Landscape Design and Build
From windbreak planting and sandy-soil drainage to fire pits and salt-tolerant materials, our in-house design and build team designs and builds outdoor living for Oceano properties beside the dunes in South County.
Start here
The right approach follows how you want to use the space. Pick what you're actually after below, and the materials and layout mostly follow from it. Every project shown was built here in the Central Coast, so the choices are suited to this climate.
01 Building on sand Sandy soil drains fast and compacts differently than clay. Hardscape gets proper base depth and compaction, planting beds are amended and mulched so nutrients and moisture stay in the root zone, and irrigation runs shorter and more often. See landscape projects 
02 Sheltering from the afternoon breeze The onshore flow here is dependable. Windbreak planting on the exposed side and terrace placement in the lee of the house or a hedge are what make an Oceano outdoor space comfortable enough to use every evening. See wind-sheltered designs 
03 Materials for marine air This close to the beach, salt finds every fastener and finish. We specify corrosion-resistant hardware, marine-grade appliance finishes, and durable paving so the work still looks right after a decade of coastal weather. See durable material choices 
04 Planting that handles the coast Coast buckwheat, seaside daisy, coyote brush cultivars, coffeeberry, manzanita, and native grasses handle wind, salt, and fog while keeping water use low and maintenance modest. See low-water designs 
Best for Spanish Colonial and stucco-and-tile homes, and anyone who wants a shaded courtyard sheltered from the dune-side wind.
On your property Oceano's sandy soil and steady afternoon breeze call for real windbreak structure before a Mediterranean courtyard reads as comfortable rather than exposed.
Best for Homeowners who want a true garden to tend, not just a yard to maintain.
On your property Wind and salt this close to the dunes favor deer- and wind-resistant substitutes over the classic rose-and-perennial palette.
Best for Classic homes, and anyone who wants a familiar, symmetrical look with year-round color.
On your property Works on Oceano's more sheltered, in-town lots; dune-exposed properties need the plant list adjusted for wind and salt first.
Best for Modern homes, and anyone who wants clean lines and architectural planting over a traditional garden look.
On your property A restrained, wind-tolerant planting palette suits Oceano's working-coastal character better than a lush, high-maintenance one.
Best for Anyone who wants to cut water use and maintenance without the yard looking bare, and a strong fit for sandy, dune-adjacent soil.
On your property A natural fit for Oceano's fast-draining sandy soil, with a palette that leans coastal-native and handles wind, salt, and fog.
Best for Homeowners who want a garden to look at and sit beside as much as gather in, and a natural fit for a shaded, sheltered courtyard.
On your property Needs real shelter from the dependable onshore breeze here; a walled or windbreak-protected courtyard works best.
Best for Side yards, courtyards and compact lots, anyone who assumes their yard is too small to do much with.
On your property A common fit for Oceano's practical, modest-scale lots near the dunes and lagoon.
Before We assess sandy soil conditions, sun, the afternoon onshore breeze, and drainage. This determines what will actually survive and stay usable on your specific Oceano lot.
Design We present concepts weighted toward shelter and durability: windbreak placement, a terrace in the lee of the house, and native, wind-tolerant planting.
Selection Coast buckwheat, seaside daisy, coyote brush cultivars, coffeeberry, and manzanita are chosen and specified for your property, not nursery pot size.
Installation Hardscape gets proper base depth and compaction for sandy soil, and irrigation is set to run in shorter, more frequent cycles than a clay-soil property would need.
Established First-year irrigation, mulching, and pruning ensure plants establish against wind, salt, and fog exposure. We provide care instructions for long-term, low-maintenance success.
Things worth knowing before a first consultation.
Sandy soil drains fast and compacts differently than clay. Hardscape base depth, planting-bed amendment, and irrigation cycling all need to account for it.
The onshore flow here is dependable. Windbreak planting and terrace placement in the lee of the house make an outdoor space usable most evenings.
This close to the beach, salt finds every fastener and finish. Corrosion-resistant hardware and durable paving keep the work looking right after a decade of coastal weather.
Coast buckwheat, seaside daisy, coyote brush cultivars, coffeeberry, and manzanita handle wind, salt, and fog while keeping water use low.
Oceano is a working coastal community rather than a resort one. Practical, durable design suits it better than an imported look.
Irrigation lines, sewer laterals, and buried utilities need to be located before grading or planting begins, and mature tree roots need enough clearance that nearby digging does not damage the tree.
No quote written off a photograph can account for what your property is like.
Access, engineering, permits, finishes and scope vary a lot from one property to the next, so the investment and the schedule for your project are set once we have seen the site and the design is settled.
Tell us about the property and what you want the space to do. We will walk through the design, site and permitting factors likely to shape it.
The new backyard living area turned out beautifully, with responsive people throughout and the project completed within the expected time and budget. Their responsiveness and professionalism made the entire process smooth and stress-free. We were impressed by their commitment to staying on schedule and respecting our budget.
Pacific Outdoor Living replaced the original landscaping with drought-tolerant plants, making the yard look like a completely different home. The transformation was stunning and immediately improved our curb appeal. We were thrilled with how they handled the planting design and modern aesthetic choices.
Yes. Oceano is within our San Luis Obispo County service region, alongside Grover Beach, Pismo Beach, and Arroyo Grande. Use the address checker on our Oceano location page to confirm coverage for your exact property.
Only if the base is not prepared for it. Sand behaves differently under load than clay, so base depth, material selection, compaction, and edge restraint all matter more. Done properly, a paver terrace or driveway on sandy ground performs very well.
Salt- and wind-tolerant coastal species. Coast buckwheat, seaside daisy, coyote brush cultivars, coffeeberry, manzanita, and native grasses handle the exposure, look right in this landscape, and need very little water once established.
Shelter and heat. A windbreak on the exposed side, the terrace positioned in the lee of the house or planting, and a fire pit or fireplace for the evening. Those three moves turn a yard that is pleasant twice a year into one that gets used most weeks.
Cost and timeline depend on scope. A patio and planting project is a different investment than a full backyard with an outdoor kitchen, drainage, and hardscape. A consultation is the fastest way to get numbers specific to your property.
Schedule a consultation with one of our designers to discuss your project goals and explore what's possible on your property.
What happens next: we set up a visit, measure the property and talk through what you want the space to do. Then you get a design to look at before you commit to anything.
