Posted on: Friday, May 6, 2005

Know of a great groundskeeper?

By Heidi Bornhorst
Special to The Advertiser

Despite all the concrete and traffic, there is still much beauty to be found, nurtured and appreciated here in Hawai'i.

One volunteer group that helps us plant and nurture trees, improve parks and keep our Islands clean, green and gorgeous is Scenic Hawaii Inc. Scenic Hawaii landscape projects include the saving of Irwin Park, rainbow shower tree plantings on Vineyard Boulevard, and monkeypod and shower tree plantings on Kahuapa'ani Street at Stadium Mall.

Since 1995, the organization has sponsored annual awards for private gardeners, professional landscapers and commercial landscapers who have contributed significantly to a project that protects or improves the beauty of Hawai'i, community gardens or public landscapes. Since 2004, Scenic Hawaii has given out awards in a xeriscape (less-thirsty landscape) category, sponsored by sister organization Friends of Halawa Xeriscape Garden.

Have you seen a park groundskeeper or school custodian who goes above and beyond to keep Hawai'i shady and green? Nominate him or her for the Scenic Hawaii awards.

Send in a brief write-up about the garden you admire. Pictures help; these can be prints, slide or digital. Send nominations to Scenic Hawaii Inc., P.O. Box 10501, Honolulu, HI 96816.

Nominations also can be downloaded from www.scenichawaii.org.

Nominations are due by May 15.

The awards honor the late Betty Crocker, founding president of Scenic Hawaii and a longtime advocate of protecting and enhancing the natural beauty of Hawai'i. Today, her daughters, Cicely Crocker George and Diana Crocker Doerr, help keep the community commitment of their beloved mother growing, in the natural beauty of our Hawaiian Islands.