Limahuli Garden and Preserve

Limahuli Garden and Preserve is set in a verdant tropical valley on the north shore of Kauai.

The Garden is backdropped by the majestic Makana Mountain and overlooks the Pacific Ocean.

In Hawaiian, the name Limahuli means "turning hands," which recognizes the ancient Hawaiians who built agricultural terraces out of lava rock and planted cultivars of kalo (taro), an important cultural food crop.

These and other plants that were significant to the early inhabitants, as well as native species, make up the Garden's collections.

The property includes a plantation-era garden, as well as invasive species that were introduced by modern man.

Limahuli Stream, one of the last pristine waterways left in the Islands, provides a habitat for indigenous aquatic life.

Behind the Garden is the Limahuli Preserve where conservationists and restoration biologists are working to preserve species native to this habitat.

Limahuli Garden was selected by the American Horticultural Society as the best natural botanical garden in the United States, having demonstrated the best sound environmental practices of water, soil, and rare plant conservation in an overall garden design.

Limahuli Preserve covers nearly a thousand acres and includes habitats ranging from lowland mesic forest to montane rain forest. Most of the restoration ecology projects are undertaken in the Preserve, where the ecological health of the habitats ranges from pristine to highly degraded.

The Preserve is divided into two zones: The lower Limahuli Preserve, 600 acres, and the upper Limahuli Preserve, 400 acres in size. These two areas are divided by an 800-foot waterfall and are ecologically unique. The upper Preserve can only be reached via helicopter and the restoration strategies are unique for each area.

The Lower Preserve includes both mesic forest and wet forest. Because of all the damage caused over the last 100 years of damage by feral cattle and two hurricanes, the Lower Preserve has large areas of seriously degraded forest as well as patches of remnant forest.

The Upper Limahuli Preserve has some of the most pristine wet forest remaning in Hawaii.

The link below leads to visitor reviews of Limahuli Garden and Preserve

Mostly good
by t515cc, san antonio, tx
4 Oct 2006 at 12:00am
TripAdvisor traveler rating: 4 of 5 stars

The setting for this place is worth the trip. Its at the base of Mt. Makana, misnamed as Bali Hai from "South Pacific". Mountains in all directions, about midway from Hanalei, itself midway on the...

Nature and history in one place
by honu-lover, Kihei, Hawaii
12 Mar 2006 at 12:00am
TripAdvisor traveler rating: 5 of 5 stars

The north shore of Kaua`i is full of surprises, and the Limahuli Gardens surprised even me, a frequent visitor to the islands. First, don't expect a flower garden, this is the natural history of...

   

Well worth the money
by A TripAdvisor Member, Milpitas, CA
19 Jan 2004 at 12:00am
TripAdvisor traveler rating: 4 of 5 stars

Our hike through the Limahuli Gardens was one of the nicest parts of our trip. I really felt an ambiance of old Hawaii (and I'm not given to such things). You're given a booklet that explains various...