Immersing visitors in W.S. Merwin’s garden through visceral, multi-sensory experiences with nature
Private Visits to W.S. Merwin’s Palm Garden
Note: this is a private property. Visits must be scheduled in advance with Merwin Conservancy staff. Mahalo.
Hike through one of the most extensive palm collections known to exist on earth, located in Maui’s north shore Pe‘ahi Stream valley. Lovingly restored by the hand of one of America’s greatest living poets W.S. Merwin, the transformation of this once-barren and degraded land has inspired some of the most celebrated poetry of our time.
Now a lush, 18.8 acre palm garden, the Merwin property is home to over 2,740 individual palm trees, featuring more than 400 taxonomic species and 125 unique genera, with nearly 900 different horticultural varieties. A true “living collection”, these palms have been taxonomically identified, botanically tagged and extensively recorded in a database that can be accessed and searched online.
How Does it Work?
With the permission of the Merwin family, morning visits are booked in advance via The Merwin Conservancy staff twice per month, on a first-come, first-served basis, depending on availability. By completing the request form below, you place your name in the queue for your desired dates. Two weeks before the scheduled Open Garden Day, you will learn if you have been placed in the program, or if you have been waitlisted. Once booked into the program, your group will meet a public parking area in Ha’ikū, carpool to the Merwin Conservancy property, and begin the hike through the Valley. The entire experience takes about 3 hours, with driving time and breaks included. Hikes are led by Merwin Conservancy staff and/or docents, and include informal historical and botanical conversation, poetry readings, and quiet reflection time.
Please note: this is more of a hike than a walk. Participants must assess their own physical ability to take this hike with us, and must commit to exercising caution by staying on the trails, using the provided walking sticks, wearing sturdy shoes, and bringing drinking water.
Our schedule of Open Garden Day programs for 2019 is as follows*:
Dates remaining in 2019:
- Wednesday, December 11th (FULL)
- Saturday, December 28th
Dates Avaialble Early 2020:
- Wednesday, January 8th
- Saturday, January 18th
- Wednesday, February 5th
- Saturday, February 22nd
- Wednesday, March 4th
- Saturday, March 14th
- Wednesday, April 8th
- Saturday, April 18th
- Wednesday, May 6th
- Saturday, May 23rd
*Registrations are assigned on a first-come, first-served basis, and Open Garden Days fill up at least a month or two in advance. Early requests are encouraged.
Interested in joining us for an Open Garden Day?
Kindly complete our inquiry form below to submit a request*. Be sure to include your chosen date(s) – from the dates listed above – on the form. Open Garden Day visits are offered on a first-come, first-serve basis. Completion of this form does not guarantee registration. Please complete the inquiry form – as the date gets closer, a staff member will be in touch to confirm.
*We understand that your availability may be different than the dates listed above. While we cannot guarantee any additional dates will be added this year, you may let us know your preferences when you fill out the request form, in case another opportunity opens up.
Want to help us keep the Open Garden Days free for the general public? Make a donation to support our programs!
