John Miguel and Bill Dodge restored a three-acre garden on the island of Kauai after its devastation by Hurricane Iniki. Today the garden is a small paradise as well as a business for floral designer John.
Raised perennial borders accommodate heavy rainfall -- a total of 100 inches isn't unusual -- and prevent drainage problems. Growing conditions are ideal for a number of plants, including daylilies, cannas and cleome.
Another successful experiment has been growing coffee plants, one of Hawaii's leading export crops. A beautiful plant with showy white blooms, coffee (Coffea arabica) is related to the gardenia.
Spiders work overtime feeding on harmful insects. The fact that John and Bill use no pesticides encourages beneficial insects to take up residence.
Bill believes a garden can never have too much color. By turning the front driveway into an entryway, he and John created a magnificent landscape full of brilliant hues. The former driveway was transformed into a container garden (figure A).
Water gardens are planted in large jars around the garden. Lotus, taro (Colocasia esculenta) and other aquatic plants are allowed to cover 70 percent to 80 percent of the water's surface, preventing algae growth and keeping the water clear for toads, frogs and fish.
Ti trees (Cordyline terminalis) are hybridized and sold on the island. Plants have red, yellow or variegated leaves and are usually started from stem cuttings laid in a mixture of peat moss and sand. When shoots and roots form, they're transplanted to a spot with ample moisture and warm soil.
Almost all of the plants were started from cuttings. After the hurricane, neighbors contributed bits and pieces of plants to replant the devastated garden.
This tropical garden is far from a low-maintenance project. The two men are passionate about their garden and spend every extra moment tending and improving it.
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