Thinning the jungle
Cassia x neliae 'Queen's Hospital White'
Was working in the garden today, and wondering what it would be like to not have a seemingly never ending list of gardening chores to do. I started with jackhammering a trench for a new pond though solid rock, still not done, maybe I’ll try and finish tomorrow. Andy was pruning some stuff, so I just told him to just put the debris in the truck. Before you know it, the Calliandra inaequilatera 'Alba' was opened up again and looked great. A golden leaved banana, Musa acuminata 'Tapo' was gone, it wasn’t cutting it for me, too much cleaning work and no fruit, just an ornamental. It leaves a empty spot for one of my new Iochromas, yes that is how gardeners brains work. Lots of old palm leaves filled in the middle section of the truck bed, and some African Gardenia (Gardenia volkensii) that was getting too thick near the house. Always nice to open that one up, it’s loaded with tillansias and orchids that look great mounted on it’s strong lateral branches. I didn’t know the species until I moved here, it looks similar to Gardenia thunbergia, but faster here and the flowers start cream, but then turn gold and with an unexpected Magnolia grandiflora fragrance. Then the Brugmansia x candida f. variegata 'Maya' got a big trim, along with the Cassia x neliae 'Queen's Hospital White', a stunning light cream yellow form of the rainbow shower tree, that was just above it. After four years here, the trees we planted are finally getting big, I needed the 12’ pole saw to get to the top bits. Oh yeah, and a Ylang-ylang vine, Artabotrys odoratissimus, we both decided we didn’t like, too many thorns, fragrant, but ultimately less than showy flowers, made the hit list. That topped the truck off and we headed to the green landfill up in Hilo, but before we left I noticed the new opened views in the garden, increased light getting in, and that did make me happy. A beautiful garden always comes with a price tag, usually sweat and more than a little dirt to wash off. Still got to finish that pond, but when I do, I know that I’ll like it, than I can finish the entry lanai, build that finch aviary, start of the entry gate pillars and wall, and oh yeah build the packing shed that’s been a bare slab for months. Still have plans to add a greenhouse out back, not for cold, but to keep rain off the plants, I know Hawaii is weird, and then finally maybe get to installing that big pond in the back. I think for most people it would seem overwhelming, and sometimes it feels that way to me too. But I’ve noticed that little by little it all gets done and the garden just gets better. It not for everyone, but that’s the point, it’s for us and those we get to share it with, it’s what we value. My mentor Sinjen always said there is no garden without a gardener and he’s right. And I actually like the process, if it were easy or fast it really wouldn’t be the same, you simply can’t buy a mature evolved garden the same way you can remodel a house. So I guess it’s back to the jackhammer tomorrow, no pain, no gain.