A pristine koi pond is now the focal point of this Mililani Mauka backyard. The water pump is expertly hidden behind the waterfall.

Some landscaping projects are simple, but none are ever easy.

So when the owner of this Mililani Mauka home decided to give his outdoor space a makeover, he knew exactly whom to call.

Koi add vibrant color to the setting.

“The homeowner wanted a nice, intimate area for entertaining, as well as a tranquil place where he could sit and relax,” says professional landscaper Steve Dewald, who had done some work at the owner’s previous home. “We coordinated the entire project and managed to come up with a neat little garden that requires very little maintenance.”

Dewald and his crew at Steve’s Gardening Service transformed the entire outdoor space; they even designed an attractive walk-through along one side of the house. (The other side is primarily concrete and used for storage.) The front lawn, a splendid patch of green adorned with planters, tied the entire landscape design together nicely. The backyard, however, received the most attention.

“It’s not an overly large yard,” says Dewald, “and I like the fact that we kept it very simple in terms of plant variety. It’s not ‘plain Jane’ by any means, but we limited the variety of plants. As a result, the area has a real resort feel to it.

Dewald installed tropical plants that can thrive in Mililani Mauka’s often-wet environment, including a variety of palms, ferns, orchids and Singapore plumeria. Red ginger, strawberry guava and pinwheel gardenia also beautify the garden.

The water feature is surrounded by a small but attractive selection of tropical plants.

According to Dewald, a small yard presents its own set of challenges. “In a smaller area, everything becomes more magnified,” he explains. “You definitely have to be more precise in picking your focal point. In a large area, your eyes carry you outward, and you might not notice things that aren’t as nice. In a small area, however, everything counts.”

In this backyard, the focal point is an alluring pond that completes the idyllic ambience.

Beachside light fixtures add security and ambience to the landscape.

“I really like the way we did this water feature,” Dewald says. “One, the pump is hidden behind the waterfall, so it’s very discreet. Also, we stopped the pond’s edge right at the sidewalk, which makes it appear as though the pond is running under the sidewalk. It has a real bridgelike effect.”

An expertly manicured planter frames an artful assortment of palms and ferns.

The veteran landscaper is quick to credit the homeowner for much of the project’s success. “He definitely took the time and spent the money to do the job right, and now it’s paying off for him,” Dewald says.
“Although he actually likes to work in the yard, everything was set up to be low-maintenance. We’ve got a full set of Beachside lights in there, with brass and copper fixtures. The sprinkler system is top of the line, as is the pond. He works on the yard an average of about two hours a week. That’s really it.”

The end result? “He loves it,” says Dewald. “This was a really gratifying project because the homeowner is such a nice, mellow guy. He really loves his yard, and enjoys taking care of it. He just retired not long ago, and now he’s kicking back and enjoying his outdoor space.”