Sought after by many photography-inclined tourists and flower enthusiasts in general, it is good to know what you are getting into before planting your own plumeria trees.

While beautiful with a lovely mild fragrance, plumeria trees are messy. Underneath them at any given time is an array of dead leaves and browning flowers.

Ah, but the flowers are lovely. Most commonly white with a hint of yellow, their fragrance is mild and not overwhelming to the senses. Unfortunately, they are a magnet for flower poachers. Be prepared to find people snagging them by the bagful for their own purposes.

Be sure to use caution as the plant is mildly toxic and can cause irritation when ingested or when the sap comes in contact with sensitive skin.

An AeroGarden is a complete herb garden that sits right on your kitchen counter. Don't worry about getting potting soil all over your cooking food prep surfaces; the AeroGarden is a hydroponic unit with the plants' roots resting right in the water.

No sunlight? No problem. These units come with a special grow light that helps the herbs absolutely thrive. While great for your plants, be warned, the light is quite bright. If your kitchen (or wherever the unit is placed) is adjacent to a bedroom, you may need to fashion something to block out the light. A minor inconvenience for fresh herbs. Most units will turn the light on and off automatically, depending on the needs of your plants. You can also adjust the light timer.

The daunting question of when to feed your plants is simplified as well. Many models come with an automated screen that tells you days ahead of time when your garden will need to be fed. This is a great feature because if you are out of plant food, you can hop right onto Amazon and have their patented plant nutrients delivered right to your doorstep. You can also re-order the herbs or just the inserts for replanting.

This is not an affiliate post. We actually have one of these in our own home that we purchased as a novelty item. While we were not completely sold on the unit at first, we now have more herbs than we know what to do with. Three months of growth yielded three harvests from the best growers and two from the slowest-growing herbs. Experiment with your favorite herb combinations, and get the kids involved, too!

You can find them HERE and at select retailers.
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Including a seating area in your yard is a great way to break up the monotony of just grass, or just rocks.  Throw in a fire pit to your seating area and you have the perfect way to bring people together in your outdoor space.

People have been gathering around fires since the caveman days, and humans still very much feel that primal pull towards the warmth and community that fires can bring.

Just imagine those cool evenings gathered around the fire pit with friends and family, sharing laughs and stories while gazing into the flames...

If you have ever eaten curry, you are most likely familiar with turmeric. It is a key ingredient for the base of many different kinds of curry.

Turmeric has long been treasured not only for it's unique flavor, but for it's health benefits as well.

Ayurvedic medicine has used turmeric for a very long time, with entire medical books written about it's many health benefits.  It can help lower blood pressure, ease arthritis, fend off Alzheimer's disease, and reduce inflammation. It can be infused as a tea, grated and added to recipes, or heated up with coconut oil to increase it's healing benefits. Some people even take turmeric in a capsule directly by mouth.

Growing your own Turmeric can be tricky and takes some patience, but the results are beautiful flowers and a very useful root. Turmeric can be found at your local farmer's market, too.

1. Break up the space
           ...with a garden path and edgers to separate out different growing beds. This helps break up the space so that less feels like more in your design. Stepping stones in gravel or cinder are great options for those shady spots and contribute to a thoughtful and attractive area.

2. Add a visual feature
         Have you ever considered a pond? Or perhaps a fountain? Maybe an interesting statue or work of art that you take a liking to? Your outdoor space doesn't have to be 100% plants.

3. Less grass
       Even though some varieties of grass are more shade tolerant than others, all types of grass need some sun to survive. Depending on how shady your yard is, grass may not be in the cards for your design — or perfect for some areas and not ideal for others. Aggregate (gravel, rock, cinder) and shade-tolerant groundcovers can be an excellent solution if you still want to fill the space with low-lying greenery.

Tried and true design techniques, paired with your professional landscaper's knowledge of plants that will thrive in your specific setting, will have your space transformed in no time.

Contact us today for a consultation on selecting the best types of landscaping to create the outdoor living space of your dreams.

Water conservation is a big topic. There is always a drought somewhere on our fragile planet.

Did you know that landscape irrigation can takes up 30-50% of household water usage? A drip irrigation system can be a great way to not only cut down on water waste, but also on your household water costs. It will pay for itself in no time!

The benefits of drip irrigation don't just stop at your wallet. Your plants will benefit as well, especially if you have plants mixed together with different watering needs. Your landscape professional can help set up your drip irrigation system with emitters to provide each plant their specific watering needs. This ensures that the plants that need a little extra water don't go thirsty, while other plants aren't drowned.

 These systems aren't always a "one and done" project. Your system may need to be adjusted to compensate for plant growth. It may also need to be flushed once in awhile. It all depends on the contents of your local water supply.

Drip systems can be added to any existing irrigation system. They can even be added to your exterior potted plants as a great hand-watering time saver!


​Contact us to explore the best options for your home, or request a quote today.

1. Get exactly what you want in a landscape design.
Once you and your landscape professional decide on a design for your space, you know exactly what you are going to get! There may be small changes along the way, but not without your consent. Therefore, when all is said and done, what you planned, is what you get.
 
2. No hard labor.
Working on your yard is hard work. From the initial installation to the monthly (or bi-monthly or weekly) maintenance, it can be labor intensive even for the simplest of designs.
 
3. Ensured quality.
 A professional has a reputation to uphold. The quality of their work is imperative to the future of their business.
 
4. Saves you time.
 You work hard. You deserve some time to kick up your feet and take it easy. The last thing that you want to worry about, after working all day and all week, is taking care of your yard.
 
5. You don’t have to worry about purchasing the wrong materials.
Time, money, and headaches spared! Get exactly what you need without the stress. This is all in the daily life of a professional landscaper. They know what you need and exactly where to get it.

6. Project planning.
From start to finish, everything is planned out for your project. Certain tasks must be finished before others begin. And that's not even considering the proper permitting and approvals.

7. Work with your weather and climate.
Natural climate and weather patterns are going to play a huge role in the care and maintenance of your landscape design. Some plants will do better in a places such as Haiku, while others will thrive in Kihei. Perhaps a rock design for drainage is best for you. A professional will be able to guide you through the best choices for your climate needs, as well as set up the proper care and maintenance schedule for you.

8. Artistic vision.     
They may be able to show you some designs that you had never thought of. A professional will keep up-to-date on new information and new landscaping trends. There is a very good possibility you are going to like what you see.

9. Stay on BUDGET.
When "Doing-It-Yourself", it is easy to just keep buying more and more. Every trip to Home Depot can send your budget cap higher and higher. When you work with a professional, you give them your budget and they give you a price quote to suit your needs.


Ready to contact a professional today?
Contact us for a quote today regarding any of your landscaping needs.

Want to get involved? Grow Some Good is always looking for garden volunteers, and volunteers for Work and Learn Days, usually held once a month. Aside from volunteering, monetary donations and equipment/supply donations are welcome.

Visit their website for more details: Grow Some Good

 There are many things to consider before just throwing some plants up on your roof. The structure of your dwelling has to be assessed to make sure it can hold the weight of a green roof. (You also need to be sure that rooftop gardening is approved for your living space — need to check with your HOA? Do this first!)

This is an exciting new trend in landscaping. Maybe Hawaii will be next to implement it into our dwellings?