Immersing visitors in W.S. and Paula Merwin’s garden
through visceral, multi-sensory experiences with nature
Private Visits to the Merwins’ 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 hands of one of America’s greatest living poets W.S. Merwin and his wife Paula, 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?
Morning visits are booked in advance via The Merwin Conservancy staff twice per month, on a first-come, first-served basis. 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 requested, 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 is as follows*:
Dates Available Early 2020:
- Wednesday, February 5th (Waitlist only)
- Saturday, February 22nd (Waitlist only)
- 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. If you are submitting a request within a month of the requested date, your participation is unlikely but you are still welcome to send in your request and join the waitlist. Dates for the rest of 2020 will be posting soon. Want to be informed of new dates when they’re announced? Subscribe to our newsletter.
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!
