Open Garden Days

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”, the Merwin Palm Collection has been taxonomically identified, botanically tagged and extensively recorded in a database that can be accessed and searched online.

One morning tour per month is booked in advance via The Merwin Conservancy staff, based on availability. The group meets to carpool at a public parking area in Ha’ikū, and the entire experience takes about 3 hours, with driving time and breaks included. As this is more of a hike than a walk, participants should wear sturdy shoes and bring drinking water. Hikes are led by Merwin Conservancy staff and/or docents, and include informal historical and botanical conversation, poetry readings, and quiet reflection time.

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Questions? Call Sara Tekula at 808-871-5270 or email here.