What do I want to do on my birthday? Let's go take a walk in the park!…read more With the hustle and bustle of the holiday weekend and events here and there, I wanted somewhere less crowded and quiet. Foster Botanical Garden came to mind. I haven't been here for a very long time! The entrance is located along Vineyard Blvd. - westbound, right after the Kuan Yin Temple. There's plenty of free parking. Out of all the City and County botanical gardens, this is the only one with admission, but it's well worth the price - $5 for adults, $3 for Hawai'i Residents, $1 Children 6-12 (so, 13+ are adults?), and free for kids 5 and under. There is a free docent-led 90-minute tour at 10:30am - every Monday and Wednesday to Saturday - anyone can join. Walk-ins okay if there's space, or make reservations via email or phone. Before heading in, you can grab a map and a bird checklist. The garden itself is very well kept and quite spacious. There are two restrooms - one on the left and another on the right. They were quite clean! All areas, trees, and plants are clearly marked. Be on the lookout for the "exceptional trees" such as the Baobab, which looks like elephant legs; Cannonball Tree, Kapok, and etc. The Orchid Collection in the greenhouse has a nice variety with the infamous Corpse Flower. Overall, a very nice, well-maintained place to visit and worth the admission fee. Even though you're in town, next to the freeway and busy streets around, you still feel a sense of relaxation and calm while connecting with nature and admiring the vast collection of trees and plants. I wouldn't mind getting the annual pass for $25 just to take my lunch here!

Was still open at the end of the year and New Year's Eve which was lovely for a holiday stroll :)…read moreWas kinda busy which was nice because usually when we got it's kinda empty. People want to come during the holidays :D

This garden is extremely beautiful and looks like it's straight out of a movie! The entrance way is…read moreiconic so def enjoyed viewing the scenery when we drove in. They don't allow you to stop or get out of your cars to take pictures where the entrance way is so be cautious. They do have cops surveillance if you do try to take pictures; mainly bc they want to preserve the garden from guests possibly destroying it. Currently, they close on Thursdays so make sure you look at their hours closely! Entrance is free and if you keep driving, there is a free parking lot for guests. Guest service also has bathrooms, a mini exhibit of plants, and pamphlets for you to view each of the gardens. We didn't have time to visit all of garden but got to see the pretty main garden so that was nice! They have a few bench tables too so you could probably bring food and eat outside. Def recommend visiting if you're in Kaneohe area.

The Botanical a garden is a beautiful Garden. Lots to see. We came to explore and you can view the…read moregarden by foot, or drive through. There's plenty of parking and bathrooms all around the sites. Parking is free. Any information for camping will be located at the visitor center. Some sites are down/closed. Bring a windbreaker the rain does turn on/off. Drive slow, pedestrians are around. They are strict on taking photos on the roads. Please don't do that. We drove through the whole scenic route for about 30 mins. No Hunting and No dogs allowed.

Finding the peace…read more.. Literally as Yelp direction kept leading me to Kapiolani Community College though close but not where it's at as it's actually to the left of Diamond Head State Park entrance which is quite easy to find. This little park is a slight hidden place that's pretty green and decently maintained with a couple of areas for you to enjoy one is closer to the entrance that has a lovely peek of the Wilhemina Rise area and a lovely place that I thought would be the perfect photo op spot for a cool gift from a thoughtful friend with BunBun is this cool cooler tote from TJ's! Using one of a bunch of stones and some benches for a place to relax and noticed a giant rock with a plaque that's a time capsule which will be opened on October 24, 2049! The other section is a bit more shaded as this circular garden has some stones placed with various peace quotes and though wanted to take more pics there was a gentleman chilling and didn't want to disturb him and majority of the area does have a path for easy access between gardens and up to Diamond Head as I've been here countless times and never knew this area existed is quite insane lol! A great spot for those that can't do the hike but enjoy a bit peace of time. Thank you!

A chill little park outside of Diamond Head State Park. Great place to sit under the trees and…read morerelax after a hike at Diamond Head and before catching the bus back to town.

Moanalua Gardens is such a lovely, central place on Oahu to come and enjoy a little rest and…read morerelaxation in nature. My husband and I have been coming here for years, and remember coming here when we first started dating. The price went up a little bit to a few bucks a person, but it's still worth the entrance fee. We came back here with our kids, who had never been, and they had so much fun playing in and around the huge trees, running around the big open spaces, and feeding the ducks in the duck pond. A picnic was a delight at a table, and we brought a blanket to sit on and eat snacks again a little later while we were walking around. The bathrooms are nice and renovated. Really appreciate that touch. Overall, a great place to come for a little communue with nature.

Having lived on Oahu most of my life, I'm surprised it took me this long to finally visit Moanalua…read moreGardens. For years, I was confused by the closed freeway gates, but we finally found our way in this past weekend. After grabbing some sweets in town and failing to find parking, we decided to head toward Moanalua. A last-minute turn (and some dramatic screams from my sister) landed us safely through the gates. Pro tip: Keep an eye out for the entrance--it comes up fast! Entry for Kama'aina is a very reasonable $4 per person. While it's not the most expansive botanical garden I've ever seen, it is a peaceful "secret" oasis right in the city. The massive monkeypod trees provide incredible shade for the many picnic tables available. We loved the duck pond and watching the turtles. You can even buy food to feed them, which is great for families. It's quiet, uncrowded, and perfect for a slow stroll across the bridge and along the stream. Just be sure to follow the signs and take your valuables with you when you park! And the bathroom , although indicates women, the signs hanging in the doors indicate men and the other two women. Restroom is nice and clean and I liked the classic farm sink and faucet.

It's spring time! And oh boy does my little backyard need a refresh. I've been to their plant store…read morein town before, but this is more like a garden center rather than a houseplant store. I loved looking around at all the plants. As in most places in Hawai'i, if you're prone to getting bug bites (aka me), you might wanna spray on some protection or cover up. I love that they have a mix of plants, produce, and really cute products. Everything you'd need from moss poles, spray bottles, ceramic pots of all sizes. I even got a really cute plant sticker for my water bottle.

This botanical oasis is lovingly tended with awesome pots and fancy plants like albo monstera, a…read moreplethora of succulents for the beginner and advanced green thumbs and much much more. The staff is helpful and kind and do a great job at explaining how best to care for your plant children. There's also a nice selection of veggies both to start a garden or to eat for dinner tonight. Aside from that it is a very relaxing atmosphere to walk through and explore. For those that are more mosquito prone, wear some bug spray or a citronella sticker to keep the little bites at bay.

Simply put...love this place!! Great atmosphere, friendly staff, quality food/drinks, live…read moremusic...can't ask for more.

Came here initially because I was invited but went back again because of the great food in service…read moreThey have a great outdoor area, which is The Garden, but in between the fine dining area that's inside and the garden is kind of a patio. They let me sit there with my dog, which was nice because it was a perfect evening to enjoy great food and live entertainment!

Hapa installed some MacArthur palms, and irrigation. Communication was great, everything happened…read moreon time with no issues.

Hapa landscaping did my yard and I paid over 15 thousand dollars. They promised I wouldn't have…read moreweeds coming threw the rocks and stepping stones they put down.(all weeds coming threw) They said the plants they planted was good for my area. (they all died) they did replace the plants once. Fifteen thousand dollars is a lot of money for me. now I'm in the process of redoing my yard slowly. My suggestion is to do your own yard slowly. Don't pay for something you'll have to redo. Doing your own yard will be half the price. VERY,VERY UNHAPPY CUSTOMER!!!!!

Must visit spot if you're visiting Kaneohe. It's about 15-20 min drive from the botanical garden…read more You have to enter the Memorial Park to get to this temple. It's a smaller replica of the actual temple from Japan. We ordered tickets online for $10/person and $6 for parking. They don't check your tickets when you enter which we thought was very strange lol. It's very beautiful and peaceful with the mountain and smoky cloud in the background. They have a couple benches for you to sit. You can enter the temple but it's actually pretty small. They have artists and vendors under the temple too. I loved seeing all the koi fish and mini pagoda up hill. There's also a large bell that you can ring for funsies.

Buy parking and admission tickets online. Seniors are $8, great price! Non-Seniors are $10…read more Great place to spend an hour. Very tranquil and if you're high strung, it's a good place to take a breath before reality kicks in and you're back to your highly-wired self. Arrive early to grab a parking space. Restrooms are portable potties.

Lucious green park in a residential area. I don't think it's quite as famous, but it's a favorite…read moreof mine since it's not as crowded and the park itself is shady, safe and calm. There's a small playground for kids, basketball court and ample parking. Great place for a picnic

On a Sunday afternoon, we went here to check it out. The park has playground, lots of trees and…read moreplants, and is very spacious. It is great place to hide out and have a picnic. Right next door to the park is Queen Emma Summer Palace which has its own entrance.

Koolau Farmers is a locally owned/operated nursery and garden supply business that are home…read moregardening experts. It was started in 1938 by East Oahu farmers and a Kailua papaya cooperative as a farmer-founded business entity that shifted from farming to home gardening. Today, it supplies plants, floral arrangements, fertilizers, pesticides, garden tools, etc. for home gardeners. There are currently two locations for Koolau Farmers: Kaneohe and Honolulu (McCully). This review is for the Honolulu location. Items that the McCully location carry include: bromeliads, flowers, fruit, orchids, palms, fruit trees, peppers, tropical fruits, shrubs, soil, trees, veggies, hono hono orchids, dwarf fruit trees (Meyer lemon, Tahitian limes, Naval oranges, jabong, grafted mango, avocado). It also offers seed starting supplies, fertilizers for plants and flowers, worm composting bins; and info re growing and care of indoor potted plants, organic gardening, soil testing, and proper lighting. What brought us to Koolau Farmers is my lilikoi vine that I've had in my back yard for a number of years. With the help of bees, the vine had flourished and produced many delicious fruits for homemade lilikoi desserts, such as lilikoi chiffon pie, lilikoi curd, lilikoi bars, and more. But in recent years, the flowers would bloom, but because there are no bees to pollinate the lilikoi flowers, no fruits are produced. Questions to Koolau Farmers confirmed that there is a lack of nesting sites for carpenter bees (I think they're known as the black bumblebees that we no longer see) to pollinate the lilikoi flowers, resulting in a lack of fruit. According to Koolau Farmers, the flowers must be hand-pollinated instead. Staff provided instructions to my hubby on how to hand-pollinate the beautiful lilikoi flowers. A work in progress, and I'm sure more questions to follow. Then the next project will be our dwarf local orange tree. Where is the fruit? There's a single tiny orange on it, yes, only one! Hope Koolau Farmers can help us on this one! Another work in progress. Staff is very knowledgeable, helpful, and provides helpful guidance. An unlikely spot in urban Honolulu to have a nursery and garden supply store, but I'm glad that it's there! The interior space is not that big, but houses boxes of fertilizers and various home gardening equipment for home gardeners. There may be displays of seasonal items on how to grow certain plants, such as hono hono orchids. Open daily from 8a to 5p. Free parking in the private lot. On the outside private lot are scattered variety of healthy local plants, herbs, orchids, and fruit trees. We look forward in working with Koolau Farmers and knowing that they are there to help us with our home gardening needs!

Gardening in Honolulu, O'ahu, Hawaii…read more.. My parents have green thumbs... it helps when you live in lush Nu'uanu Valley! My siblings and I always had plants around us and learned basic techniques from our parents. My mom has prized hanging heliconia plants and torch gingers. When they're not blooming, she complains, but doesn't water the plants extra nor give them fertilizer. I'm the kind of person who will do something to make her happy. After several suggestions to mom about fertilizer, I went to Ko'olau Farmers on Beretania Street and got a bag of fertilizer. This store has been around for a very long time. It's a locally owned name with another location in Kaneohe! I read the labels and asked the cashier if the one I selected would be good for heliconias... He said that this mix will force the plant to bloom. It won't necessarily get greener. Perfect! I can't wait to see the results!