Started ten years ago on a caliche construction site, this secluded 5-acre property gently slopes down to a wet-weather creek. The entry garden is robust with a dynamic array of deer-resistant plantings such as purple and pink skullcap, Texas betony, plumbago, purple coneflower, and copper canyon daisy. The pool and fenced garden sit above canyon views, showcasing a rich tapestry of trees including bigtooth maple, wafer ash, Mexican sugar maple, black walnut, and chinquapin and red oaks. Native grasses, carefully sown, have taken root to stabilize the thin soil, preventing further erosion while providing essential cover and nesting material for wildlife. The fenced-in pool area showcases a more playful side, with the absence of deer pressure, and features annuals and winter greens along the edges. A collection of cycads add evergreen structure under a large red oak with shade-loving plants like ferns mixed in. The garden’s transformation began with the use of materials found on-site - limestone for retaining walls and walkways, and cedar for fences and railings. To foster biodiversity, a varied palette of native trees and shrubs were planted. These include anacua, chalk maple, escarpment black cherry, gum bumelia, and Blanco crabapple. A vibrant micro-prairie of pollinator-friendly natives cleverly utilizes the septic field, where in the fall, cowpen daisy and plateau goldeneye bloom prolifically, while in spring and summer, black-eyed susan, horsemint, gaillardia, and antelope horns take center stage. This garden is ever-evolving, shaped by the seasons of drought and harsh winters, yet it remains a magical refuge, teeming with wildlife throughout the seasons.