Nui na ala hele o ka mauna. "The mountain has many paths."

Nahele: is Hawaiian for wilderness, it is the garden that is wildcrafted by nature. This could be a coastal area or an upland forest. In creating a Hawaiian garden or one that has native Hawaiian plants in it, a goal I have set for myself is to try to create a garden which has the same feel as one would receive if standing in a the natural area. A walk or a hike into one of Hawai`i's prestine natural areas, or nahele, reveals a balance between the elements that is full of awe and inspiration. Just for a moment, image what it took for nature to singlehandedly produce such beauty. The combination of water, sun, earth, wind and the spirit of Nature had to all come together to craft the plants that share the land with eachother. It is a special feeling and it is this feeling that I would like to recreate in a native Hawaiian garden. For most of us, the lowlands are where our homes are. And it is these lowlands that are considered the dry parts of the islands. The dryland forest and shrubland in Hawaii exists between the elevations of 15 - 2000 meters and is generally on the leeward sides of all the main islands. All of the natural communities of Kaho`olawe and Lana`i fall into this classification. Also known as the dry lowland communities, this area of Hawai`i has been tremendously changed since the days before human settlement. Between this elevation today you will find all the cities, roads, homes, schools, agriculture, ranching, and in general, most of civilization. As a result very few undisturbed lowland natural communities exist today, its native plant species pushed to the brink of nonexistance. Being pushed to the point of nonexistance is no fun and the aim here is the bring the fun back into the lowlands. The focus of this presentation is the dry lowland communities. In the lee areas of the Hawaiian Islands and on an island like Kaho`olawe, you see the landscape changing overnight. Once long ago a prestine natural community, this area has given way to sugar cane and now residential and urban development. What grew here long ago? Do those plants still exist? What must this landscape have looked like before anyone settled here? The plants covered here are part of an ongoing lecture series that I have conducted over the years, at Lyon Arboretum and other places. They feature, of course, native Hawaiian plants and how best to propagate them. The focus is on plants that I have had success in growing and are particularly suited to the environmental conditions in upper Pearl City. If you have any questions, please contact me at the addresses shown below. Good luck with your garden and creating your own native ecosystem. Dryland plants covered in workshop series: Dodonea viscosa (ind) - `A`ali`i Achyranthes splendens (end) Chenopodium oahuense (end) - `Aheahea Pittosporum glabrum (end) - Ho`awa Sida fallax (ind) -`Ilima Bidens torta (end) - Ko`oko`olau Abutilon menziesii (end) - Ko`oloa`ula Gossypium tomentosum (end) - Ma`o Hibiscus brackenridgei (end) - Ma`o hau hele Argemone glauca (end) - Pua kala Erythrina sandwicensis (end) - Wiliwili Reference Material Related Web Sites of Interest Places to Visit ©Burt Lum, 1996-2003 blum@kahoolawe.org www.brouhaha.net/nahele P.O. Box 152 Honolulu, HI 96810