While being green is a worthwhile endeavor, it isn’t always easy. 

One third-generation landscaper surveyed a Hawaii Kai backyard, located on the Anchorage marina, and quickly recognized the project would present some challenges.

“The yard was pretty small, and, basically, it was one big slope leading to the boat dock,” says Steve Dewald, owner of Steve’s Gardening Service. “It was pretty unusable, and the homeowners wanted to change that and make maximum use of the space.”

The first order of business was to excavate the area and put in some attractive retaining walls. This, in turn, allowed the crew to level out the yard and enhance its usefulness.

A great setup: The deck is topped off with Merbau-wood furniture (a sustainable Indonesian ironwood variety). “It has the same properties as teak, without the splitting factor,” says Dewald. Furniture courtesy of Island Style Furnishings.

“The first big challenge? From an environmental aspect, we wanted to make sure that we didn’t get any junk in the marina during the construction,” Dewald says. “It certainly was tough, excavating all that soil and putting up retaining walls without getting anything in the water. And, of course, the other challenge was the weather. A lot of high wind comes through here, and when you couple that with the salt [from the marina], it’s a challenge to keep all the plant materials looking healthy and beautiful.”

In the backyard, Dewald’s plantings included a Samoan coconut tree, akia shrubs and song of India plants. In the rear left corner of the yard, he installed an autograph tree. It will eventually grow into an umbrellalike shape, serving as an effective wind buffer. Out front, Dewald planted what he calls his “bulletproof staples”: Phoenix palms, Singapore plumeria, wax ficus, golden eldorado and ti.

The more vulnerable plants are found on the sides of the yard. “We were lucky,” Dewald says, smiling. “The left-side yard is primarily shading, and both sides have palms that provide screening. Here, we were able to plant heliconias, anthuriums and some other delicate plants that would really get beaten up in the front- or backyard.”

Protected by tall Macarthur Palms, anthuriums, spats and impatiens add tiny pops of color to the side walkway.

Purple mountain orchids and Tonga tabu (sea mango) are beautiful yet durable choices for seaside landscaping.

Dewald and his crew also installed a new lawn, opting for El Toro zoysia because it thrives near the ocean and doesn’t require a lot of watering. The new sprinkler system gives another nod to the environment, using xeriscape-type nozzles to produce heavier droplets of water that won’t get blown away by the winds (thus, less water is used overall).

The homeowners are very conscious of saving electricity, so Dewald chose LED fixtures. “These brass and copper fixtures will stand the test of time by the ocean,” he explains, “and the LED fixtures use less electricity than your standard 12-volt system.”

The end result is a beautiful outdoor makeover that is both environmentally friendly and low-maintenance. “At the end of the day, we all walked away very happy with a successful project,” says Dewald.

The green movement, he insists, is here to stay. “In the past, being green may have been a fad,” Dewald observes. “Now, I think it’s more economically driven than anything else. We’re not just saving our environment; we’re also saving our pocketbooks.”

The backyard’s proximity to the water meant the landscape plan required salt- and wind-tolerant plants, which included mountain orchids, a sea mango tree and striped-leaved song of India.

A BETTER WAY TO WATER Dewald is encouraged by continued innovation toward greener landscaping methods. Case in point: “Instead of regular rain sensors, we have in-ground moisture sensors that actually gauge the moisture of the soil. It defaults the irrigation system and shuts it down until the soil becomes dry enough. Then it kicks the system back on. That’s huge, and it’s only getting better,” he says.

A whimsical urn acts as a focal point for the backyard. A Samoan coconut tree and plenty of palms provide shade. Red ti and raspberry ice bouganvillea add color.

Native Hawaiian akia provides a striking filler, giving the side wall a lush appearance.

A small lily pond is an easy yet dramatic way to add color and interest to almost any yard or lanai.