Personal Space: With vinyl fencing on one side and chain link on the other, the backyard was a confused and crowded mess. But a simple, lush new landscape creates a private haven.
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Every so often, a particular Kahala homeowner will get an unexpected visit from a neighbor or passerby. They’ll knock on her door and ask about the plants in her yard, the color of her house or the composition of her driveway.
A pathway along the side of the home entices visitors to peer around the corner, into the backyard beyond.
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The home was renovated several years ago, yet everything still looks
new, which tends to invite a lot of questions. But that’s OK with the
homeowner. In fact, all the impromptu visits are an indication that the
extensive renovations of both house and yard were successful.
“That’s Old Kahala—open and inviting—a place where people weren’t afraid to walk up to their neighbor’s house and visit and share,” says the homeowner. “So many new homes today have walls and gates to shut you out. We wanted it all open. When we bought the home, we wanted to keep the style of Old Kahala living.”
To recapture that gracious and generous spirit, the homeowners’ extensive renovation didn’t significantly alter the footprint of the home. Instead, they kept the expansive front yard, wide driveway and welcoming entryway. They also didn’t build any walls or install any gates.
The wide-leafed monstera spreads out.
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However, while they wanted to spread aloha in the neighborhood, they wanted a little privacy, too. For this, they enlisted the help of landscaper Greg Lee, owner of Landscapes by Tropical Images. Lee knew exactly what to do: First, he removed several overgrown trees whose canopies were far too large and whose roots were way too aggressive.
Then, he designed a couple of gently curving planting areas, one flowing to one side of the property and the other toward the front, near the sidewalk. Inside, Lee planted a variety of palms, shrubs and ground covers. As a result, one planting area beckons visitors forward, while the other provides some screening from the street and prevents people from strolling onto the lawn. It’s a subtle and beautiful touch.
Large windows span the back of the home, providing a panoramic view of the pool and yard beyond.
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In the backyard, Lee went to work creating a very private and personal haven. Again, he removed several large trees, opening up the area significantly.
The perimeter of the nearly 4,000-square-foot space was an uneven mix of vinyl fencing on one side, chain link on the other and a huge, unruly mock-orange hedge enclosing the back. To reclaim the space, Lee planted a border of red ginger plants along the two fence lines. Within this new, colorful perimeter, he sprinkled in color and lush growth: red ti plants, delicate orange heliconias, big-leaf monstera, hibiscus, hapuu fern, bird of paradise, lauae fern, dwarf pittosporum and white lariape.
Lee had an arborist prune the nearly 15-foot-tall mock-orange hedge, which turned out to be the perfect, solid green backdrop to his vibrant portrait of a landscape. “It takes at least 20 years for a hedge to grow that big. It’s awesome,” says Lee. “There are a lot of two-story homes coming up in Kahala. Even though none of the neighbors have done that yet, you never know. Having a hedge like this ensures privacy in the future.”
Orchid blossoms bloom in a sea of color.
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Around the newly renovated pool, Lee planted a lawn of hybrid zoysia grass, which is soft underfoot. Along one side of the house, in the shade and protected from the wind, he put down rows of small, lipstick-color anthuriums. Lee and the homeowner continue to experiment with different combinations of plants in various areas of the garden. “It’s a nice, elegant landscape that doesn’t try to do anything in your face or over the top,” says Lee. “It’s easy to maintain, and it can be easily refreshed every so often by changing out different plants.”
“We just love it,” says the homeowner. “We come home, have some pupu and a glass of wine. It’s such a tranquil feeling.”
Until someone rings the doorbell that is, which is perfectly fine, too.
