With sweeping views of Honolulu, this Tantalus garden adds colors with leafy plants in a variety of containers from Tropical Garden Accents. Photo by Tomas Del Amo.

At my local garden center, I perused rows of pots, vegetables, flowers, seeds and equipment. My cart began to fill up with soil, tomato plants, hanging flowers and pots.

Back at home, I dumped soil into a pot and stuffed in four tomato plants. I felt accomplished. The hanging flowers were hung under the covered lanai. I was done.

Six months later, one dry tomato plant was looking pretty sorry. The tomato plants fought each other until one sturdy plant won out. It did produce a few bright green tomatoes, which were always eaten by the birds before I could pick them.

Even sadder, the hanging flowers, completely shaded from the sun, died within three months. The flowers fell, then the leaves and stems withered. Soon I was left with just hanging pots of dirt.

What I didn’t bother to find out was that the tiny tomatoes I had purchased would become large plants that needed lots of space and care. When the tomatoes first appeared, a simple net would have kept the birds away. The hanging flowers just needed a little sun, maybe a few afternoons a week, to flourish.

Since I clearly knew how not to plant a garden, I decided to get some guidance from local experts. As it turns out, planting a garden doesn’t have to mean lots of work, constant maintenance and a degree in botany. They offered plenty of advice on how to dress up my backyard, as well as some useful tips for beginners. Read on to learn how to turn any plot of land into a spring garden.

From the Ground Up

The first step in planting a home garden is preparing the soil, says landscaper Richard Long, of Reliable Landscaping & Sprinklers, who has provided Hawaii homeowners with personalized, intricate landscapes for more than 20 years.

“Soil conditioner improves the soil’s texture and loosens it. This allows the roots to take hold and improves drainage,” he says.

For low-maintenance gardens, Scot Willson, of Tropical Garden Accents, suggests planting a xeriscape, a landscaping method that employs drought-resistant plants in an effort to conserve resources, especially water.

Long suggests Hawaiian Earth Products’ Menehune Magic organic compost and soil conditioner. Add these materials to the soil when tilling to plant seeds and sprouts.

“Good soil will support both vegetables and flowers,” Long adds. A 10-30-10 fertilizer, which is 10 percent nitrogen, 30 percent phosphorous and 10 percent pot ash, provides a balanced nutrient diet.

Kai Wainee, of Laulima Designs, a fledgling landscape company on Oahu, agrees that healthy soil is the first step to a healthy garden.

“Proper cultivation, use of organic matter, maintenance of soil fertility and control of plant pests are all necessary,” Wainee says.

He advises checking soil fertility with a soil test regularly. To prepare a sample, dig a basketball-size hole. Then, from the edge of the hole, slice a piece of earth 4 inches deep. With the slice still on the shovel, cut away the outside edges of the dirt, leaving a 1-inch-by-1-inch sample. Do this several times. Mix it up, and place about two cups in a plastic baggy, and label it. Then, send the sample to the Agricultural Diagnostic Service Center at the University of Hawaii at Manoa. Contact the department at 956-6706 for more information.

Taking Root

So, we’ve learned how to prepare soil. Now what to plant in it?

Terri Lee, of Landscapes by Tropical Images, recommends getting inspired by springtime garden shows, nurseries and even local parks. Specifically, Hoomaluhia Botanical Gardens is a good bet for beginners. “Hoomaluhia in Kaneohe is a good resource. It has every imaginable palm species, and they are all tagged and labeled.” Plus, garden and nursery employees are knowledgeable, Lee says.

Next, Lee suggests asking yourself, Who will use this garden? Will children or pets have contact? Will I have time to water it regularly, or should I consider plants that don’t need constant care? The answers to these questions will guide beginners to the right types of plants.

(clockwise from top left:) Lauae fern, Gardenia, Red ginger, Puakinikini fruit. Speciments courtesy of Sharon's Plants.
WHAT TO PLANT >>For Low Maintenance: Succulents, such as aloe, retain water in their stems, leaves and roots. “These plants are great, especially for those of us who may forget to water on occasion,” Lee says. Look for hardy plants with broad leaves, such as the lauae and gardenia. “Anything that has flowering parts will require more water than plants with hardy, green stalks,” Lee says. Long agrees. “Don’t expect flowering plants to grow without a lot of work,” he says. >>For Bright Flowers: White ginger offers blooms and a sweet fragrance. This flower needs less sunlight than its relatives, red or pink ginger. Flowers, such as agapanthus, hibiscus and plumeria, are also favorites for their low maintenance and colorful blossoms. Bird-of-paradise, an easily identifiable favorite, is easy to grow and produces great blossoms for cutting. Laulima Designs’ Wainee suggests desert rose, a slow grower with lots of color. The accent plant needs well-drained soil and year-round watering. It is hardy, and stands up to salt, drought and wind. A shrimp plant also provides blooms for most of the year when planted in well-drained soil and full sunlight. Spathiphyllum grow well in the shade or in filtered sunlight. >>For Garden Health: To deter bugs, intersperse marigolds or onions throughout the garden. These plants emit a fragrance that bugs don’t like. >>For Lanai and Containers: Add flavor to your container garden and your cuisine with cilantro, rosemary and mint, which are easy to grow and harvest when kept in pots just outside the door. Areca palms are common container dwellers that need fertile soil and lots of water. The dense, fast-growing bamboo palm thrives in containers under covered lanai and makes for a good screen from too-close neighbors. Many shapes and shades make the croton ideal for adding color to a container garden. Make sure this plant gets plenty of sun, however. Another option for adding color to containers is bougainvillea, with flowers ranging from pink to yellow to purple. >>For Trees in Tight Spots: Puakinikini is easy to care for, and cut flowers kept in water turn from off-white to brilliant orange over time. Ohia lehua’s leathery foliage grows best in full sunlight, and produces red, orange, white, pink or yellow flowers. Growing to a maximum of five feet, dwarf plumeria offers blooms and fragrance without taking over the yard. Citrus trees flourish in direct sunlight. Choose a dwarf or semi-dwarf tree to keep within your yard’s limits. >>For Veggies: Butter lettuce and Manoa lettuce need lots of sunlight and water, and provide fresh greens for salads. Tomatoes are also possibilities, with full sunlight, as are cucumbers and watermelons.

Another way to design a garden is with a theme, Lee says. Landscapes by Tropical Images has designed and implemented a wide range of themes in Hawaii. She specifically suggests Asian, tropical, herb or Japanese rock gardens, each of which calls for different plants and creates distinct looks.

Scot Willson, of Tropical Garden Accents, touts container gardening, especially for Hawaii homes’ small backyards and shaded lanai.

This solution is also great for beginners. “Gardening with pots and containers requires less time, space and energy than in-ground planting,” Willson says.

Container gardening stimulates the senses, Willson notes. Container and plant combinations offer loads of color options. Gardeners can create texture with interesting plants and pots, and constantly move them to new locations.

Containers provide a focal point for a garden, Willson says. They can be used to direct traffic through a landscape. To frame an entrance and welcome guests to a home, place similar pots and plants on either side. Plus, containers with tall plants can provide a barrier from too-close neighbors.

Willson offers an important tip for container gardening: Group pots in threes. “This is where you can tie it all together. Mix shapes, sizes, colors and textures for amazing clusters.”

Container gardening doesn’t have to mean just a potted plant, Willson says. “A container is anything that can hold dirt.”

Tropical Garden Accents has containers covered. Nestled into the base of the Koolau, its 3 acres holds almost every pot imaginable, including rustic ceramic and glazed pottery, urns, water-lily bowls and stone, antique copper and iron bowls. The lush showroom also features a nursery with plants selected specifically for tropical container gardening.

Wainee agrees that container gardening is an ideal way to introduce foliage to a small lanai. “Make sure the container is heavy enough to support the plant and its root system,” he says. Also, give the pot a quarter turn once a week to make sure every angle gets enough sunlight.

An Ounce of Prevention

Once the plants are planted and the sun is shining, a few preventative measures will keep the new garden bright and healthy.

Long advises gardeners to water in the early morning. Without sunlight to evaporate it, water will have a chance to percolate into the soil and reach the roots. Watering at night, however, isn’t such a good idea. Fungus likes to grow in damp, dark places. Watering in the morning will give the soil a chance to dry out before evening.

As many novice gardeners have learned, white flies can destroy all their hard work. Lee’s solution is simple: a solution of one teaspoon of biodegradable dish soap and one liter of water. The soapy water suffocates the pests without adding harmful chemicals to the ground. Another antibug solution: a few drops of Tobasco mixed with water, is just as practical.

Garden Accessories

(A) Big Rock Manufacturing Co.’s garden ornaments, water features and lava-rock veneer are perfect finishing touches to a new, colorful garden. The company specializes in lightweight faux rocks that enhance any garden theme. Coin basin, bamboo flume, submersible pump and pond liner, $460, 834-7625.
(B) 1st Look Exteriors, a division of Landscapes by Tropical Images, custom fashions ornate landscape lighting to highlight its outdoor projects. This copper light is accented with a handmade copper-encased fern. From $165, 1st Look Exteriors, 454-0426.
(D) Add ambience to any outdoor setting with Cairo Torches by Janus et Cie. The conical shape makes it easy to install in any type of earth, and the fiberglass wick offers a long-lasting flame. From Pacific Home, $58, 596-9338.
(C) Bali Boo, a division of King & Zelko Hawaiian Woodworks in Kailua, is known for its Indonesian treasures and Asian home décor. For outdoor spaces, the company provides decorative accents, such as these sandstone lanterns, $29, 261-7239.
(E) To make keeping up with larger landscapes easier, try out Honda’s top-quality mowers and line trimmers. The four-stroke trimmer (known commonly as a “weed-whacker”) is fuel efficient and so quiet it won’t disturb the neighbors on a Sunday morning. From $349, from Pflueger Honda Generators and Power Equipment, 671-2691.