Kauai Nursery & Landscaping

We've driven by this nursery several times over the years we've been coming to Kauai. This time we finally stopped in to take a look. What a delight! Don't you enjoy visiting nurseries wherever you go?



Fabulous containers. Click the pictures to enjoy larger file sizes.



They sell many meant for water gardens.



I particularly liked these with the rough surfaces.



But they had many nice glazed pots too.



Here are some of the water gardens.



Why ever grow canna in soil when you can grow it in water? (Note: it was quite windy, hence the wind-blown look.)





This long rock wall planted with bromeliads, ferns, and other epiphytes equals anything you'll see at a resort or botanical garden.



So many varieties for sale. We can grow some of these plants in some outdoor garden conditions in northern California, but mostly these are houseplants for us.







I would totally grow pineapple.





I didn't catch this guy's name, but it was huge. A good 4' across in its pot.



Extensive selection of palms of many different species.



I guess Coleus is the Hawaiian heuchera.



Insane leaf margin!



I think I'd also grow all the fruit and spice trees I possibly could.



I haven't looked this up yet to find out what it is.



Citrus. I've never seen this shape of nursery pot before.



Right now I can't recall ever seeing a rose in Hawaii before this. Well, they seemed happy in the pot.



It was lovely to see tables of the very familiar South African Gazanias we grow as bedding in California. I'd have some of these in my Hawaiian garden too.

Moir Garden

(We're in Kauai right now, in case you're not obsessively tracking my Tweets.)

The freebie tourist book from the car rental place calls this garden the largest private aloe collection in the world. That may have been true once upon a time, but I find it hard to believe today. First of all, does the claim refer to the garden's size, or to the breadth of its collection? It felt like a good couple of acres so maybe Moir can win on acreage alone. But the species variety was very narrow. I mostly recognized Aloe vera. In that regard, the extensive repeating of a single species reminded me strongly of Lotusland (one, two)

I can only speak for California, but so many new species of Aloe have entered our horticulture in recent years, it's a little hard to keep. Regardless of the limited palette, I found this garden to be among the more exciting Hawaiian public gardens. See also: Nat'l Tropical Bot G (Big Island) , Foster Botanic Garden (Oahu).

And it was free. This garden is located on the grounds of the Kiahuna Plantation Resort in Poipu, on Kauai's dry south coast. We parked on the street and wandered in.

Our visit coincided with full sun conditions.









J'adored this arborescent Kalanchoe beharensis.



The garden contained several specimens.



It was a substantial vertical element in many places, often reaching 7-8' tall.







Agave attenuata, used so much in Southern California but still rather uncommon in the north, was also well represented.





There was also some very large Euphorbia. Right? I don't remember the name.











Some nice drifts of Graptopetalum.



What a great plant.



Som very old Plumeria trees contributed to the garden's structure which was largely controlled by beautiful lava rock walls.







I really like leaf litter in a succulent garden.



There is a water feature of three interlocking pools ringed by Sanseviera.





I have a difficult relationship with Sanseviera, but I approve of this. Totally reminds me of Lotusland, even though I don't recall much Sanseviera there.



And there's a boyfriend bench for your companion who's not as in to plants as you are.



It's a spot place to take it all in,



and take in the smaller things.