Category: Gardening (Page 1 of 130)

My work on the raised bed by the preschool/church entrance has slowed down. There is a big clump of areca palm there. I’d like for it to be gone, but I’m not sure how to accomplish that.

I did clean out much of the iceplant groundcover around the palm. There were some rocks sticking out of the plants, and when I cleared it away, I saw that the rocks were arranged in the shape of Maui. I had been told that Russell did it years ago. West Maui had crumbled a little, so I spent yesterday repairing and rearranging.

When you stand at the edge of the planter, the north side of Maui is facing you. At first, I was confused, but then I realized that it was oriented in the planter the way it is in real life. As you stand at the planter, you face north. Ha! So interesting! Here is the rock-Maui picture flipped so it’s “north side up”

Russell even put a little Iao Needle in there! I love it!

I want to make a sign that says “You are here” and put it on the rocks.

I didn’t do much yesterday, so I’ll risk being a little repetitive to talk about the next part of my garden project at school.

I got a few natives to put by the church/preschool entrance. I wanted the preschool teachers to have some native plants right outside their door. There is a big planter by the front door that has some things growing in it. I thought maybe I could just do a few plantings in the corner:

As I was asking around, I’ve been a little surprised to find out that everyone I talk to would like to see a change in that planter. I have been happy to hear that. There is a giant clump of some kind of palm tree that I thought was a little wild looking, and I’ve found out everyone else thinks so too. In fact, Russell is going to help me (actually, I’m helping him) cut down those trees on Wednesday. I could potentially have the entire planter to plant natives! Woo hoo!

I’ve finished the native Hawaiian plant display at school. Unless I decide to dress them up with some rocks or something. But I’ve finished the plantings. Here is the progression in pictures:

I am really pleased with the little engraved labels I got. They look fancy.

It’s the Hawaiian name, the Latin name, and then what kind of native plant it is. There are three categories of “native plant”:

Polynesian Introduced – brought by the first people to settle the islands
Indigenous – not brought here by people, but also grows other places in the world
Endemic – not brought here by people, and does not appear naturally anyplace else in the world except Hawaii

I even got some endangered species! Cool! I will do a little write-up and presentation to my fellow teachers so they can talk about it with their classes if they want to. Even if they don’t, it will be a cool display for kids and parents to see every time they walk past.

I made the next step in my school gardening project with native Hawaiian plants. I got the plants from the botanical garden people yesterday. Woo hoo!

It was already afternoon by the time I could pick them up, so I just left them by the pots at school, and I will plant them today.

While I was in Nebraska, I ordered the plant stakes and engraved labels for the plants, so I can put those in the pots as well.

I’m so excited!

My flight home was mostly uneventful. I got my “get into Maui Free’ wristband right when I checked my suitcase, so that was easy.

A quick bite to eat, and I was on the plane. It had no thirteenth row. I think this is standard. I even asked a flight attendant. She said the only plane she’d seen a thirteenth row on was in Australia. Hmmm…

I was glad to see the plants on my lanai when I got home. They’ve suffered a little while I was gone, but there’s only one fatality. I was most excited about the lotus. It’s looking healthy. I missed a bunch of flowers while I was gone. I cut off the seed heads, so we’ll see if new ones grow.