Landscape Master Plan Design in Austin, TX
Thrive Landscape and Design draws phased, property-wide master plans for Austin acreage, Hill Country lots, and HOA-controlled builds. One blueprint that ties your pool, casita, outdoor kitchen, irrigation, and planting together across a three to seven year build-out.
A landscape master plan is the long-form blueprint for an entire property, not just one bed or one patio. It maps every zone, structure, and planting decision against a phased timeline and a yearly budget so each step builds on the last. For larger Austin properties in places like west Travis County, Driftwood, Dripping Springs, and the Hill Country, a master plan keeps the pool, casita, outdoor kitchen, workshop, and agricultural exemption work from colliding with each other. It also handles the parts no one sees at first: utility stub-outs, grading and drainage, septic and well coordination, and wildfire defensible space planning for WUI lots. We follow Texas A&M Forest Service Firewise USA guidance and pull plant choices from the Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center native plant database so the design holds up in Central Texas heat.
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- 500+ Projects Completed
- 19+ Years Experience
- 5/5 Average Rating
More Landscape Design Services
Site Planning
Grading, drainage, and structure placement worked out before a single shovel hits the ground.
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3D Design
Photo-real 3D renderings of the engineered plan so you can see walls, grades, and planting before we build.
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Backyard Design
With the structure engineered, we design the backyard itself: patios, shade, planting, and how the space lives.
Learn MoreAll Landscape Design Services
Browse every design service we offer for Austin and the surrounding Hill Country.
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Our Master Plan Process
Site Analysis
We start with an aerial site analysis, a property walk, and a long conversation about how you want to use the land over the next decade. Sun, slope, soil, existing trees, drainage paths, utility runs, septic and well locations, and any WUI exposure all get documented. On unincorporated properties we pull county records and confirm setbacks before drafting.
Concept Master Plan
Next we draft the concept master plan: a bird's-eye drawing showing every zone, structure, and planting area across the whole property. You see where the pool, casita, outdoor kitchen, workshop, and play areas fit, how the driveways and paths connect, and how the planting bones tie it all together. We review the concept with you and revise until the layout feels right.
Detail & Phasing
With the concept locked, we build the detail package: a phasing diagram with each phase mapped to a year and a budget, a plant master list, irrigation zones, hardscape locations, utility stub-outs, a grading and drainage strategy, and wildfire defensible space layers for WUI lots. HOA submittal packets get formatted to your architectural review committee's requirements.
Phase One Execution
When you are ready, we install phase one and hold the rest of the master plan as a living document. Each later phase is scoped, priced, and scheduled against the original blueprint so the work always lines up. If life changes, we adjust the plan and keep the structural decisions intact.
Trusted For Master Plan Design
Travis, Luis and the crew did an amazing job on our front yard landscaping. Travis had a vision that we could've never come up with on our own. They were communicative, hard working and had incredible attention to detail. We were really impressed with our experience and will… Read more
We’ve been very impressed with Travis and his team at Thrive Landscaping. From the initial design consultation through revisions and installation, the entire process was smooth, thorough, and high quality. We needed an HOA-compliant design that improved drainage and reduced… Read more
Travis was very responsive on the pricing . Luis and the crew did an amazing job and fixed a lot of problems that the prior firm had created. Very pleasant group and seem to want to please clients.
Great people providing outstanding service. Our yard has never looked better. And best of all, they stand behind their work. If something needs attention after the job is finished, they’re right on it.
After interviewing several companies, we chose Thrive Landscape to create some hardscaping for our back yard. They installed stone paving for our patio and pool area, a gravel area for our fire ring, and a raised gravel pad for a greenhouse. Everything looks great! We had a good… Read more
Thrive replaced some dying plants in a white rock bed and left it clean and beautiful. You would never know they had been in the rock bed at all - no dirt, no disruption - they left it better than they found it!
Our neighbor a few houses down had Thrive do his property and we liked how it looked, so we decided to contact them to see what it would cost to do our house. Wanted to get rid of the sand burrs and decided to do stone, rock and mulch for the whole yard in front of the house. I… Read more
We have used Thrive landscape for several projects over the past two years. They have delivered outstanding service, careful attention to detail, and impeccable service and care after the project was complete. Travis Odom is outstanding, and his vision helped us transform our… Read more
We were very pleased with Thrive from the initial bid to the completion of the project. We had our front yard and backyard landscaped. Communication was excellent and when a couple issues occurred they were quickly resolved. The onsite crew was great to work with and were… Read more
Excellent service and advice. Knowledgeable, on time, communicative owner, and crew. This is the place you want to call for your landscaping needs! We are extremely satisfied with the outcome and will use the service again. Thank you Travis and crew.
I was really pleased with Thrive. Travis arrived exactly on time for the quote, had a great design, and was able to start quickly once the plans were approved by my HOA. The crew was polite and worked quickly. They left the whole worksite very neat, and my front yard now looks… Read more
Had grass that was dead, Travis and his team transformed my backyard in a few days!
I am a repeat customer of Travis's. He recently transformed my front yard. The design was perfect for what we wanted to accomplish and the crew did high quality work which included clean-up. I will keep coming back to him in the future.
Thrive is a very professional and excellent business - they did a wonderful job on my project and I couldn't be more pleased with the end results. Will definitely use them again!
I had an outstanding experience with Thrive. Quality, honesty, value and customer service were phenomenal! Exceeded my expectations!
Swapped out black stone that were killing my plants with mulch. Added a bunch of plants and sod. Also got my irrigation and stone walkway complete. I say it is all looking great.
I don't know where to begin. Travis and his team provided an amazing landscape design, strategy, and results on our backyard for my 50th birthday celebration. Travis was patient and very detailed with his quote and made sure he covered every detail with me. Once we decided to… Read more
I’ve done two projects with these guys to include a landscaping project where I added sod, metal planters, and plants. The second was a fence repair and both turned out great. They were fairly priced, scheduled quickly, executed on time, and worked through my lunch list at the… Read more
We chose Thrive Landscaping after a friend of ours used them for their own backyard and we could not be happier with our decision. Travis and team were incredibly professional, thorough and communicative the entire time. They added new grass, flowers, gravel and lights to our… Read more
Travis with Thrive Landscape & Design did an amazing job redesigning our backyard! They were hard-working, timely, responsive and appreciated their craftsmanship they put into the project. The space looks better than we imagined — highly recommend!
Wow! Travis and his team did an amazing job refreshing our back yard! They were professional, prompt, respectful and above all had an eye for detail! It was an absolute pleasure working with them to create our dream back yard! I highly recommend Thrive Landscape and DESIGN… Read more
Our project was the tear-out, re-design and rebuild of a fairly substantial deck. Great experience with Travis Odom and Thrive Landscape. Travis is congenial, professional and great to work with. The guys on site did excellent work. We’re very happy with the finished product and… Read more
Mr Travis Odom made an excellent, unique, and original cedar fence design that we ended up using.
Great design and construction for my landscaping project. Travis and his crew were very attentive and detailed. They also took on board our feedback and we’re very willing to evolve their designs.
Travis did a great job fixing the drainage along the side of my house! Was very responsive, timely, and reasonably priced. Would reach out to again for any future landscaping needs.
Travis was very responsive and did an excellent job designing our difficult yard. We LOVE the end result and can’t wait to do phase two. Can’t say enough how happy we are with the design!
Signs You Need a Master Plan
A blueprint, not a one-time install
Master plans are built for properties with a long horizon. If any of these sound familiar, you are the right fit for this service.
Request A QuoteWest Travis, Driftwood, Dripping Springs, and Spicewood lots have the space, the slope, and the structure count that benefit from a property-wide plan instead of one-off designs.
Pool this year, casita in year two, outdoor kitchen and workshop later. A master plan keeps each phase in sequence so the work never has to be torn out and redone.
We package the master plan in the format your architectural review committee requires so you only file once, not every time you start a new phase.
The yard the kids need at age four is not the yard they need at age fourteen. A master plan lets the property evolve with the family without starting over.
Properties in the Wildland Urban Interface need documented defensible space zones, fuel-load planning, and noncombustible materials close to the home, all of which live inside the master plan.
Why Choose Thrive Landscape and Design?
19+ Years In Austin
Two decades of Hill Country soil, slope, and microclimate experience built into every master plan we draw.
Builder & Architect Coordination
We sit at the design table with your architect and builder so utilities, grading, and structures align from day one.
Native & Drought-Tolerant Plant Lists
Plant choices pulled from Texas A&M AgriLife Earth-Kind and Lady Bird Johnson Wildflower Center research, built for Central Texas heat and drought.
Firewise & WUI Planning
Defensible space layouts on every Hill Country master plan, following Texas A&M Forest Service Firewise USA guidance for WUI properties.
Master Plans Across The Austin Hill Country
We draw master plans for acreage and estate properties throughout greater Austin, with a strong focus on the western Hill Country and the smaller unincorporated communities around it.
- Austin
- Lakeway
- Driftwood
- Dripping Springs
- Westlake Hills
- Bee Cave
- Spicewood
- Steiner Ranch
- River Place
- Cedar Park
- Round Rock
- & more
Dripping Springs Hill Country Xeriscape
Spicewood Front Xeriscape
Smithville Ranch
Lakeway Trellis & Patio
Fayetteville Garden District Style
Driftwood Garden Estate
Bastrop Lost-Pines Courtyard Design
Westlake Hills Modern Terrace
Round Rock Turf Checkered Garden
Steiner Ranch Outdoor Kitchen & Pool Retreat
Shoal Creek Terrace Revival
Bee Cave Backyard Under the Oaks
Riverplace Shaded Garden Escape
Master Plan Questions
A regular landscape design focuses on one area, like a front yard or back patio, and is built in one push. A master plan is a property-wide blueprint that maps every zone, structure, and planting over a three to seven year build-out. It coordinates the pool, casita, outdoor kitchen, irrigation, grading, and utilities so each phase fits the next. Master plans are the right tool for larger Hill Country lots, HOA-controlled properties, and families who want the yard to grow with them.
Most master plans take six to twelve weeks from first site visit to final deliverables. The timeline depends on property size, how many structures are in play, and whether we need input from your architect, builder, or septic engineer. We share the schedule in writing at the start and check in at each milestone so you always know where the plan stands.
Yes. Phasing is the point of a master plan. We map each phase to a year and a budget, then sequence the work so utility stub-outs, grading, and tree placement happen in the right order. You can spread a Hill Country build-out across three to seven years without painting yourself into a corner, and we hold the master plan as a living document you can pause, resume, or adjust as life changes.
For properties in the Wildland Urban Interface, including much of the Texas Hill Country, defensible space is part of the plan. We follow Texas A&M Forest Service Firewise USA guidance, which uses three zones around the home with reduced fuel loads, careful plant spacing, and noncombustible materials closest to structures. The plan documents zone widths, plant choices, and ongoing maintenance so your insurance carrier and fire marshal can see the work.
Yes. We sit in on design meetings, share grading and drainage assumptions early, and align electrical and plumbing stub-outs with your builder before slabs are poured. On HOA-controlled lots we package the plan into the format your architectural review committee requires. The earlier we are at the table, the fewer change orders show up later.
You receive an aerial site analysis, a phasing diagram with each phase mapped to a year and a cost, a plant master list, an irrigation zone layout, hardscape locations, utility coordination notes for electrical and plumbing stub-outs, a grading and drainage strategy, septic and well coordination for unincorporated properties, and wildfire defensible space plans where the property sits in a WUI area. The package is delivered as printed plans and digital PDFs you can share with any contractor.
A well-built master plan stays useful for seven to ten years. Plant lists may need light updates as new cultivars come out or as your goals shift, but the structural decisions, grading, drainage, and utility routing hold up. We offer a paid plan refresh after year five if you want a fresh look at the remaining phases.
Call us at (512) 503-1935 or fill out the contact form on this page. We schedule a property walk within one business day, then send a written scope and fee for the master plan. From there we move into the site analysis phase and start building your blueprint.
