Duval County Ranch

Recipient of the distinguished Texas Parks and Wildlife Lone Star Land Steward Award for native plant and wildlife conservation, this Duval County Ranch is a hunting ranch and family retreat. A key goal was to create a landscape reflecting the unique native character of South Texas--a place of “big sky” and rolling plains. We developed a landscape master plan for the Ranch compound which included a lodge, guest houses, owner’s cottage, swimming pool, spa, reflection pond, walking paths, landscape lighting, and a comprehensive planting strategy for the surrounding thirty-two acres. Occupying the center of the Ranch compound is a swimming and reflection pool which captures the ever-changing sky and provides a cool retreat for Ranch visitors. Feature areas include a butterfly garden for viewing migrating species, a Mexican Olive grove, and a special garden showcasing plants of the Ranch. In each of these garden areas, over 90% of the plants were “hand dug” from the Ranch. The perimeter landscape integrates restored native prairie highlighting the beautiful native grasses and wildflowers of South Texas.