A more urgent issued in my mind is all the chain link fence. If is more underwhelming with your iron and brick entrance that is the lack of landscaping. CLF is also a factor in lowering the value of your real estate, as it is considered agricultural or industrial fencing. I have seen it coated with black and strung between brick piers like yours and it looks pretty good, if you can't afford to replace all of it. As for landscaping near the gate, call a local landscaper/nursery and walk off the area you want planted up. Let them come up with locally appropriate plants that will thrive in your area.

Thank you for your comments Funny thing you mentioned the chain-link.... we are indeed a ranch. Our ranch (10 acres) is fenced with it out of necessity so there's no need to replace it as it's in good condition after 21 years. I'm not too concerned with the CLF as it allows good visibility of potential trespassers. I am specifically looking for a few ideas from the HOUZZ community. I'm a DIY kind of gal . :) I'm looking for some suggestions from someone other than a landscape company. It's most likely too small of a job for them. I'm familiar with plants that thrive in our zone, so I would purchase and install them myself. Thank you again for your suggestions.

Are you looking for greenery? Flowering plants? Pollinator habitats? You have potential for a lovely garden but I'm guessing you want low-maintenance if you have agricultural or livestock responsibilities. I'd lean toward flowering perennials that could be cut back for repeat blooms such as salvia and nepeta.

Folks will need the largest nearby city to get an idea of what plants would work for you.

Another option is using an online landscape designer--may be worth a couple hundred bucks for a plan you can implement yourself. There were a couple of semi-retired landscape designers I found who would do online consultations and develop plans but I can't find them now.

Just a thought.

Since you're familiar with plants that grow in your area in sun and in shade, and you like visibility from the house to the gate, I'd select low profile plants. Consider limbing up the trees, particularly the one to the left of the gate, and open up the area. Take advantage of sight lines the chain link fence provides and extend the planted beds to the other side of the gate under the trees which will create a grander sense of entry. The rocks look great, you can use smaller sized stones to create a dry creek bed and link the areas. Low voltage landscape lights on the ground and uplights in the trees will make it beautiful at night.

I don't know if visitors ever wonder if the access road is the entrance to your ranch before they look to the right, adding your ranch name over the gate or off to the side will clearly direct them in.

Doh, I misunderstood which gate you were referring to. Because you want to direct people to the main gate, I'd create visual cues to curve right. Plant curving rows of plants/shrubs and/or install a dry creek bed on the left side of the easement gate which then picks up on the right side of the bed and moves toward the main gate.

Downplay this gate as an entrance. Enhance your main gate entrance with more plants. Move your house number closer to the main gate - maybe enclose the intercom in stone with metal numbers on the outside or place them on one of the gate columns. Take the plastic signs off the easement gate and replace with metal.

Thank you for the constructive advice! That's exactly what I needed. Two of our neighbors use our easement road gate to access their property and there's actually a separate address on the fence that I blurred out of the picture for privacy reasons, no worries about any confusion. The neighbors will appreciate the face lift! Much Thanks!

Unfortunately some of the ideas that would add a lot of interest would also take a lot of maintenance, and probably require a lot of garden enthusiasm.

Low maintenance and truly interesting often don't go together so well.

The likely heavy deer presence is also going to limit your plant options.

Maybe a mix of some ground cover (taiwan raspberry?) in a landscaped pattern with borders? That would require a lot of labor costs.

Some areas of ostrich ferns, and lavender clumps.

Remember if it's a utility easement or right of way easement - should the utility or road need to dig up the easement to replace lines, etc. they won't have to replace any plants you have planted in the easement. Just FYI.

We have chain link on part of our property and it will have zero impact if we sell. It’s completely false to say it would. In some settings it is perfect.

Thank you, Karen. It's not a utility easement road. We own the road and it serves two other property owners. I've asked them what they would like to see in the way of embellishments to the entryway. They have no preference.

Another improvement is to simply keep the weeds/junk grass from starting to grow near the road and into the mulch, nearing the beautiful rocks you now have. I would also limb up the trees like you have near your front gate. Neat and simple sometimes wins the day. A darker mulch would also look very nice. A small stature speciman tree of some sort between the 3 rocks on the right hand side. Or add a nice antique piece of farm equipment that ties in with the type of ranch you are running.

Simple, manicured boxwoods up both sides but don't forget to put in-ground lighting and water system. It will look gorgeous!!