Mathis Designs

Transformation isn’t just about adding plants. It’s about rethinking what the entire backyard could be.
What was once a large, mostly unused stretch of lawn became a series of intentional spaces: pathways that create movement, layered planting that adds privacy and softness, trellises that bring height and structure, and a pool and sauna that give the family a reason to actually spend time outside.
We especially love how the landscape begins to change the feeling of the property itself. The surrounding homes haven’t disappeared, but thoughtful screening and layers of green make the backyard feel quieter, more private, and much more connected to nature. And as those plants continue to mature, that feeling will only get better.
A good landscape design doesn’t simply fill an empty yard. It looks at how you want to live, then uses plants, materials, circulation, screening, and gathering spaces to make the property work differently.
Swipe through to see where this one started. Then imagine what we could do with your backyard.

We'd like to publicly declare our feelings for a rock.

Lueders limestone comes out of the ground about three hours north of here, which means it belongs in Central Texas landscapes in a way imported stone never will. It's pale enough to stay walkable in August. It's dense enough to shrug off decades of weather. Sandblast the surface and it grips wet feet, which matters when the kids are doing laps between the pool and the snack table.

It also asks almost nothing of you. No sealing rituals, no annual refinishing, no babying. Just sweep it and go on with your life.

And it's gorgeous. Warm, quiet, a little bit ancient. It makes everything planted around it look better without trying.

Most of what makes a landscape work is invisible by the time we hand it over.

The grading. The base under the stone. The three feet of space we left between shrubs that looks like too much in April and looks exactly right two summers later. None of it photographs well. All of it is the difference between a yard that holds up and a yard that gets redone in five years.

Fall in Austin is short and worth planning for.

The stretch between the last hundred-degree day and the first cold front is when a backyard earns its keep. Dinner outside that runs past dark. A cowboy pool for the afternoons that still get warm. Chairs pulled close to the fire the week it finally cools off.

None of that happens by accident. Shade goes where the table goes. Seating gets sized for the group you actually host. The gravel court, the steel pergola, the limestone edge doing double duty as a bench, it's all built so the space works in October and still works in July.

A thoughtful space you'll love to live in.

Let's take a moment for Jerusalem Sage (Phlomis fruticosa).
We love it for its soft, silvery foliage, sculptural form, and those incredible rings of golden-yellow flowers that show up in late spring and summer. It handles Central Texas heat beautifully, is drought tolerant once established, and brings plenty of pollinator activity along with it.
We use Jerusalem sage in sunny, well-drained areas where we want to add softness without losing structure. It's especially beautiful mixed into native and Mediterranean-inspired plantings, along pathways, near stonework, and alongside ornamental grasses where its silver foliage creates contrast.
Fall is one of our favorite times to plant it in Central Texas. Getting it in the ground as temperatures cool gives the roots time to establish before they're asked to take on a Texas summer.
Of course, you could spend your weekend researching plants, figuring out spacing, hauling soil, and hoping everything survives.
Or you could just call us.
We'll design it, plant it, and make sure every plant is exactly where it belongs.

September may be the start of fall planting season, but Central Texas didn't get the memo about the “fall” part.
These are 10 of our favorite plants to get in the ground in early September:
Bluebonnets
Gulf muhly
Little bluestem
Autumn sage
Gregg's mistflower
Flame acanthus
Turk's cap
Mealy blue sage
Blackfoot daisy
Inland sea oats
They're well suited to our Central Texas climate, but even tough plants need a little help when they're newly planted.
If you're planting while temperatures are still high, water deeply and consistently while roots establish rather than giving them frequent, shallow drinks. Plant in the morning when possible, add a layer of mulch to help keep the soil cool and retain moisture, and pay attention to each plant's sun and drainage needs. A native plant can handle Texas heat once established, but that doesn't mean it's ready to fend for itself on day one.
Give them a little extra attention now, and they'll reward you with stronger roots, beautiful growth, and a landscape that's much better prepared for next summer.
And if researching plants, sun exposure, soil, spacing, and watering schedules sounds like a lot, that's exactly why we're here.