Focusing on color, texture and depth, Alan Gracey, of Reliable Landscaping & Sprinklers, turned this Waikele front lawn into a landscaped work of art.

Being a professional landscaper is, in some ways, like being an artist. The landscaper’s canvas is a yard; a lot of inspiration and creativity goes into every project.

Need an example? Head to Waikele, where Alan Gracey, of Reliable Landscaping & Sprinklers, painted and sculpted a visual masterpiece—an outdoor work of art that should look even better in the weeks and months to come.

Whimsical splashes of color dress up the new landscape. Color and privacy were the homeowners’ main requests.

Although the limited space posed a challenge, Gracey skillfully created an aesthetically pleasing backyard oasis.

The Manila palms standing alongside one part of the yard were part of the property’s original landscape.

The striking heliconia rostrata flower is an eye-catching focal point on one side of the yard.

A durable aglaonema plant provides foliage cover and visual interest.

“Yeah, it’s definitely like being an artist,” says Gracey, a designer and project manager who also happens to be the company’s vice president, “except that you’re producing something that’s going to be growing with time, so you have to allow for that.”
From the beginning, the homeowners presented the Reliable team with a clear directive: They wanted their new landscape to provide both color and privacy. It was a simple charge, but it wasn’t without challenges.

“The [landscape] was pretty much a wreck when we first got here,” Gracey explains. “There were only a couple of original palms in place. Other than that, there was nothing.”
Gracey and his crew went right to work, removing old grass, weeds and trees. A couple of palms were salvaged but relocated, and El Toro zoysia grass was installed in the front yard. A small group of young strawberry guava trees provides a nifty screen near the front door, and strategically placed boulders enhance the layered bed of blue daisies, ornamental garlic and other flora.

The home’s small outdoor area posed a challenge for Gracey. “The space was very narrow, especially in the back, where we only had about a 2-foot-wide strip to work with that went around the patio,” he recalls. “We tried to create depth and give that ‘full’ feel, while not making everything so crowded. I think it worked out really well.”

The unobtrusive water feature serves as a central figure in the backyard.

Variegated oyster plants add depth and visual interest to the overall landscape.

The homeowners wanted color, and Gracey certainly delivered. More than 25 different plants are included in the yard’s new look, including red gingers, feather bamboos, yellow lantanas, blue daisies, assorted palms and more. All help to add tasteful splashes of brightness to the surroundings.

“I usually don’t do that much mixing [of plants],” says Gracey. “This is a lot for such a small area, but it works. There’s more variety in the back, while the front yard has a more layered look to add some depth to the lawn.”

The Reliable crew also installed a small water feature in the backyard. The soothing sound of trickling water adds a sense of tranquility to the space.

In all, the makeover took about eight working days. The homeowners are delighted with the results, and the best is yet to come. Gracey says he designs landscapes by visualizing what they should look like a year or even several years from now. The key is in the maintenance effort.

“Even low-maintenance gardens at first may seem to require a lot of maintenance,” he says, “but once things start to fill in, the maintenance is less and less. If you do it periodically, you can keep everything under control.” 

The false heather plant thrives in Hawaii’s warm, humid climate.

Gracey and his crew built a lovely walking path adorned with river stones and gravel.

Philodendron xanadu plants are a prominent part of the landscape design.