Allerton Garden

Allerton Garden sits on a beautiful south shore of Kauai. It is a perfect place to spend the last afternoon of our Hawaii vacation with my mom.  When I did scuba diving a day earlier, the dive master highly recommended this spot, which was a kind of surprising because he looked very manly for a flower lover.  Conveniently, it is only three miles from our vacation house in Poipu.

I have to admit that I did not do any research and realized the visitor center was only for ticketing and parking when we arrived.  They will take you from there to the botanical garden by bus, and it has to be guided in order to protect the nature. Luckily, our tour was only us and another couple.  The knowledgeable friendly guide was able to answer all of my botanical questions.

A vertical garden at the visitor center is pretty.

 

The garden is not so much about plants.  In fact, flowers are not seen much like typical tropical gardens.  Instead, water feature is carefully installed thanks to Robert Allerton, who had a vision for architectural design.

My favorite one is Mermaid Fountain.  Water flows steady at 60 beats per minute, which makes you feel at peace as if you were listening to your own heartbeat.

 

Golden variegated bamboo is very thick and tall.

 

The famous Moreton Bay fig trees in the movie “Jurassic Park” are enormous.  It is hard to believe these trees were only 70 years old.  They grow much faster in Hawaii than Australia where the trees are originally from.

The visit to Allerton Garden was a true treat for both of us.