Walking Kula Botanical Garden – Maui

On our trip we also explored the Kula Botanical Garden. Only nine acres, it is packed with flowers and trees. The Garden was begun in 1969 by the McCords. They still work in the garden but their son runs the place now.

The woman at the gift shop gave us a map and suggested we wouldn’t miss anything if we kept taking lefts. Sometimes that meant turning around at the end of a spur and then turning left. Mike walked down to this koi pond. Flowers abound. Many are labeled. Not that I got all that.

Periodically, areas open for a view of the garden or for decorative spots. These Hawaiian tiki gods were honored with coins in their mouth. Not sure they look like they could be appeased.

In another spot was this Try Pot – I would learn later that they were used on whaling ships to boil blubber. The use of iron pots in sugar refining on the island was not so successful.

The garden goes up a canyon with a variety of trees planted including pines and rainbow eucalyptus. This appeared as the wet side of the walk. The McCords intent was to see what would work at 3300′ on the side of Haleakala.

A few caves appeared in the rock face of the hill – with some enhancements.

I apologize for this picture, but I think it’s worth studying – a paperbark from Australia. If you can’t see this, I can only suggest that you please go to your nearest arboretum and find one. Amazing. Like baked phyllo dough gone big.

The garden crosses a roadway with more plantings and settings. It overlooks a canyon that hasn’t been planted as densely as the one we just went through. Here’s one of two gazebos in this part of the garden – where you could get married. (Grounds available for weddings.)

Also a couple of greenhouses shelter plants. This one for orchids.

And this spectacular flower.

In between we were busy noticing flowers and trees. Not always remembering to note the plant’s name. This tree from Australia is the Hill Banksia.

And this flowering tree from Hong Kong is the Orchid Tree.

We could have spent more time – I certainly took more pictures. Kula Botanical Garden is a fascinating place – chock full of trees and flowers. When I asked, if there was a ‘best time’ to visit, the woman at the gift shop said, “there was always something blooming.” So while I had missed some flowers, there had been plenty to see on my trip.

Aloha and Mahalo,

Lynn

Words and pictures by Lynn Millar.

A Christmas tree farm and an acre of coffee beans are on the property. I did have a magnificent cup of coffee at Kula Bistro later – coffee from upcountry – from here, I’m not sure.