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You still have time to shop today at the Old Kona Airport Kona Orchid Society Spring Show and Sale. It starts at 9 a.m. and runs to 2 p.m. Not only will there be orchids, but a great variety plants that may be used to beautify the home. If you have already found that special…

Next Sunday is Mother’s Day and there is still time for last-minute gifts for the ladies in your life. Before you run out to pick up the flowers and Hawaiian chocolate, let’s ponder on the origins of this special holiday. It seems it goes so far back that the ancient Greeks and Romans celebrated by…

May Day is Lei Day in Hawaii but we celebrate flowers of all kinds all year long. Traditionally, everyone should consider wearing flowers more often. Fellows, let’s get back to wearing aloha shirts and ladies, what about revisiting mu’umu’u. These unique expressions of our culture are coming back in style as part of the Hawaiian…

As the Hawaii Island cacao industry continues to expand, it is time to celebrate with the 11th Annual Big Island Chocolate Festival from Thursday, April 25 through Saturday, April 27. According to Fern Gavelek, the event culminates with the “Mystical Chocolate Masquerade” gala offering everything from sweet to savory. Participants will be able to enjoy…

As the sun gets stronger, many shrubs, trees and especially vines can grow at a rapid pace. This makes vines great for covering unsightly fences like concrete or chain link. Good fences and hedges make good neighbors goes the old saying, and maybe in the old days it was the case. Stone walls are traditional…

Hawai’i, often referred to as paradise on earth, is not only known for its stunning beaches and lush landscapes but also for its profound cultural values deeply rooted in the concept of “Aloha ʻĀina.” In Hawaiian language, “Aloha ʻĀina” translates to “love of the land” or “respect for the land.” It’s a philosophy that extends…

Easter 2024 has passed but like the Easter lily you received, it may be resurrected after appearing dead. Easter reminds us that life is a cycle of what appears to be death and rebirth. In cooler climates, it is what we learn by observing plants that go dormant in the winter only to sprout anew…

Since we live in a multicultural place with a great variety of climatic and geographic expressions, we can create almost anything in our gardens. Orchids, bromeliads and other epiphytes and lithophytes are perfect for gardens lacking in soil. We also have an abundance of lava rock! In many other parts of the world, rock and…

Tropical Asia is well known for its spectacular rainforests loaded with many species of palms and carnivorous Nepenthes pitcher plants but it is easy to miss the tropical Vireya Rhododendrons growing as epiphytes high in the tops of gigantic trees. Most folks spend their time looking at terrestrial plants, or avoiding leeches, snakes and other…

It is time to think about planting your fall vegetable garden. This week and for the next few weeks let’s consider landscapes that feed us. You might even want to take the organic approach. Since our soils have lost many nutrients let’s look at the best sources to consider. Where animal manures are available, they…