Because Your Family’s Best Memories Deserve a Beautiful Backdrop

The Journey to Your Dream Landscape Begins Here

“From youthful days of running a lawn cutting business to mastering the art of landscape through years of hands-on work and study, my journey has been anything but ordinary. My love for transforming outdoor spaces was sparked in my teen years and has only grown stronger. Earning my landscaping license was a pivotal milestone, marking my commitment to turning this passion into a profession. My education at Cuesta College, combined with practical experience working alongside seasoned landscape designers and contractors, laid the foundation for what Kestrel Landscapes is today. Further honing my skills in Humboldt County while pursuing a Biology degree, summers were spent under the sun, with soil under my nails, learning from a mason and continuing my landscaping work. My adventure led me to Alaska, where as a field biologist, I built not just cabins and fish traps but resilience and a deeper connection to the natural world. Now, back in the welcoming embrace of San Luis Obispo County, I pour my heart and expertise into Kestrel Landscapes, striving to create outdoor spaces where your family’s best memories can unfold.”
— Nick Fernella, Owner/Operator

Crafting Spaces Where Life Happens

At Kestrel Landscapes, we believe that every outdoor space should be a sanctuary - a place where life’s moments, from the mundane to the monumental, are celebrated against a backdrop of natural beauty. Whether we’re transforming your yard into a drought-resistant oasis, crafting a cozy nook for family gatherings, or constructing functional and stylish hardscapes, our mission is to enhance your quality of life. With a blend of creativity, sustainability, and functionality, we tailor our services to fit your unique needs and desires. Our approach is hands-on, with a focus on collaboration, ensuring that the final landscape not only meets but exceeds your expectations. Imagine your kids playing in a lush, safe garden, friends gathered around a fire pit under the stars, or simply enjoying a quiet afternoon surrounded by beauty. This is what we strive to create for you - spaces where memories are made and cherished.

Why Choose Us?

Because we don’t just see landscaping as a job; we see it as a craft. Our dedication to personalized service means that I, Nick, am personally involved in every project, ensuring every detail aligns with your vision. This commitment, coupled with our diverse range of services from site excavations to fence installations, and our expertise in integrating plants perfectly suited to the Central Coast’s ecosystem, makes us the ideal partner in bringing your landscaping dreams to life.

Testimonials

  • “Nick Fernella, the owner of Kestrel Landscapes, did a moderately large hardscape project in our backyard. The work involved, among other challenging features, pavers laid in irregular patterns. It was also complicated by many mature plantings that we wanted to preserve. Nick listened to our ideas and came up with a great plan, which they executed beautifully. Nick and his assistants were unfailingly patient, polite, and industrious — a real pleasure to work with. The end result is both gorgeous and functional.”

    Michael G. in Los Osos, CA,

  • “Nick does wonderful work. He tackled our yard which had been abandoned for three years and made our yard safe by making a wonderful fence and beautiful gates to keep our dog safe from the wildlife. He and his crew worked very hard chopping out all the overgrowth in the yard from the bushes and trees. Nick is an honest, hard-working, efficient contractor who needs no supervision. He does quality work and is a pleasure to work with. We look forward to using him again in the future for our yard landscaping.”

    Cherrie K. in Los Osos, CA

  • “Kestrel Landscapes was a terrific choice for our total front yard renovation. Nick Fernella kept in touch with us by email, cell phone AND text messages. We were always able to contact him. The workmanship was amazing. Nick provided all the services we required which was a lot ( fencing, cement, slate installation, sprinklers, lighting, planting and a custom gas fire pit). Very professional and all in all, a great guy! I highly recommend him!!!”

    Susan W. in Cayucos, CA

  • “Nick responded to my initial contact promptly and continued his excellent communication throughout the process of landscaping our front yard. This included incorporating/rearranging old plants, adding new plants/trees, rocks, irrigation, mulch and bark. He explained his ideas thoroughly and listened and incorporated our ideas as well. He also added DG to our front right of way and installed a new mailbox post. We are thrilled with the final outcome! Nick also gave us detailed care instructions and will follow up with us at a later date to make sure our plants are thriving. His price was reasonable and he’s a nice guy. I highly recommend Nick!”

    Kathy R. in Baywood- Los Osos, CA

  • “Nick built a nice fence for us a few months ago, for which I already wrote a review. He recently came back and landscaped the front yard. We had seriously neglected it for years waiting to have the sewer hooked up, and after the installation it looked horrible. Nick removed dead shrubs, excess sand, leveled the yard, and installed a DG path and patio/pad area. He planted some drought-tolerant shrubs and a colorful succulent bed. He used some of our previously existing plants and materials so there was little waste. He is great to work with-he asked our opinions about everything, and if we had no opinion he always did something great. I strongly recommend him. The price was very reasonable for the extensive prep work that was required and the quality of the work.”

    Linda P. in Los Osos, CA

Request a Free Estimate from Kestrel Landscapes

Share your vision with us by providing as much detail as possible in the form below. Dive into our portfolio to see what we can achieve together.

For fence installations, be sure to include the linear feet measurement. See our post here for guidance on how to calculate linear feet. It also includes a linear feet calculator or map tool to measure your yard directly from a Google map.

Together, we can turn your landscaping dreams into a reality.

you may also reach out directly to Nick Fernella at (805) 234-8203 or kestrelbuilt@gmail.com.