World Botanical Gardens

 

So long sweet summer.  

School starts early here in Hawaii (but summer weather is year-round, so its a good trade) and Mr A wants to milk every drop out of his last week of freedom.  We decided to go on some adventures and explorations this week and started with the World Botanical Gardens and Waterfalls in Umauma, just north of Hilo.  

There were so many amazing plants and they were all clearly marked (agricultural dopes such as myself appreciate those kinds of details).  There was a garden maze, an orchid wall, a three-tiered waterfall, and the nicest port-a-potties I've ever been to!

This is a torch ginger, and it's at least 4 ft taller than me.
Mr A couldn't get over the giant poisonous tree.  It was marked with a sign that said "Do not touch: plant is poisonous" and, of course, we obeyed - but Mr A is still talking about that thing today: what would have happened if we touched it?  What if you ran full blast into it?  Why does it have such appealing looking fruit if it's poisonous?

I love how they used coconuts to make this plant (in a plastic pot) look cute.  Simple - just the way I need it.

I don't know what this is but I like it.  If I made inspiration boards, I would put this image on it.  I like everything about it - the shapes, the colors, etc.

Then we went on a river walk.  Ikaika hiked down and back up with only a few tears.  Hiking like this, hearing the water rushing and smelling all the plants, reminds me of going to SnoWater (NW Washington) when I was young.  We used to hike near the Snoqualmie River and then climb up on the boulders, etc.  I liked to sit on the balcony of the condo and read books while listening to the water.  Next time we take a trip to the northwest (preferably during the summer) I am putting hiking on our to-do list.

Koa was sleeping/sweating in the Ergo.  It was so hot, when we got back to the car it looked like a giant slug had crawled up my back.