What's the best way to plan landscaping and gardening in Austin, TX?

I am sure there asre gardening groups in yur area that can help.I did mine on graph paper with a 1 foot scale.
The best way to to plan any garden is from a sunny beach in Hawaii ;))

I lived in Austin for a while. Native plants might be the best way to go. When I was there people were really into xeriscaping. I lived in apartments so I mostly grew things in pots.

This seems to be a pretty helpful site for xeriscaping guidelines.

Call your local nursery and ask for the next ‘master gardener’ landscaping class.

Take long walks around your neighborhood and make note of layouts and plants you like. This works especially well if you have a gardening-expert friend who can accompany you and tell you the names of plants.

The Lady Bird Wildflower Center is at the University of Texas Austin campus. I would imagine that there would be people there with ideas of how to use native plants.Wildflower Center

Landscaping your front and back yards or either one can be exciting and overwhelming at the same time. So before you plunge into the project, here are 3 important tips:

1. Know what you want.
It would be great if you know exactly how you want your landscape to look like but having a mental picture close to it may be enough. Know what plants or trees or features you want—shading trees? Colourful flowering shrubs? Do you want to have a theme? Do you want water features like a fountain or a pond? Do you want to highlight with stonescapes or [link removed by Fluther] pergolas or outdoor lighting? Stuff like that.

If you’re hiring professional landscapers they’d appreciate a definite description instead of a vague “Make it pretty” or “Do your best” or something like that. Excellent landscaping contractors will give you their best but it might not be what you had pictured in your mind no matter how great the end result. You and your contractor will end up feeling awful.

2. Decide on your budget.
This can be a pain but it’s necessary since it might define how the landscaping project goes. Your budget can be an indicator if you need to adjust your design, leave out some features or consider some alternatives. But if money is no object then skip this and head on to the next point. But having a budget is still wise.

3. Do your homework
If you’re going DIY do research online as well as check things out with people who have actually done their own landscaping. Check the suppliers, compare prices, get the necessary tools and equipment.

If you’re hiring professional landscapers, ask for referrals or recommendations from friends. Common sense, if someone you know has an awesomely landscaped yard or lawn, it means their contractors are excellent.

Hope these help. HAPPY LANDSCAPING!