Harold Lyon Arboretum

Water Lily

Madagascar Day Gecko

  Hidden in the back corner of beautiful Manoa valley is the Lyon Arboretum. For the nature lover it is set in a lush rainforest with a small waterfall at the end of the trail. For the birder it may be your only chance to spot white cockatoos and green parrots screeching in the tree tops. And don't even get me started for the plant lover. From water lilies in small ponds, to entire gardens of bromeliads and heliconia, this garden has it all. Orchids grow wild up in the trees and down on the ground, and some time in the next 40 years their two Halipot Palms are going to put on one heck of a blooming show.
  Started in 1918 by the Hawaii Sugar Planters' Association (HSPA), the Lyon Arboretum began as a reforestation effort to protect that valuable watershed. In 1953 Harold Lyon urged the HSPA to transfer ownership over to the University of Hawaii with the stipulation that it will always be used as an arboretum and botanical garden.

Purple Blooms

  The number of plants is almost impossible to take in during just one visit. Especially since the elevation of the gardens slope up from 600ft to 1600ft! You can see a lot with a nice easy stroll through the lower sections but some of the small trails that branch off contain some pretty amazing sights.

Heliconia

Orchids abound

Secret Waterfall

Almost looks like the Pacific Northwest