author
Richard C. Tongg
b. 1899
A pioneering Hawaiian landscape architect and garden writer, he helped shape how readers and residents pictured tropical planting in the islands. His books blend practical plant knowledge with a clear love of Hawai‘i’s flowers, trees, and garden design.
1 Audiobook
Hawaiian Flowers
by Loraine E. Kuck, Richard C. Tongg
About the author
Born in 1899, Richard C. Tongg is remembered as a Hawaii-based landscape architect, designer, and author whose work centered on tropical gardens and plant life. Reliable catalog and reference sources connect him with books including Hawaiian Flowers & Flowering Trees and The Modern Tropical Garden, written with Loraine E. Kuck.
A later history from the American Society of Landscape Architects describes him as a highly respected figure in Hawai‘i landscape design and even calls him Hawai‘i’s “grandfather of landscape architecture.” That matches the tone of his published work, which helped make tropical and semitropical flora more accessible to general readers as well as garden enthusiasts.
Some biographical details about his life appear in genealogy-style sources, but not all of them are easy to confirm from strong primary references, so they are best treated cautiously. What is clear is that his name remains closely tied to Hawaiian horticulture, tropical garden writing, and the early development of landscape architecture in Hawai‘i.