STRIKE A BALANCE. To keep the entry balanced, Gracey incorporated similar plants on both sides. Bonus: The taller plants give the homeowners added privacy and help shield windows from shining headlights when cars come into the driveway.

It was just days before Christmas when a Kahala homeowner called Alan Gracey of Reliable Landscaping to transform this yard. The challenge? He wanted it done in time for his Christmas Eve party, giving Gracey and his crew 10 days to renovate the estimated 2,000-square-foot yard.

They got to work right away, working all day, every day, to get done in time for the party. Though ideal weather prevailed through most of the renovation, once the crew dug the hole for the pond, it rained. “It turned the hole into mud,” Gracey says. The mud stopped the crew from bringing in a track they use to convey large boulders into projects. Instead, they carried the boulders in by hand.

In the end, their hard work paid off. The crew worked up until the morning of Christmas Eve and completed the project just in time.

The 10-day project required a focused plan. Gracey and his crew worked to incorporate a few key items: water, added privacy and a tropical ambience.  Read on to find out how they did it.

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