HAWAI'I GARDENS
Garden designers rediscover native Hawaiian plant species

By Heidi Bornhorst

Leland Miyano, one of Hawai'i's top landscape designers, loves to utilize native Hawaiian plants in the gardens he creates. Advertiser library photo • June 14, 2000 Native Hawaiian plant workshop and plant sale 9 a.m.-3 p.m. Saturday Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden, Kane'ohe Call Olive at 233-7323 for instructions; register with the Friends of Honolulu Botanical Gardens, 537-1708.Ê $25 for FOHBG members, including Hawaiian plate lunch; nonmembers: $35, plus $10 lunch Participants include: Pisces Pacifica, Ho'omaluhia Nursery, Ho'ulu Mea Kanu, Hui Ku Maoli Ola, Dennis Kim, Waimea Arboretum.

Paul Weissich, director emeritus of the Honolulu Botanical Gardens, and Marie McDonald, a nationally recognized lei maker and author of the definitive lei book, "Ka Lei," will kick off the workshop with a sneak preview of images from their long-awaited, soon-to-be-published book, "Na Lei Makamae, the Cherished Lei of old Hawai'i."

McDonald and Weissich have been working on this project for years. Weissich has been researching ancient lei by searching historic accounts and cherished legends, often written in Hawaiian, about lei that were crafted and cherished in the old days. They gather these rare old types of plant materials, and McDonald creates the lei, finds awe-inspiring Hawaiian models (normal folks actually, from farmers to fishermen to hula dancers), and takes gorgeous photos of this living, re-creation of a vanishing art form.

As director of Honolulu Botanical Gardens and author of "Growing Native Hawaiian Plants," I will do a segment on practical propagation and care of native plants.

Two top Hawai'i landscape designers — Jason Umemoto and Leland Miyano — will offer their recommendations on landscaping with native Hawaiian plants in terms of modern design and "hapa haole design." They will also offer some inspirational tips on simple weed management in the evolving landscape.

Umemoto and Miyano are working on many landscapes for the rich and famous, and they also do a lot of public service work for the Honolulu Botanical Gardens, The Contemporary Museum, the Honolulu Academy of Arts and the East-West Center, just to name a few. One of their signatures is cut basalt stone.

While their style is eclectic and modern, native Hawaiian plants are gaining space in their garden designs. Miyano is a strong advocate for all forms of Hawaiian natural life and loves to utilize native Hawaiian plants in his personal and public garden designs.

We find that when a lecture is given, people are inspired and want to plant their gardens, but shopping at all the remote, back-street nurseries is difficult and time consuming. But on Saturday, top growers of native Hawaiian plants will be gathered at this event to sell plants for people's gardens. With this event, all the elements for successful lei and landscape gardening with native Hawaiian plants will be gathered together.Ê

Heidi Bornhorst is director of Honolulu's botanical gardens — Foster, Lili'uokalani, Wahiawa, Koko Crater, Ho'omaluhia. Write her care of The Advertiser Homestyle section, P.O. Box 3110, Honolulu, HI 96802. Or e-mail her at islandlife@honoluluadvertiser.com.