Betty Slaughter, a volunteer at the Halawa Xeriscape Garden, is surrounded by Lily of the Nile on the right and Purple Alamanda on the left. Photos by Ken Ige, Star-Bulletin
Does Sears get on TV and say, "Refrigerators? Don't buy another one, they're all pretty much alike?"
Of course not. So the Honolulu Board of Water Supply is probably the island's only commercial enterprise spending money to decrease use of its product.
The Board of Water Supply wants you to cut down on your use of water. The point here is that Liberty House can always get more shoes and Sears more refrigerators when their supplies run low, but there is nobody who can ship us the 157 million gallons of fresh water that we use daily on Oahu.
Research shows that half of the average home water consumption is used outdoors. While nobody has come up with a cheap substitute for water, neither has anyone developed a substitute for lawn. Grass is a water-guzzler, but there is no other growing surface that will take traffic. You can't walk on ground covers without eventually killing them.
The sundrop is one of the 98 varieties of xeriscape plants that will be available Saturday.
So the message of the Board of Water Supply is that if you are going to have a lawn, keep it small and try to plant the rest of your garden in less thirsty plants. These are called "xeriscape," a word not yet in most dictionaries, that means landscaping with the use of less water.
Tomorrow, the Friends of the Halawa Xeriscape Garden hosts its annual sale of 98 varieties of these water-saving plants. The sale will be held at the garden, located at 99-1268 Iwaena St., at the end of Halawa Valley.
The sale will be held from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m., and there is free parking along Iwaena with a continual free shuttle running to the garden. For the big spenders, a truck will be on hand to deliver plants to your car. Call 527-6113 for more information.
A walk through the garden demonstrates that these plants are beautiful, and most of them aren't cacti and succulents.
"They are plants that have developed a natural ability to withstand low rainfall periods," said Wayne Sasaki, president of the Friends of Halawa Xeriscape Garden.
False heather is a xeriscape best-seller, with white to purple flowers growing on a low shrub.
"Some of them are Hawaiian native plants like akia and hinahina, and others have been introduced here."
He said there will be demonstrations and talks on how to use these plants in your garden and how to cut down on your water bill by using less water. The event is free.
Some of the plants will come from the nurseries of commercial growers, but others have been cultivated by garden volunteers.
A group works every Wednesday morning on propagating, potting, fertilizing and, yes, watering these plants.
There is no living plant that needs no water at all, these just use less than most. The volunteers would like to recruit more workers, and will be at the sale to talk to anyone who might be interested.
BETTY Slaughter, one of the volunteers, identified the plants and discussed their uses. These are some that will be offered for sale.
Ohai-alii, related to poinciana, is a bush or small tree with clusters of red and yellow flowers with long feathery stamens. The flowers are frequently used in lei making, and the plant makes a spectacular hedge.
False heather is consistently a best seller at the garden. A low shrub that grows to about 18 inches, it bears many small stemless leaves and small white to purple flowers. It is a native of the dry parts of Mexico and Guatamala.
Dwarf agapanthus is cheating a little on the "X" word, since it will need water while it is being established, but mature plants can withstand drought. The Peter Pan variety is about 12 inches tall, bearing clusters of blue flowers. It makes an excellent container plant.
Allamanda is a climbing shrub from Brazil. It usually sports bright yellow flowers, but this variety has plum-colored blossoms.
Rhaphiolepsis or India hawthorne is an ornamental shrub that grows to about 3 feet. It has glossy, leathery leaves and clusters of small pink or white flowers. The plant can be used for borders and shrubs, and does well as a potted plant.
Lavender is a low growing plant with gray-green foliage and lavender or purple flowers, cultivated for its fragrance. It needs full sun and loose soil, but almost no water.
Lignum vitae is a small, slow-growing tree with wood so heavy that it sinks in water. It is used as an ornamental in gardens but more often as a potted plant.
Beach vitex is a creeping ground cover with silvery oval leaves and clusters of lavender flowers. It grows well in sandy soils and also does surprisingly well in red clay soil. It makes a good cover for fairly steep banks and will grow over walls.
Portulaca or moss rose is small succulent with yellow and red flowers. It is easy to grow and makes a good ground cover, but requires frequent fertilizing to bloom continually.
This is only a sampling of the nearly 100 different varieties that will be available at the sale. There will also be tours on a first-come-first-served basis of the Halawa Shaft. A short railcar ride takes you underground to one of the sources of Oahu's water supply where it can be seen bubbling up through the lava rock.
It is a visual aid to the concept of water conservation. There it is, and that's all there is for the survival of the people of Oahu. Don't waste it.
What: Friends of Halawa Xeriscape Garden plant show and sale, with 98 varieties available
When: 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. tomorrow
Where: 99-1268 Iwaena St. in Halawa Valley
Admission: Free
Call: 527-6113
