Hawai'i Gardens
Island gardens finally garner notice in mainstream media

By Heidi Bornhorst

"Gardening isn't just a hobby, it's a magnificent journey of discovery."

Hawai'i gardeners will be happy to see the new "Western Garden Book," (Sunset, paper, $32.95). As anyone who loves to read books and magazines on plants and gardens in Hawai'i knows, we are not usually included among the climate zone maps in typical garden books and magazines, and all of our wonderful plants seem to be discounted in favor of the sun and surf for which Hawai'i is so famous.

For so long, we were off the maps. But Sunset, in its wisdom (and with the considerable editorial skills of Kathleen N. Brenzel), has created new zones for Hawai'i and Alaska gardeners. Apparently, both states have been left out of mainstream U.S. gardening literature.

Now, we have H1 and H2 as our climate zones for plant selection. H1 indicates upland areas on the Big Island and Maui, where more temperate plants can be grown, and H2 describes our general lowland Hawai'i garden areas, where tropical and subtropical plants thrive, unlike anywhere else in the United States.

Sunset has done a lot of research on our plants, climates and microclimates, and they consulted with various Hawai'i plant specialists, including garden designers, horticulturists, landscape architects, botanical garden directors and gardeners.

This book is full of brilliant color photos and excellent illustrations. It is a delight to the eye and an inspiration to all of us plant lovers. The awesome plants from Hawai'i have their own section and are also sprinkled through the text.

The book is broken into interesting sections, with an inspiring introduction featuring noteworthy Western gardens. I was happy to see that the tropical lowland garden of Leland and Karen Miyano was featured, along with a lush photo.

The many sections of the book merit serious reading, and the pictures give you a chance to quickly skim, gain some insight and inspiration, and head out to the garden to get realistic and creative.

Sunset has been publishing and refining this guide since the 1930s. The last edition was done in 1995, but there have been many changes since then.

Many akamaiwai (xeriscaping) tips are featured in this latest edition. Ways of working with nature, using compost and mulch, beneficial insects and the natural processes of gardening are expanded upon in a useful tip format.

There is a section (and Hawai'i is well represented) on botanical and historical gardens that is great to remind you to visit our local gardens and to plan trips to visit gardens in other states. Web site addresses are included so you can check out gardens virtually.

One of the cool sections is the plant selection guide. It features fragrant plants (Hawai'i is underrepresented on this: We have so many deliciously fragrant garden plants); colorful fruits and berries; colored foliage (broken down by color); trees and shrubs sorted by size and color; vines; ground covers; ferns and more.

Other fun sections include plants that attract butterflies and birds; plants for hanging baskets and window boxes; trees and shrubs for containers; and plants for tropical effects.

Also there are sections about plants that like the dampness around ponds, and one that every resort landscaper or homeowner with a pool will like: plants to use near swimming pools (no thorns, litter-free, chlorine tolerant).

For ridge gardeners, try the section on plants for windy areas (this is one we get a lot of questions on here at The Advertiser). There is also a seacoast garden section for those faced with ehukai-laden winds.

There is a large section on plants for dry areas, as well as many xeriscape tips and techniques sprinkled throughout the text. This is an important form of gardening for gardeners in the West. Also for us here in Hawai'i, as the climate seems to get drier every year; we develop and build in hot dry areas; and there are more and more demands on our precious water.

We then get to the main section of the book: the encyclopedia of Western plants. This is a detailed look at many popular plants. It includes climate, sun needs, water requirements and notes about whether the plant, or any of its parts, is toxic. Big groups like eucalyptus and Acacia have their own special charts and sections to find the best one for your garden.

Following the exhaustive encyclopedia is a practical guide to gardening. This has all kinds of common-sense advice and gardening explanations. It starts with annuals, proceeds to bulbs, has details about composting (something we need to do more of in Hawai'i), container gardening, diseases, fertilizers, herbs, turf grass and so on.

Heidi Bornhorst is director of Honolulu's five botanical gardens.