Foster Botanical Garden

The Foster Botanical Garden was bequeathed to the City of Honolulu by Mrs. Mary Foster and opened to the public in 1931, but it's roots, both figuratively and literally, date back as far as 1853 when Queen Kalama leased a section of land to German doctor and botanist, William Hillebrand. The young doctor and his wife built a home and cultivated plant life on the upper terrace of what is now known as the Foster Botanical Garden.

To date, the trees the couple planted are some of the oldest on the island, so they not only provide a gorgeous canopy for shading the garden's abundant plant life, their long lineage is of great value to the Hawaiian Islands and great interest to the history of world horticulture. Many of the species come from other tropical regions worldwide and all combined, date back as far as 140 years, so the gardens are considered a world-class collection of the finest palm trees, orchids and indigenous plant life found in the Hawaiian Islands, as well as globally.

Visitors can enjoy a quiet and restful place to appreciate varieties of nature's finest flora in the heart of a bustling city and many say that once inside, the gardens are a serene oasis and all outer noise fades away. To get the most out of the experience, visitors come with an appreciation for heritage trees, plant life and an atmosphere of tranquility, as the gardens are designed to be a place of historical relevance and are listed on the National Register of Historical Places.

Specialty gardens include the Palm Collection, Orchid Gardens, Prehistoric Glen and Exceptional Trees. The Gift Shop also offers an wonderful assortment of gifts, souvenirs and snacks and the gardens are so lovely, they're a popular place for weddings and photo shoots.