Gardeners who are thinking of a sort of stay-cation, might want to consider a quick trip to Oahu to visit some of the wonderful botanical gardens near Honolulu.
Probably one of the easiest to visit is the Foster Botanical Garden which is right in town at 50 North Vineyard Boulevard. Founded in 1853, Foster is the oldest botanical garden in Honolulu. The fourteen-acres are home to more than 4,000 tropical plants from around the world. More than twenty trees on the property have been designated “exceptional” by Honolulu City Ordinance. All of these are marked with gold labels.
I recently made trip to attend the Mid-Summer Gleaming at Foster Garden. It was a very crowded event with some wonderful night time lighting throughout the garden. Music, food and the blooming corpse flower all added to the gaiety, but a few days later I went back to enjoy the garden when it was quieter and less crowded.
The only sound that day was the wind in the trees with a low background hum of cars on the freeway just mauka of the garden. Several areas had fragrant flowers in bloom that added to the sensory experience.
If you have been to this garden, you know what is truly remarkable there is the size of some of the trees. Though I have been in years past, it is the awesome sight of the giant trees that gets me every time. Many of those trees were planted more than 150 years ago and several are over 100 feet tall. This, of course, provides a photographic challenge to capture them, but I did my best.
When Dr. William Hillebrand and his wife leased five acres on this site from Queen Kalama in 1855, they began planting some of their favorite tropical plants. They lived on the property from around 1855 to 1871 and many of the trees they planted remain and can be found today on the Upper Terrace section of what is now Foster Garden.
In 1861, Thomas and Mary Foster lived in a home adjacent to the Hillebrand’s property. When the Hillebrands returned to Germany, the Fosters brought their property and continued planting.
In 1913, Mary was introduced to a Buddhist spiritual leader who inspired her passion for Buddhism. When she was given a cutting from the Bo Tree under which the Buddha received enlightenment, she immediately added this sacred tree to her garden. The tree survives today and is easy to find, just left of the main pathway as you enter the garden.
By 1925, Mary’s neighbor, the botanist Dr. Harold Lyon encouraged her to catalogue her plant collection and arrange for the garden to be preserved upon her death. When she died, she did leave the garden to the city and County of Honolulu requesting that it be maintained as a public park
Under the direction of Dr. Lyon. the garden opened to the public in 1931. Since then, the City and County acquired surrounding land to expand the garden. Today, the fourteen acres are planted in different sections where numerous interesting species are growing. A section along a path going left from the entrance, is called the Lyon Garden and features many of plants that Dr. Lyon loved and planted.
I especially like the huge older trees that are found in the Upper Terrace section. Two kapok trees, both over eighty feet tall, enhance the grassy meadow. Their large buttress roots provide a base for the tall trees as well as an interesting spectacle. Kapok is native to tropical parts of America and the cottony floss released by their seed pods were once used as stuffing for pillows and life preservers.
The Queensland kauri is another large tree on the Upper Terrace. Native to parts of Australia and the rainforests of Papua New Guinea, the tree is definitely over a hundred feet tall.
Probably the tallest tree in the garden is the Quipo. Native to Central America, the tree can grow to nearly two hundred feet tall. Though it was planted in here in 1930, I suspect it is now about a hundred and fifty feet tall. It’s easy to spot along a central path not far from the entrance.
Standing at the base of these giants allows us to put ourselves and our issues in perspective for a moment. For me, this adds to the relaxing environment that Foster Garden offers to her visitors.
Back in the Palm Garden you’ll find another interesting tree. The double coconut is native to the Seychelles Islands. The tree produces coconuts that are literally double in size and can weigh up to fifty pounds. Take care, you don’t want any of those coconuts falling on you.
Still in the Palm Garden, near the double coconut you’ll find some native Loulu palms. All are Pritchardia genus plants and several are endangered, including the Pritchardia lowreyana. Designated as one of the exceptional trees, this tree was planted by Hillebrand around 1851 and is surrounded by a protective fence, today.
Someone who likes to grow edibles will enjoy the Economic Garden where you’ll find ulu, kukui and macadamia nut trees as well as taro and black pepper plants.
Close by is a section called the Prehistoric Glen. This section was planted in 1965 and features some of the earliest plants that evolved on our planet. You’ll find several species of ferns as well as some cycad varieties. Many of these plants have been on growing on earth for more than two hundred million years.
As you continue around the garden, heading back toward the entrance, you find a lovely section called the Dibutsu. Central to this section is a replica of the Great Buddha of Kamakura. The statue was dedicated in 1968 to commemorate the centennial of Japanese immigration to Hawaii.
Nearby is a large baobab tree. This one was planted in 1940 but the species, which is native to Tropical Africa, is over two thousand years old. This is a great place in the garden to sit and relax, in the shade of the baobab with a good view of the Buddha.
A visit to the indoor Conservatory is a must. The very warm and humid environment is home to many beautiful orchids and other tropical species including a large pitcher plant and the infamous corpse flower. This flower was blooming on the day of the Summer Gleaming event but was no longer in bloom the day I went back.
The corpse flower is a large and odiferous specimen that is aptly named as the blooms give off the odor of rotting flesh. They only bloom every few years and generally the flower lasts only a day or two. Foster Garden’s specimen is twenty years old and when in bloom stands eight feet tall.
Just outside the Conservatory is a garden full of plant that are favored by our butterflies. I did see a monarch and several other species flitting about in the sunny garden, but they were impossible to photograph.
I had a lovely day at Foster Garden and would highly recommend you visit next time you are in Honolulu. It’s a great place to escape from city life, see interesting plants and to enjoy a picnic on the lawn.
Gardening events
Saturdays: Work Day at Amy Greenwell Garden, from 9 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Meet at the Garden Visitor Center across from the Manago Hotel in Captain Cook. Come with a mask and be prepared to practice social distancing. Volunteers can help with garden maintenance and are invited to bring a brown bag lunch. Water and snacks provided.
Thursday, Aug. 29: Small Business Loan &Finance Workshop, from 9 to 11 a.m. at Hale lako @ NELHA, 73-970 Makako Bay Drive, Kailua-Kona. Free. Go to hisbdc.org/workshop for more information and to register or contact D. Boyd at dboyd@hisbdc.org or call 808-333-500.
Save these dates:
Friday, Saturday and Sunday, Oct. 4-6: 34th Annual Hawaii Tropical Fruit Growers International Conference at the Maui Food Innovation Center and farm visits. Talk by Dr. Johathan Crane from the Tropical Research and Education Center at the University of Florida plus workshops. For more information, go to htfg.org.
Friday, October 11: 10th Annual Landscape Maintenance Conference from 8 a.m. to 4 p.m. at the Westin Hapua beach Hotel on the Kahala Coast of Hawaii. The conference theme is Fire and Water.
Farmer direct markets
(Check websites for the latest hours and online markets)
Wednesday and Friday: Ho’oulu Farmers Market, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Sheraton Kona Resort at Keauhou Bay
Saturday: Keauhou Farmers Market, 8 a.m. to noon at Keauhou Shopping Center; Kamuela Farmer’s Market, 7:30 a.m. to noon at Pukalani Stables; Waimea Town Market, 7:30 a.m. to noon at the Parker School in central Waimea; Waimea Homestead Farmers Market, from 7:30 a.m. to noon at the Waimea middle and elementary school playground.
Sunday: Pure Kona Green Market, 9 a.m. – 2 p.m. at Amy Greenwell Garden in Captain Cook; Hamakua Harvest, 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Hwy 19 and Mamane Street in Honokaa.
Plant advice lines
Anytime: konamg@hawaii.edu
Tuesdays and Thursdays: 9 a.m. to noon at UH-CES in Kainaliu: 322-4893 or walk in.
Mon., Tues. and Fri: 9 a.m. to noon at UH CES at Konohana in Hilo, 981-5199 or himga@hawaii.edu.
Diana Duff is a plant adviser, educator and consultant living part time in Kona.