Na `Āina Kai Botanical Gardens & Sculpture Park Volume 13 Issue 3 March 2017

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’ s Notes from Na `Aina Kai’s Horticulturist

s Charles mentioned, if you’ve been in the garden lately, you know there are several renovation

projects in the works. We greatly appreciate your flexibility in working your tours around these A obstacles. I thought you might enjoy some explanations and some photos of the progress. At the end I’ve included a surprise photo of what goes on when no one is in the garden.

The entire walkway and railing at the Ahupua’a is being dismantled. Dirt is being removed from beneath the walk- way so that the boards are no longer buried and all parts are being sanded, painted and replaced. The display boards are being slightly relocated to make the fish in the center of the pond easier to see. The steps and railing to the lookout will also be sanded and refinished. Once all the woodwork is finished the surface of the ocean will be repainted a lighter color. We’re hoping that about the time the project is complete the new fish will have returned from their trip to have their anchor points redone and we will be able to install them in their new home..

The beginning of the lava rock wall around the maze is going

well. Musika Koli and his crew will build half of the wall.

Then it will be NAK crew’s turn to get in and remove the old

mock orange stumps and replant new in the same config-

uration. They will also redo the irrigation system. Once those

projects are complete, Musika’s crew will come back and

finish the rock wall. The last step will be to plant creeping fig,

succulents and orchids on the walls and do some replanting

inside the maze.

Volume 13 Issue 3 Page 2 We have removed the hippo, giraffe and peacock topi-

aries. The peacock will be returned, after a makeover,

to the former location of hippo and the other two have

been relocated as you can see below.

The hippo is now in the Lunch section of the Amuse-

ment Garden pondering what the crew at Lunchtime

Chaos is doing. He has been planted with Dissotis ro-

tundifolia, the pink flowered groundcover near the map

at the visitor’s center and elsewhere in the garden.

The giraffe has been moved to the Dessert area of the

Amusement Garden where he is checking out the cacao

trees. He is planted with creeping fig as before.

Volume 13 Issue 3 Page 3 acetosella, False , Cranberry Hibiscus or Red Leaved Hibiscus is in the mallow family, , along with cotton and cacao. The

We caught Betty Goodman deeply cut, dark red to purple leaves of this hibiscus weeding while visiting with resemble Japanese maples and make this plant highly guests in the Herb Garden! desired for landscaping.

Contrary to “true” roselle, the calyx or sepals of cranberry hibiscus are non-fleshy and not eaten, although the flowers and leaves are edible.

Cranberry hibiscus is mostly known for its slightly sour or pleasantly tart young leaves which are used as a vegetable, either raw or cooked. The leaves are eaten in small quantities due to acid content and because they are mucilaginous. Cranberry hibiscus leaves add interest to dishes since they retain their color after being cooked.

The flowers are used to make teas or other drinks where they contribute color rather than taste. In Central America the flowers are combined with ice, sugar, lemon, or lime juice and water to make a purple lemonade. A medicinal tea made from the leaves of cranberry Linda hibiscus is usedAnn as a post-fever tonic and to treat anemia. Low Sheridan Cranberry hibiscus are blooming in the Breakfast area of the Amusement garden.

Chris and his hunting buddies have a critter cam Tending Concessions! attached to a teak tree out on the way to The Point. This is one of the photos they caught around 7pm on February 20. Do you think the albatross are waiting for a performance by the pig?

Na `Āina Kai Botanical Gardens & Sculpture Park Our youngest volunteer Calvin Nelson, eagerly 4101 Wailapa Road passed out Gift Shop P.O. Box 1134 coupons. Pictured here Kilauea, Kauai, HI 96754 with “Mom”, Charlene (808) 828-0525 Nelson. www.NaAinaKai.org

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