The Fragrance of Noni

Up a Lazy River

A Small Greeting

Green Fire

Grafted Orchid

Lush Life

The End of The Waterway

Streams in the Island II

Bird of Paradise II

Orange Fireworks

Pre-Chocolate Bar..

Before you chomp on your next bar of chocolate take a look at these colorful Cacao pods. The fruit is full of beans/seeds and chocolate is extracted from them. Mmmm ...Snickers.

Orchids Welcome You

It's an incredible opportunity and experience for me to take pictures of the Botanical Gardens. I cannott express the pleasure I feel walking the grounds here. So I shoot everything I can find. Each trip I make here is like a 2 week vacation. The following shots are from the February tour.

Okinawa College

A few years back we brought students from Okinawa Junior College to the National Botanical Gardens for a tour.

A Majestic Grove

Welcome to these majestic and beautiful Banyon trees alongside the river. You can stand inside the roots of these massive formations and feel the strength of this botanical giant envelope you like an enormous cape. Parts of Jurassic Park were shot around here.

The Lady & the Reflecting Pool

Here in the middle of this tropical jungle you will find a quiet reflecting pool accented by a lovely statue gazing into the placid cool water.

Inviting You to Relax & Enjoy

Within this remarkable garden estate are one or two secluded areas containing unique statues displayed on soft green lawns. Try to imagine a place where you can stroll in peaceful silence with only the sound of the breezes blowing through the trees and the songs of island birds. I want to lie back with a thermos of Margaritas and some munchables.

Starfruit

I took so many pictures that I couldn't decide which one should go next.

A Walk Through Eden

We walked from one path to another led by a renowned KCC instructor. He described one plant after another weaving local legends and botanical tales throughout the tour. For a few hours we existed in a world of tropical birds, colorful pants, flowing brooks and cool breezes .

Bird of Paradise

I wandered into an area filled with Bird of Paradise. I had to crawl, lean, hunch and held my breath to capture the moment as many of these sassy flowers blew back and forth in the breeze. Here is one that remained still.

Orange & Green

Color that resonates it's way to your heart.

Close up @ Botanical Garden

What's interesting about the gardens is you don't have to be very good at shooting pictures. All it takes is the push of a button and voila! ..you have instantly captured a picture worthy of framing. You can shoot all day and the plants and trees simply perform their organically celestial magic right before your camera eye.

Streams in the Island

So anyway, here is the beginning of the old stuff and hopefully some new pix to share...

So, a few years back I was escorting a group of Nurses from Okinawa to the National Botanical Gardens on Kauai. I brought along my trusty (old) Sony camera and began shooting everything I could frame. Stunning, brilliant, lush, colorful plants in a dazzling display of sunshine. I thought I would share them with the world-at-large. Hope you enjoy them. -a yankee-in-paradise