Place

In 1977, W.S. Merwin purchased a plot of former agricultural land in Peʻahi Valley on the north shore of Maui with the intention of revitalizing it. Over the span of over forty years, Merwin built an ecologically conscious home, planting more than 3,000 trees representing over 480 species of palms, including endemic and endangered varieties. He transformed a place once considered wasteland into a lush 18-acre tropical garden that is now considered one of the most important collections of palms in the world, and a living work of art. Dr. Bill Baker, a systemic biologist with the Royal Botanical Garden Kew and a recent scientist-in-residence at the Conservancy, described The Merwin Conservancy as “an unconventional garden of international significance, with exceptional conservation value.”

In 2010, William and Paula Merwin established The Merwin Conservancy, which will safeguard the land and home in perpetuity, and in 2014 the land became permanently protected by a Deed of Conservation Easement held by the Hawai‘i Land Trust.

“The condition of the soil did not, in itself, daunt me. I had long dreamed of having a chance, one day, to try to restore a bit of the earth’s surface that had been abused by human ‘improvement.’ I loved the wind-swept ridge, empty of the sounds of machines, just as it was, with its tawny, dry grass waving in the wind of late summer.”

— W.S. Merwin, “The House and Garden: The Emergence of a Dream”

Merwin began to fulfill his dream the day he signed the escrow papers in 1977 and planted the first saplings along the road. As a result of the extractive agricultural practices that took place there in the late 19th and early 20th century, the soil was initially too stripped of nutrients to support the species of native trees and shrubs that once thrived on the land—including ‘ohias, koas, sandalwood, halas, and perhaps even native palms of the genus Pritchardia. Many native varieties Merwin attempted to grow on the land in those early days did not survive, with the exception of palms.

He continued to plant trees every day, nurturing the young palms he planted with the help of compost, manure, and buckets of water hand-carried from the sink until the plants could fend for themselves and thrive on rainwater alone.

Every aspect of the Merwins’ home and garden reflects William and Paula’s ideas about nature and art. The property is as close to self-sustaining as they could make it. For 25 years, solar energy powered the house. The shade of the tree canopy keeps the house naturally cool. The Merwins collected rainwater in cisterns around the property and filtered by charcoal, sand and coral for use in the home.While preparing the site of the house, no heavy machinery was used in order to disturb the land as little as possible.

Today the Merwins’ home is the site of our residency program. It houses an extensive and varied collection, which includes the Merwins’ letters, books, sacred objects, gardening equipment, art, journals, and more.