“Kaitlyn marked where the spray reaches before she drew a single bed. The naupaka along the wall has filled in, and the plumeria sits where the wind cannot snap it.”
Michiko N.Homeowner, Manoa
Coastal and tropical gardens
Gardens that expect the salt wind.
We design, plant and care for gardens that take spray, trade winds and hurricane season in stride, for homes and condo associations.
I'm looking for
The salt-wind palette
- Naupaka
- Pohuehue
- Ilima papa
- Aalii
- Hala
- Bougainvillea
- Ti
- Plumeria
Salt-wind plant palette
Plants matched to the block, not the brochure
Spray, wind and shade change from one street to the next. We match each plant to where it will stand, and plant it small enough to root before the season.
- Oceanfront
Naupaka
A rounded native shrub that takes spray and sandy soil, and holds a bank. It takes a trim without sulking.
- Oceanfront
Pohuehue
A beach vine that runs along the ground and binds loose sand. Give it room to run.
- Oceanfront
Ilima papa
A low native groundcover with small yellow flowers. It stays under the wind and fills a dry edge.
- Wind and slope
Aalii
A hardy native shrub for wind and dry slopes. Its seed capsules add color through the year.
- Wind and slope
Hala
A coastal tree with long, stiff leaves and stilt-like roots. It wants room, and wind does not bother it.
- Wind and slope
Bougainvillea
Takes heat and wind, and the color holds in full sun. Thorny, so we plant it away from paths.
- Shelter and shade
Ti
Colored leaves for the lee side of a house. The leaves tatter in strong wind, so it goes where the wall blocks it.
- Sun and shelter
Plumeria
Wants sun and well-drained soil. Blossoms and branches suffer in hard wind, so we plant it with a windbreak.
How we start
Every plan begins on your property
Kaitlyn walks the lot before anything is drawn: where the spray reaches, which way the trades run, what the afternoon sun does to a south wall.
The estimate that follows is written, area by area, with the plant list and the access we need. Nothing is priced from a photo.
At the walk-through
We measure and photograph the lot
We mark spray, wind and shade
We note existing trees, and any the county may protect
We find the irrigation shut-off and the drains
Kaitlyn Eriksson
Owner and garden designer
June through November
Hurricane-season prep, as a checklist
Most of it is small, and most of it is better done in May than in the week of a watch.
Before June 1: the yard walk
Thin dense canopies and take out dead fronds and dead wood
Take mature coconuts down from palms we trim
Check stakes and ties on young trees
Clear gutters, downspouts and drains
Find the irrigation shut-off and the controller
Photograph the yard for your own records
Each month of the season
Look over stakes and ties after a strong wind
Keep mulch back from trunks so water drains away
Look up for cracked limbs and hanging fronds
Keep drains and swales clear of leaves
When a watch is issued
Move pots, furniture and ornaments inside or low
Leave pruning for later: fresh cuttings blow around
Turn off the irrigation controller
We move scheduled visits and tell you the new day
After the storm
Stay clear of broken limbs and anything near a power line
Photograph damage for your insurer before moving anything
Call the utility about lines; call us about the garden
We check on current clients first, then take new calls as the crew allows
Condo associations
Grounds a board can read and vote on
Entry, pool deck, podium and lanai planters, each listed by area in one written proposal, so the board can approve it line by line.
A walk-through with your manager
Scope by area, with a schedule
Planting over a deck only with the building engineer’s go-ahead
A certificate of insurance sent to your manager on request
Clients
What the work was like
“The proposal listed every planter by area, so the board could vote on it line by line. The crew was off the pool deck before the afternoon swim.”
Marieke D.Condo association treasurer
“Ramil thinned the monkeypod instead of topping it, and explained each cut before he made it. Nothing on the invoice surprised us.”
Sunhee P.Homeowner, Kaimuki
Sample reviews.
South and east Oahu
Honolulu, the east side and the windward coast
Check your ZIP code against the list, or call and ask.
Urban Honolulu
- Kakaako
- Makiki
- Nuuanu
- Pauoa
- Moiliili
- Kapahulu
- Palolo
East Oahu
- Kahala
- Aina Haina
- Niu Valley
- Hawaii Kai
Windward
- Lanikai
- Maunawili
- Heeia
- Kahaluu
We do not take jobs on the Waianae Coast, the North Shore or the other islands.
ZIP codes: 96813, 96814, 96815, 96816, 96817, 96821, 96822, 96825, 96826, 96734, 96744, 96795
Questions
Before you call
How much does a garden cost?
It depends on the size of the area, the access, the plants and what has to come out first. We give you a number in writing after a walk-through, and the pricing page lists what moves it.
How soon can you start, and how long does it take?
We book walk-throughs from our calendar, and Marilou gives you the next open date when you call. The written estimate sets a start window and a finish window for the job. Wind and heavy rain can move both.
Are you licensed and insured?
Our Hawaii contractor license is in the footer of every page, with a link to the state board. Ask for a certificate of insurance and we will send it to you or to your property manager.
What happens at the walk-through?
Kaitlyn or Shigeru walks the lot with you. We measure, photograph, mark where spray, wind and shade reach, look at the trees you have and find the irrigation shut-off. The written estimate comes afterward.
Do you only plant natives?
No. We use native plants where they suit the site, and the plants that do well in this wind, such as bougainvillea. Ask for the plant list before you approve the job.
Can you take down a large tree?
Some large trees are protected under city rules, so we check first and tell you before any cut. If a permit is needed it is yours to file, and we give you the measurements and photos to attach.
Book a walk-through
Tell us where the garden is and what you would like. Marilou writes back to set up the visit.
Phone(808) 555-0101
Hours
- Monday – FridayToday
- 7 a.m. – 4 p.m.
- SaturdayToday
- By appointment
- SundayToday
- Closed