HAWAI'I GARDENS
Elder group lends energy to the Honolulu Zoo

By Heidi Bornhorst

Because of the recent strong winds and rains, the fragile blossoms of the gold tree won't be around for long. Enjoy them now. Advertiser library photo

Under the guidance of horticulturist Ron Kodama, general curator Peter Luscomb, assistant director Tommy Higashino and other key zoo staff, this Elder Hostel group did some hard work to enrich the lives of the animals.

They also learned about browse gardens, recycled timber, animal nutrition and other wild info, had a great time with Carol Hopper at the Waikiki Aquarium and visited other conservation and educational sites on O'ahu.

They built raised planter beds (a good technique for growing food in Hawai'i) made of recycled plastic lumber, and set them on top of ground cloths (to keep out weeds and create a nice walking path between beds). These were filled with a mixture of topsoil and the zoo's finest compost. Kodama taught them how to make an irrigation system. They also planted and weeded in the zoo nursery and built a pig fence in the new nene goose exhibit under Luscomb's watchful eye.

The Elder Hostel group helped to make browse gardens full of organic vegetables and other plants. Approved by the zoo veterinarian, they will be grown for many of the zoo animals.

The forage and browse plants are partly for nutrition (we all need to eat our veggies) and partly for animal enrichment. We all need fun, education and growth in our lives. Simple, natural plant materials help entertain the animals and give them the opportunity to practice natural behavior, grazing and foraging.

Keven Williamson, the Elder Hostel program coordinator who accompanied the group, put a lot of energy and effort into the project, and fed his volunteers well on local healthy grinds — a true sign of a great leader.

Elder Hostel is run out of the University of Hawai'i-Manoa. It's a great way to travel, learn and give of yourself. My parents went on one to Costa Rica and planted trees. You might consider this for your next great traveling adventure.

What's in bloom

Catch them while you can:

The gold trees along the airport viaduct are going off! They are in bloom and in bud all along this major thoroughfare. The whole group of trees is deemed exceptional and is recognized and protected by law.

Lots of other gold trees, along with their close relatives the golden trumpet trees, are in magnificent bloom. They are in the genus Tabebuia. However, with the recent strong winds and rain, the fragile golden blossoms won't be around for long. Make sure to enjoy their brilliant reflection in the bright golden blossoms adorning the ground under the trees.

Also in bloom in tones of gold is our state flower, the endangered golden yellow hibiscus, ma'o hau hele or Hibiscus brackenridgei. Now that our endangered species laws have more common sense, I would encourage people to grow and plant this striking yellow hibiscus, a rare plant in its dry-land home but easy to grow in the garden. Our schools and public gardens should grow it all over.

Ma'o, or Hawaiian cotton, is also in bloom, as is golden-blossomed French or winter tarragon, a very easy and tasty herb to grow in your garden.