Moanalua Gardens - Tropical Paradise of Honolulu
Moanalua Gardens is a privately owned public park with 24 acres of pristine grounds that is famous for its huge monkeypod tree and ancient house. The expansive gardens are situated approximately 15 minutes north of Honolulu's city center. The park attracts leisure seekers, sightseers, and people just wanting to get away from the city in a safe, inviting setting with rolling green fields and woods.
The gardens were originally the property of King Kamehameha I, who founded Hawaii. Today the gardens attract visitors from all over and make for a serene retreat on a family holiday with picturesque surroundings The garden also host weddings or other events.
History of Moanalua Gardens
In 1884, Samuel Mills Damon, a Hawaiian kingdom merchant, inherited the property of Moanalua and its 6,000 acres. The land was formerly owned by the House of Kamehameha. Damon came to Moanalua in 1890 and resided in the vacation house of Prince Lot Kapuaiwa, Kamehameha V's prince, and began restoring it.
Moanalua Gardens was founded in 1898 when Damon traveled to Edinburgh and met Donald Macintyre, a young Scottish horticultural landscaper. He invited Macintyre to the island to design the gardens and lay out the lawns, which were planted with shade trees, mango trees, monkeypod trees, and other tropical plants and flowers. Glass atriums have been constructed throughout the gardens to showcase exotic plants such as orchids.
Moanalua Gardens highlights
Within the Moanalua Gardens public park, there are two main attractions. The first is the Kamehameha V Cottage, which is located at the garden's western end and is held by Hawaii's ruling royal family. The home was constructed in the 1850s by Lot Kapuâiwa, the future King Kamehameha V. It has been located in four different places around the park throughout the years.
The enormous Hitachi tree, a monkeypod tree renowned for its distinctive umbrella-shaped canopy, is the second main attraction. It is located in the park's center and has been designated an Exceptional Tree by the Municipal and County of Honolulu, which means it cannot be relocated or killed without city permission. Additionally, you may see the unique greenhouses located around the area.
