Learn More About Our Holistic Landscape Design Approach 

When Dr. Jane Bradbury founded Shamballah Home and Gardens, it was because the “industry standard” simply wasn’t good enough. Not for the planet, not for homeowners, and not for the beauty of the final product. Each of these individual distinctions combines to create what we call the “Shamballah Home and Gardens Method,” which is a holistic landscape design approach that truly sets us apart. 

This method is a complete departure from conventional landscaping practices at every stage of the process. Here’s how we differ from other landscaping professionals:

Landscaping Consultation that is Personalized & Holistically Designed

Every landscape design we create is completely unique. During our landscaping consultation and design process, we consider:

• The lifestyle and wants of the people who live on the property
• Microclimatic elements of the property
• Sun and shade patterns
• Soil zones and composition (There are at least three soil zones in Austin, but we sometimes see different soil conditions even on the same property!)
• Existing plants and are they doing well or poorly
• Wind exposure and protection
• Where water pools vs. where it runs
• Heat pockets and cold pockets

We look at all four natural elements: Earth, Water, Air, and Fire. We can guarantee you that no other landscaping company considers many of these, let alone all of them, in their design process. And then we go further.

Add to this the energetic component of how we are using landscaping to shift the vibration of your space, from Feng Shui to Sacred Geometry, so that you can manifest differently in your life, and we are truly unique.

Installation That Nurtures the Foundation: Soil

The installation phase is where many landscapers cut corners—we do the opposite.

Key components of our method:

• Mycorrhizal inoculant: All plants come with mycorrhizal inoculants to help form symbiotic fungal communities with their roots, which both increase plant health significantly and begin to shift soil structure as the mycelia spread through the soil.
• Clear quartz crystals are planted with each plant to support energetic grounding and harmony.
• No sprinkler systems: We do not install sprinkler irrigation systems. Even if there is a compelling reason to include a stretch of lawn in our designs, we support that lawn by surrounding it with a richly irrigated border, allowing the grass’s fibrous root network to spread and transport water from the edges. Even our drip irrigation systems differ: we use intact tubing in the interplanting spaces and targeted emitters with a flow rate unique to each plant. This allows for highly customizable and effective irrigation—if a plant requires more water, it gets a higher flow-rate per hour emitter; if it requires less, it gets a lower flow-rate emitter, and no weeds get watered.

Installation Only When Plants Will Thrive (Not Just When It’s Convenient)

We strongly prefer not to do design installations year-round.

Plants are living beings. There are seasons in which installation simply won’t set them up for success.

Our install windows are:

• March–May
• October–November

For commercial projects outside these windows, we adjust plant guarantees because we’re committed to transparency and long-term results.

Non-Toxic, Ecosystem-Based Weed Control

We absolutely do not use:

• Landscape fabric
• Toxic herbicides
• Harsh pesticides

Instead, we build a balanced ecosystem.

For clients who hire us to maintain their beds, we use a combination of wildcrafting techniques, including culling and sparing, to establish attractive, native ground covers and eliminate unwanted and unsightly volunteers as the plants grow to their full spread, eventually leaving no room for weeds to grow. We see a significant decline in weed control needs over time with this method.

Maintenance That Reduces Maintenance Over Time

Our goal is for your landscape to need less maintenance every year!

We do this by building the soil with semi-annual soil amending, where we turn the previous compost application into the soil, allowing it to continue to decompose, build the soil structure, aerate the soil, and deliver nutrients. As the soil rehabilitates, it absorbs and retains more water, requiring less irrigation, and supports the growth and expansion of your plants better, leaving less room for weeds. Very rarely do we need to supplement nutrients beyond the semi-annual compost application, which we use as mulch.

Additionally, for all properties that use us for maintenance of their designs, we guarantee all their plants. If they die, it is on us, and we replace them for free.

A Philosophy Rooted in Stewardship & Transformation

Our goal is to empower landowners to become land stewards.

That’s why we offer:

• Workshops and seminars
• Seasonal guidance
• 1:1 support

We are never installing “just a garden.” We understand that “as within, so without” means that if you are changing your vessel, your life will also change! We always want to be mindful of this when working with our clients, so we can support them in achieving the outcomes they want and in the transition process. This is one of the many reasons we include an optional personal energy attunement session for all our clients, to elevate their vibration as we elevate the vibration of their space!

The Shamballah Home & Gardens Difference | Landscaping Consultation

We’re nothing like the “mow and blow” or “set it and forget it” operations. We are building living ecosystems. If you’re ready for a holistic approach to landscape design that nurtures beauty, harmony, and transformation from the ground up, we would love to partner with you. Reach out here to schedule a landscaping consultation.