Garden Photo of the Day

Kauai’s Living Landscape

By Kim Charles

Beautiful Bird of Paradise plant

Petra Williams and her husband share highlights from the living landscape of Kauai.

"A few weeks ago my husband and I went on vacation to Kauai, Hawaii. One of the first places we toured was Limahuli Garden, a “living Hawaiian Landscape,” and part of the National Tropical Botanical Garden. It is set in a 1,000 acre valley with hundreds of native plants, some only found in Limahuli. There are also archeological and cultural
sites that reflect the history of the Hawaiian civilization."

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700 year old terracing and a replica of a traditional Hawaiian house built on an original footprint.

Taro was the most important crop. Water was diverted from the Limahuli stream via canals.

In addition to native plants and plants brought by the original Hawaiians in their canoes, the garden also has plants introduced during the plantation era. There were several gorgeous hibiscus. 

Feral chickens are everywhere on Kauai

This tree was just amazing.

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Comments

  1. frankgreenhalgh 03/24/2017

    Hi Petra - Great to see the terraced garden in the lovely valley. The old basalt rock work is amazing. Like the attitude of that feral rooster! Have a great week-end GPODers. Cheers from Oz

  2. user-4691082 03/24/2017

    You are so blessed to be able to visit Kauai! It surely seems magical! Thanks for sharing your vacation with us. I wonder if my rocks will be here in 700 years! What a beautiful rooster!

    1. frankgreenhalgh 03/24/2017

      You are an early bird this morning Rhonda!

      1. user-4691082 03/24/2017

        Yes, I am! I hope you have a jolly weekend!

  3. VikkiVA 03/24/2017

    Great pictures of the beauty that is Hawaii. Wondering if that very tall tree in the picture after the colorful rooster could be a Norfolk Island Pine? Vikki in VA

    1. PetraW 03/24/2017

      I believe those trees are Cook Pines

  4. User avater
    Tim_Zone_Denial_Vojt 03/24/2017

    Really interesting historical garden. Thanks for sharing your visit.

  5. User avater
    HelloFromMD 03/24/2017

    I have fantasied about moving to Kauai, don't they call it the garden island? Yet I so love the plants I grow here and I doubt a garden in Hawaii would remotely resemble a garden here. But no just the ocean its the fantastic land forms - mountains right down to the water, cliffs, volcanos that make the islands so desirable a place to live for me.

  6. foxglove12 03/24/2017

    I've been to this garden and it is quite amazing. Love that hibiscus. Yes roosters everywhere. Thanks for sharing.

  7. schatzi 03/24/2017

    Hawaii and especially Kauai is on my bucket list. Beautiful photos - thanks.

  8. Chris_N 03/24/2017

    Hi Petra, what a beautiful area. I love the combination of plants and history.

  9. User avater
    LindaonWhidbey 03/24/2017

    This was our favorite garden on Kauai. They've done such a beautiful job of finding the rare plants that are native to the Hawaiian Islands. Your photo of the large Cook's pine is impressive. Kauai is truly the garden island.

    1. frankgreenhalgh 03/24/2017

      Hi Linda - I wonder if the pine was named after Captain Cook?

      1. User avater
        LindaonWhidbey 03/25/2017

        It was, Frank. He was a pretty interesting man with a colorful history. Our son in law's father has read extensively about him. I'm still looking for a well written history of him that isn't so dry.

        1. frankgreenhalgh 03/25/2017

          Captain Cook is very important in our history. We have his cottage in the Fitzroy gardens in the CBD of Melbourne, Linda.

  10. User avater
    meander_michaele 03/24/2017

    You captured some great pictures, Petra...hard to pick a favorite. If you could have photoshopped that gorgeous feral chicken/rooster so that it was standing in front of the hibiscus...well, that would have been the gangbuster winner for me...the colors look so harmonious. Looks like it was a wonderful vacation.

  11. gardeningisfine 03/24/2017

    The photos are all beautiful. Nice work with the camera to show off a beautiful place!

  12. gardeningisfine 03/24/2017

    Now for some photos of your own beautiful garden in Vermont!

  13. Maggieat11 03/24/2017

    I enjoyed your photos very much! Gorgeous gardens, for sure. And love the rooster as well. Great shot!

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