planting, timed around the spring and fall planting windows.
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Week 1Walk the yard
We spend about an hour on site checking sun, drainage, soil depth and how you actually use the space. You'll get notes and a rough plant palette by email.
2
Weeks 2–3Draw the plan
A scaled planting plan with plant counts, sizes and a phased budget. Two rounds of revisions are included, and HOA-ready sheets if you need them.
3
Planting windowPlant in season
Turf removal, bed prep, stone work and planting, scheduled for fall or spring so roots get a real head start before summer.
4
First 12 monthsKeep it thriving
A watering schedule written for your yard, plus optional care visits. Plants we install are covered by our 90-day replacement policy.
Try the numbers
How much water could your yard save?
Move the sliders to estimate yearly outdoor water savings from converting part of a lawn to established native beds.
How sunny is it?
Rough estimate. Assumes turf watered about 1 inch per week over a 26-week season and established natives needing roughly 70% less. Actual savings depend on your irrigation habits and the weather.
Estimated savings per year
Plan my conversion
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gallons of outdoor water
0bathtubs full
0fewer mowing passes
Garden ideas
The kinds of yards we build
Front-yard swaps, backyard meadows, shady patios and rock channels that handle a Texas downpour. Click any photo for a closer look.
The garden year
What to do, and when
Timing matters more than almost anything else in a Texas garden. Here's how the year breaks down.
March – May
Spring in a Central Texas garden
The garden wakes up fast. Last frost in Bell County usually lands around mid-March, and after that it's a race to get roots in before the heat.
Browse the plant guide- 1Cut backTrim last year's perennials and grasses before new growth gets tall.
- 2Plant warm-season perennialsSalvias, mistflower, lantana and zexmenia go in once nights stay above 45°F.
- 3Watch the wildflowersBluebonnets and paintbrush seeded last fall should be peaking in April.
June – August
Summer in a Central Texas garden
Not a planting season. We protect what's established, water deeply and rarely, and use the slow weeks to draw fall plans.
Browse the plant guide- 1Deep, infrequent wateringNew plantings get a long soak once or twice a week instead of a daily sprinkle.
- 2Top up mulchTwo to three inches of shredded native mulch keeps roots up to 20°F cooler.
- 3Book fall design workDesign slots for October planting fill up in July and August.
September – November
Fall in a Central Texas garden
The best time of year to plant in Central Texas. Warm soil and cooler air mean roots grow all winter while tops rest.
Browse the plant guide- 1Plant shrubs and treesCenizo, flame acanthus, Mexican plum and redbud establish best when planted in fall.
- 2Seed wildflowersScatter bluebonnet and Indian blanket seed by mid-November.
- 3Enjoy the muhlyLindheimer and Gulf muhly put on their pink and silver plumes in October.
December – February
Winter in a Central Texas garden
Quiet in the beds, busy at the drafting table. Dormant trees can still go in, and late February is cut-back time.
Browse the plant guide- 1Plant dormant treesContainer trees planted in December and January have a head start by May.
- 2Leave seed headsConeflower and grass seed heads feed finches and give the garden winter structure.
- 3Freeze prepWe keep frost cloth on hand for marginal plants when a hard freeze is forecast.
1 inchof water a week is what a typical lawn wants in a Texas summer
0.62 galis one inch of water spread over a single square foot
Oct–Novis the best planting window for most native shrubs and perennials
26reliable native plants in our free plant guide
Straightforward pricing
Know the numbers before we start
Install work is quoted per project after a site visit, in writing and itemized. These are our standard starting prices.
Site visit & consult
$95
Credited toward a design plan booked within 60 days.
- 60–75 minutes on site
- Sun, soil and drainage notes
- Starter plant list by email
- Rough budget range
Garden design plan
$650 and up
For yards up to about 2,500 sq ft of planted area.
- Scaled planting plan
- Plant schedule with counts & sizes
- Two rounds of revisions
- HOA submission sheet on request
- Phased budget if you want to go slow
Seasonal care
$135 / visit
Monthly or quarterly. Cancel anytime with 14 days' notice.
- Weeding and edge cleanup
- Cut-backs and deadheading
- Mulch top-ups (materials extra)
- Notes on anything that needs attention
Where we work
Rooted in Killeen, working across Bell & Coryell County
Our office is on Clair Street in Killeen. Most of our projects are within a 30-minute drive, which keeps travel costs off your invoice and lets us check on new plantings without making a day of it.
KilleenHarker HeightsNolanvilleCopperas CoveBeltonTempleSaladoKempnerMorgan's Point ResortOff-post near Fort Cavazos
Get directions
Office hours Central Time
| Monday | 8:00 am – 6:00 pm |
| Tuesday | 8:00 am – 6:00 pm |
| Wednesday | 8:00 am – 6:00 pm |
| Thursday | 8:00 am – 6:00 pm |
| Friday | 8:00 am – 6:00 pm |
| Saturday | 9:00 am – 2:00 pm |
| Sunday | Closed |
Site visits are by appointment. Call 254-628-1438 or email partners@nadarmahamai.com.
Good questions
Things people ask on the first call
Do native gardens look messy?
They don't have to. Most of the "messy" reputation comes from beds with no edges and no plan. We use clean borders, repeated plants and a few evergreen anchors so the garden reads as intentional all year, including in winter.
How much does a lawn conversion cost?
It depends mostly on size, how much turf has to come out, and how much stone is involved. After a site visit you get a written, itemized estimate within five business days, so there's no guessing. Our design plans start at $650 and site visits are $95.
Will I still have to water?
Yes, for the first year while roots get established. After that, most of the plants we use get by on rainfall plus an occasional deep soak during long dry spells in July and August.
Do you work with HOAs?
Often. We can prepare a plan sheet and plant list formatted for HOA architectural review, and we'll adjust the design if the committee asks for changes.
What areas do you serve?
Killeen, Harker Heights, Nolanville, Copperas Cove, Belton, Temple, Salado and Kempner, generally within about 30 miles of Killeen. Farther out, ask us. We take some projects case by case.
Ready to trade the mower for something that blooms?
Tell us a little about your yard. We'll call you back within one business day to set up a site visit.