Hello and welcome!

I’m Robert Nieto, and I’ve lived here on the beautiful Central Coast of California for over twenty years. Since graduating from Cal Poly in 1992, I’ve made my living landscaping.

My journey in landscaping has led me down many divergent paths to a deep understanding of how to transform outdoor spaces into joyfully serene celebrations of color and texture and place. Inspired by my lifelong love of beauty and art, my designs reflect an inherent sense for organizing space and for composition and light.

Over the past ten years, I’ve found my passion in the beauty I create, a strong sense of purpose in being a steward of the land I’m privileged to maintain, and a sense of urgency to continue learning and evolving so that I leave a legacy of vibrancy and life in and above the soil and peace and tranquility in the people, plants and animals who call my gardens home.

I spent much of my early career learning traditional landscape practices and trying to run my companies like manufacturing operations. My intentions were good, and the lessons learned were valuable and practical in another time, but people, like gardens, are constantly evolving. My work evolved to a balance of design, construction and the continuing development of the small number of gardens we maintain. This allows me to have an intimate relationship with each outdoor space—to take my vision and transfer it to paper, meticulously construct it with personal attention to every detail, and then nurture it to reach its full potential over the years. Experience in every aspect of the business has given me the wisdom to design projects that are practical to build and to maintain. I’m equally at home drawing plans, installing natural stone, creating dramatic lighting or doing structural pruning of trees and shrubs. Each act is an expression of the happiness I feel in absolutely LOVING what I do.

When I’m not working on our mini-farm or hiking the hills of Shell Beach with my lovely fiancée Kelly, my stepson Andrew and our two hounds, I’m busy scheming to travel to beautiful places with warm water and perfect waves. I’m an avid surfer and jazz guitarist and have been encouraged and supported over the years by the love of my wonderful friends, family, business associates and customers.

Thanks for stopping by!

-Robert Nieto

May 2012