When the third-generation owners of this Diamond Head home turned their attention to landscaping, they knew exactly what needed to be done. As good as the original plantings were—some had been planted here more than 50 years before—time had taken its toll. A large-scale restoration was in order; fortunately, they knew where to turn.

“They had just finished a massive remodeling project of their home where they basically took everything apart, updated it and then put it back together again,” says Kevin Mulkern of Kevin J. Mulkern, A Licensed Landscape Contractor Inc. “Now, they wanted to do the exact same thing with the landscape.”

Before

After

Luckily, Mulkern understood that a complete overhaul was unnecessary in this case. “A lot of times people just want to rip everything out and start with something new,” he says. “If you give something a little TLC, you’d be surprised how good you can make a 50-year-old plant look.”
  

The homeowner’s vision came from his grandfather, a plant enthusiast who had meticulously plotted every inch of landscaping and had even designed a botanical blueprint of the property.

“Using those three or four handwritten pages, we tried to plot the plants that he talked about,” says Mulkern, looking across today’s well-manicured backyard. “We didn’t actually landscape this place. We looked at the original landscape plan and tried to follow it as closely as we could.

”Extensive pruning, shaping and fertilizing as well as an improved sprinkler system worked wonders throughout the sloped property. “Everything had just grown together over the years,” says Mulkern. “We were able to save the majority of them.”

The biggest change occurred near the pool. Here, a rare ground cover that required almost daily care was replaced with grass. “It just wasn’t practical to maintain,” says Mulkern. “Plus, by adding grass here, we were able to substantially expand the usable pool deck.”

With the project complete, the homeowners and their guests can enjoy approximately 50 varieties of new and heirloom plants. There’s something for everyone, novices and seasoned plant enthusiasts alike. 

4 Tips You Can Use

1. Stop the Slide
Consider what sort of drainage and erosion issues you’ll face when heavy rains hit. Along this steep side slope of the yard, a biodegradable matting made of unbleached jute fiber called Jute-net was used, and the original ground covers—pothos and syngonium—were restored. Ask your landscaper what they recommend for your specific area.

2. Be creative in every corner.
Along the back wall of the carport, Mulkern added cast iron plants and an improved sprinkler system to the shade-loving pothos, monstera, philodendron and other native ferns. The result? A living wall. “It’s a nice splash of color where you wouldn’t expect it,” says Mulkern.


3. Restore rather than replace.
With a little effort (relocating, pruning, regular watering, fertilizing, etc.), you can save struggling plants, plus realize a substantial cost savings. This vine (adenocalymma nitidum) was planted by the grandfather many years ago. During the extensive home renovation, Mulkern worked to salvage the vine. “We took it down from the original stairway, put it in a pile, set sprinklers on it and hoped for the best,” says Mulkern. “After the house was rebuilt, we reattached it to the railing. It’s bloomed twice since, so it’s doing wonderfully.”

4. Protect what's important.
Just outside the three-stall carport, the homeowner wanted to take steps to further protect the Poinciana tree that has been in the same location for decades. “They like to sit in the living room and have a filtered view of the ocean through the branches of this tree,” Mulkern says. “It’s very special to the owners.” Mulkern and his crew eliminated the synthetic-grass block material that did not work well with the tree roots, installed a root barrier around the perimeter of the planter to direct the roots downward and added a blue-rock base with minimal soil to improve drainage and minimize rutting when the carport is used.