Product Description

If God were designing the Garden of Eden today, surely He would consider a lush tropical place with jagged green mountains, swaying coconut palms and fresh air subtly scented with the perfume of exotic flowers. This is Hawai i, a place that to many symbolizes the essence of the tropics. This beautiful coffeetable book by David Leaser pays homage to Hawai i s botanical gardens and the lush foliage found within them. With historical notes and interesting tidbits, each major garden in Hawai i comes to life, brimming with the likes of plumeria, banyans orchids, protea, and more. Highlighted are pioneers such as Mary Foster, who solicited the help of botanist Harold Lyon to restore the Foster Botanical Garden, as well as others who developed their own botanical gardens, many for private use. Today, the Islands hold a treasure trove of magnificent gardens, each with a unique theme. From Kauai s Allerton Garden, famously depicted in Jurassic Park, to the Big Island s Hawai i Tropical Botanical Garden, each contributes to the beauty of the Islands and offers visitors a glimpse of the tropical wonders from around the globe.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #266018 in Books
• Published on: 2008-05-04
• Original language: English
• Binding: Hardcover
• 192 pages

Customer Reviews

Port key to Hawaii
If you are longing to go to Hawaii, maybe you're thinking of beaches, water sports and tropical sunsets. Once you've been to Hawaii, what you want to hold onto most are memories of the scenery, the colors, the aromas, and the sense of having had a moment in paradise. This book kindles those memories and stirs up the longing. It takes you off the beaten path to experience some of the most beautiful scenery you will ever see. On Kauai, the author takes you to see an ancient taro terrace, the "Bali High" mountain and the garden where they filmed "Jurassic Park." On Oahu, you'll visit Dole Plantation, a volcanic crater filled with plumeria trees and a tropical rainforest overlooking Diamond Head. On Maui, you'll see the largest ancient Polynesian temple in the world and a cloud forest garden on the slopes of Haleakala Volcano. And on the Big Island, you'll visit an impeccable Japanese garden, Akaka Falls and the flora of Volcanoes National Park. Just looking at the pictures in this beautiful coffee-table book carries me back and makes my blood pressure drop. It is a port key to paradise.

Gorgeous
My husband and I were lucky enough to visit one of the gardens of Kaua'i earlier this year and we had heard of this book while on the island. I ordered it for his b-day present and we had a grand time looking through the pictures remembering our visit and planning where to go in the future. It's a very informative book and the botony of Hawai'i. I almost wish he would of put a little of the fauna that we had seen there also because that was part of the whole experience of the visit to the garden. The birds, lizards, fish and butterflies truly made the day. Still, it's a beautiful book that we will cherish and share with friends & family for years. By the way, Amazon shipped immeadiately and was the best site to order through for this purchase.

Beautiful Photography -- Great Descriptions
It's been a long time since I've been to Hawaii, but after reading David Leaser's book, it seems less long ago. The photography is vibrant and varied and the descriptions of each location make it feel as if you're on a walking tour with an old friend -- a friend who knows a lot about the plants and history of these stunning gardens. They are like no place else on earth and they're captured beautifully here. I'd like to go back to Hawaii and visit each and every garden in this book. For now I'll be content with re-reading it.