June 24, 2007
A little refuge
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It’s a rather bland corner. Take a climbing road about a mile up the mountain from the ocean. You’ll arrive at a corner with condo complexes on each side of the road. There’s nothing else up there but the two complexes. They both have lovely, professionally landscaped grounds that I’ve featured on my blog in the past. I rented a condo there when I first came to the island, before I bought the house. My son and I called it Peacock Corners.
There’s landscaping around the bus stop on the corner, but it’s doesn’t have that oh-so-refined look of professionalism. That’s because it’s a labor of love by one individual. I’ve watched him working there many times, a little old man who probably lives in one of the condos, with no yard to call his own. He’s adopted the corner. I don’t think the county has ever given him any grief about having taken over the public right-of-way land.
There are beaten paths between the plantings, proof that others regularly find a few moments of peace in the cool shade of this little piece of paradise. Stones are artfully arranged around some of the shrubs, and large boulders mark the corner and keep turning cars from straying into the garden. Can’t you just picture a quaint little Bed and Breakfast tucked away in a corner like this, with lovely gardens to walk through as you approach it?
There’s a small cluster of cotton bushes growing at one end. I have no idea why they’re there. They’re certainly not typical of Hawaiian gardens. Maybe the gentleman gardener is a displaced Southerner like me and they remind him of home. Whatever the reason, it must please him to have them there. That’s cool. I want him to be a happy gardener for many years to come.
Here’s my little Sunday project. My dearest friend eats salads every day. She mixes them up, enjoying a wide variety of greens and other tasty tidbits. She lives in a condo with a small paved yard on each side. I found a nice planter, about three feet long by maybe eight inches wide. I’m going to start some of the seeds growing so I’ll have a leafy bounty when her birthday rolls around, and I’ll present it to her with the extra seeds so she can keep it going. Now if I can just remember where I put the third seed packet I’ll be good to go. 
[tags]gardening, gardening in Hawaii, peacock, photos[/tags]
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June 24th, 2007 at 1:12 am, Melissa Says:
I love your Green thumb sunday! The peacock, the old man with the garden. I loved his paths and plants and the incongrous cotton plant. It was very uplifting. Nice gesture with the salad leaves too. Keep on growing!
June 24th, 2007 at 2:48 am, ruth Says:
Love your GTS post. I’ve heard that peacocks can make a terrible sound in the morning. This is certainly the nearest I’ve ever got to a cotton plant!
June 24th, 2007 at 3:56 am, Niki Says:
What beautiful photos! The peacocks must me fun- are they loud?
June 24th, 2007 at 4:20 am, Jean Says:
What a wonderful spot! Sure proves what some plants can do to improve any area. Love the peacock shot!
June 24th, 2007 at 5:12 am, Beth Says:
Skeet, every time I see your pictures from around Hawaii, I get jealous
I would love to visit one day. It’s so beautiful.
June 24th, 2007 at 7:17 am, Tricia Says:
Great shots and story Skeet. The peacock is lovely. I’d love to know if they are noisy too.
As for the garden created by one individual I think that’s great. I love it when people take on a project to beautify an area and it works out so well.
That’s actually how we got our idea of planting our boulevard. We’d seen someone do it up the road and it looked so lovely it was like “well why not plant something that the passerby’s can enjoy?”
I also love your gift idea for your friend. I’m sure she’ll appreciate it.
June 24th, 2007 at 7:34 am, Sara Says:
I love the photo with the peacock in it and I love your gift that you are going to do for your friend. Very thoughtful.
Sara from farmingfriends
June 24th, 2007 at 10:09 am, Chris and Laurie Says:
Great photo of the peacock. The bus stop area looks so pretty. I would hope no one would have a problem with it.
June 24th, 2007 at 10:30 am, Mandi Says:
What beautiful greenery! And that peacock took me by surprise, it’s gorgeous! Can I come visit?
June 24th, 2007 at 1:34 pm, Beth Says:
What a great gift idea for your friend. She’ll love it!
June 24th, 2007 at 3:30 pm, Ottawa Gardener Says:
Are you good to go for leaves all year round. Lettuce tends to bolt this time of year and spinach is a no go, along with lots of other greens. That still leaves mizuna, beet greens and baby greens though!
June 24th, 2007 at 3:52 pm, Joana Says:
A peacok! Oh those birds are so beautiful, well at least the males are.
The females are so-so.
So some man does that on his own because he wants to? That is awesome! He’s done such a wonderful job landscaping it too, if I was a city official I certainly wouldn’t give him grief!
June 24th, 2007 at 5:36 pm, Ariah Fine Says:
a leaf greens planter! That’s such a cool idea for a birthday gift. I want to be more in tune with my friends so that I know how to bless them with such great birthday gifts.
June 24th, 2007 at 7:21 pm, gardenmomma (Chris) Says:
What a cool post. I love peacock corner and the little man’s garden. I love “hand done” gardens anytime over professional perfectionism anyday. Yours and mine, included. Have a great week.
June 24th, 2007 at 8:48 pm, Whim Says:
Beautiful peacock pic!
June 24th, 2007 at 9:56 pm, skeet Says:
It’s a lovely little corner, Melissa. I see it frequently when I’m inspecting condos up there, but sometimes I go just to see the garden.
June 24th, 2007 at 9:58 pm, skeet Says:
Ruth, peacocks make a screeching sound like a woman being murdered. The first night I lived there I shot up out of a sound sleep and almost dialed 911 before I realized what it was. I learned to sleep through it after a few days. Some never do and can’t live there, lol!
June 24th, 2007 at 9:59 pm, skeet Says:
Peacokcs are very loud, Niki, but they’re so beautiful that some of us don’t care!
June 24th, 2007 at 10:07 pm, skeet Says:
Mahalo, Jean. Yeah, a few plants can make all the difference between plain vanilla and a gourmet feast for the senses.
June 24th, 2007 at 10:08 pm, skeet Says:
Beth, I hope you do get to visit some day. It’s truely a beautiful place.
June 24th, 2007 at 10:21 pm, skeet Says:
Tricia, I answered the peacock quesitons above, so you’ll have to come visit again to see, lol!
The corner was already planted when I first lived there twelve years ago. It was raw and new-looking then, but it’s matured beautifully over the years. I love it that it’s done out of the bigness of someone’s heart and his love of gardening. The passion always comes through, whether from one person or a community effort. I’d love a peek at your boulevard gardening!
June 24th, 2007 at 10:23 pm, skeet Says:
Sara, I got the lettuce seeds planted today and am anxiously awaiting developments. I usually buy plants because I’m too impatient for seeds, lol.
June 24th, 2007 at 10:26 pm, skeet Says:
Chris and Laurie, I think everyone loves the bus stop garden too much for the city or county to cause any trouble about it. They’d have a major public outcry if they tried to make it go away.
June 24th, 2007 at 10:28 pm, skeet Says:
Come on over, Mandi! We’ll visit gardens all over the island! What a grand idea!
June 24th, 2007 at 10:29 pm, skeet Says:
I got the lettuce planted today Beth, and I think she’ll love it, too. It was an impulsive idea that came to me when I saw the lovely lettuce varieties on the seed rack, but I think it’s a good one!
June 24th, 2007 at 10:32 pm, skeet Says:
The lettuce will grow year-round here, Ottawa Gardener, but I don’t know if there is a “better” time that I should have started it. I’ve never grown vegetables here except a few beans and peppers, so it’s an experiment. I have great faith that it will come out well.
June 24th, 2007 at 10:36 pm, skeet Says:
Yeah, Joana, peahens are rather drab when compared to their mates. It’s that way throughout much of the bird kingdom. Men are such showoffs, lol!
And, yes, the garden is one man’s volunteer effort. I don’t think the government is going to shut him down anytime soon.
June 24th, 2007 at 10:38 pm, skeet Says:
Ariah, I’m really awful at picking gifts, but I think the mini-lettuce garden was an inspired choice. I think it will be well-received!
June 24th, 2007 at 10:47 pm, skeet Says:
I can certainly enjoy professioanl landscaping, Gardenmomma Chris, but I prefer the personal touch, too. The love always shows!
June 24th, 2007 at 10:48 pm, skeet Says:
Mahalo, Whim! It’s not the best picture of a peacock, but I couldn’t resist including it anyway. I’m glad you enjoyed it!
March 30th, 2009 at 4:40 pm, Cherry Says:
Aloha skeet,
Great photos. I love it!
May 2nd, 2009 at 9:33 am, Katiesp Says:
I found a Peacock (well I heard it first they are quite loud) in my garden the other day. I had wandered in looking for a food source. As I live is a built up urban area and Peacocks are not ‘free and wild’ in the UK this was a very unusual occurrence.
When I phoned the RSPCA they simply said he was well known in the area and to just leave him alone and in time he would move on.
I took a few snaps but the quality is not as good as the pics you have posted!! Great Article.