Kiesel Design

Is your yard in need of some love? Fortunately, getting your outdoor spaces looking their best this season doesn’t necessarily require months of work or a massive budget. We’ve asked landscaping experts to share some relatively easy and affordable things you can do to get your yard looking beautiful for spring and beyond. 1.

1. Ranch Retreat Decomposed granite paths wind through this garden in Santa Paula, California, passing flower-filled beds and cozy seating nooks. The paths flow like water, narrowing where the plants are mounded up higher and widening in flatter parts. The meandering shape works well in the plot’s somewhat narrow footprint.

This enclosed garden area, nestled in the middle of a working avocado ranch in Santa Paula, California, is brimming with color, scent and other sensory delights. You might see birds bathing, grasses swaying and the resident sheep and alpaca herd grazing for lunch — surrounded by views of the nearby Topatopa Mountains. Though the family has lived on this property for generations, it’s only with Kiesel Design’s recent creation that they finally have an outdoor destination for relaxing and gathering.