By Kathryn Bender, Star-Bulletin
The garden of Charles and Allison Holland spills down
the slopes of upper Tantalus, with shade offered by large trees.
FOR as few as four hours and only once a year, four of Honolulu's most beautiful gardens will be opened to the public. The magic day is July 20, and the gardens represent four microclimates on the island. One is at the top of Tantalus, one is in Dowsett, one is in the Nuuanu rain forest and the last is on the beach at Kahala. Come into their gardens
The event is a fund-raiser for The Garden Conservancy, a nonprofit organization founded in 1989 to preserve exceptional American gardens. The conservancy has bought several private gardens that were threatened by subdivision or neglect, restored them and opened them to the public. The funds come from donations and from "Open Days" across the country, supporters of the conservancy who open their gardens for a $4 fee.
In each of the gardens there are ideas to borrow, even if you don't live at the top of mountain or on the beach. Planting design of borders, mixtures of color, focal points, walkways, lighting -- there's a lot to learn and some of it can be transplanted to your own garden.
The committee planning the Open Day has decided that everybody should start at Sunhala, the Kahala Beach home of Thomas and Dorothy McMillan. This is because it is the easiest to find. It's even on the bus line. The McMillans' oceanfront garden is the site of an extensive entertainment pavilion and is landscaped with a variety of brilliantly colored tropical plants. There is also a lath house where Dorothy McMillan cultivates an exotic collection of orchids and bromeliads.
The garden will be open from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m., as will the garden of E. M. Myers in upper Nuuanu. The other two gardens will be open from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m., so if you are planning a late afternoon visit to those properties, get your map before 2 p.m. Only the gardens, and not the houses, are open to visitors.
By Kathryn Bender, Star-Bulletin
The garden of Allison Hollan residence up top of Tantalus will be
open to the public. Three of her grandchildren sit
on a garden swing like little china dolls.
The Tantalus garden at the home of Charles and Allison Holland is at its floral peak for their daughter's wedding tomorrow. The garden spills down the slope of upper Tantalus, and is divided into several areas shaded by huge trees. A magnolia blooms beyond the terrace, a massive stand of bamboo grows at the lowest part of the property, and an oak tree thought to have been brought as a seedling from Mount Vernon grows near the entrance. From everywhere in the lower garden are magnificent views of Honolulu, the harbor and the long sweep of the sea.Many of the trees have orchids growing in their branches. Blue agapanthus is in full bloom, timed for the wedding. The most frequent question from visitors is "Who does your yard work?" Charles Holland said. "They are usually surprised when I say that we do, with one yardman who comes two days a week."
The McGrath garden and the Myers garden are in the Nuuanu area, where the rainfall is heavy. John McGrath and Mary Philpotts McGrath have a one-acre garden featuring an auwai, an ancient Hawaiian waterway for taro cultivation. The front garden is shaded by a huge monkey pod tree and tropical planting and a waterfall cascade through the back of the property.
The Myers garden overlooks a waterfall with a 75-foot drop that is the start of Nuuanu Stream, and is heavily planted in ginger, heliconia, ferns and many species of palms. The hillside gardens are connected by meandering walkways with peaceful views of the mountains. The property has been owned by the same family for seven generations, and each has left a mark in the garden's evolution.
All the owners suggest wearing rubber-soled flat shoes for the visit and bringing an umbrella. The conservancy rules outlaw bringing animals to the gardens, ask that children be supervised at all times, and despite the temptation, forbid picking flowers or removing a plant. The owners will be on hand to answer questions.
The Garden Conservancy borrowed the idea of Open Days from the remarkably popular British Yellow Book, a directory of 3,500 private gardens that are open to the public a few days a year. The English happily spend weekends prowling around other people's gardens, and paying for the privilege. To be included in the book, a garden must offer the visitor at least 40 minutes of "interest.".
However, it works for the British and now this summer sport has been extended to the United States. The Garden Conservancy's Yellow Book is a more modest endeavor, listing 258 gardens from Massachusetts to Hawaii that are open once or twice a year. The families who open their gardens do this as volunteers, and the admission fees are donated to the Garden Conservancy to rescue other properties. So far, there are none in Hawaii.
What motivates these owners of prize gardens to open them to total strangers? The volunteer effort, of course, to raise funds for a good cause, probably is in the forefront, but lurking in the weeds says the owner of a Sag Harbor, Long Island garden, is ego. "We all have the desire to show off," says Lanford Wilson. It's a great deal of work by both the owner and usually a paid staff, and if nobody but the family and a few friends see the garden, is it worth the effort? Lanford says that it can be quite rewarding to see the admiration (and just maybe a little envy) in the eyes of visitors.
Open Day
What: Tour of four private gardens
Gardening Calendar
Send queries along with name and phone number to: Evergreen by Lois Taylor, Honolulu Star-Bulletin, P.O. Box 3080, Honolulu 96802. Or send e-mail to features@starbulletin.com. Please be sure to include a phone number.
Evergreen by Lois Taylor is a regular Friday feature of the
Honolulu Star-Bulletin. © 1996 All rights reserved.
