Hawaii Camping on Oahu - Try Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden for Hawaii Budget Vacation or Eco Travel

Camping on Oahu has its challenges. Unlike the other islands in Hawaii, many of Oahu's campgrounds have litter and/or roudiness issues. However, you can find a few very nice, clean, quiet, safe and scenic places to camp on Oahu. The Ho'omaluhia Botanical Gardens in Kaneohe is one of them.

Ho 'omaluhia Botanical Gardens lives up to its name, which translated to English means, "to make a place of peace and tranquility." This is a very peaceful environment. And rules are very strict about noise; for example, even in the middle of the day, radios and CD players must be kept low enough to not disturb camping neighbors.

The gardens meander through 400 acres and are back dropped by the green, castle like peaks of the majestic Ko'olau Mountains. Plants from tropical regions around the world are grouped here geographically, and special emphasis is placed on conserving plants native to Hawaii. The Hawaiian garden here like many of the others here has some very nice tent sites, along with clean indoor restrooms and showers.

You can camp here free of charge from 9 a.m. Friday to 4 p.m. Sunday, except for Christmas and New Year's Day. There is no camping on the other days of the week, but this is a nice place to stay for the weekend. While it doesn't have 24-hour security, everyone I spoke with said it is very quiet.

The gate to the gardens closes at 4 p.m. and those camping there will be given car passes so they can use the later gate that is open from 5:30 to 6:30 p.m. Considering all this, and that it is a mile hike from the gate to the first campground, this takes it off the list for "party spots." Since it doesn't have beach access, it's not a place where big extended families gather with good Hawaiian music and food either. People come to the gardens to enjoy the flora and fauna and the peacefulness.

While there's no beach here, there's a trail that will take you to a wonderful spot for watching the sun rise over the ocean.

Tent sites are on the lawns and include fire pits and picnic tables. You must bring your own firewood and grills.

The staff members we spoke to in the garden's Visitor Center were warm, generous with their time and very knowledgeable. The center features an art gallery with cultural exhibits and a botanical library. You'll also find a network of trails and a lake (catch and release fishing; no swimming).

Ho 'omaluhia Botancial Gardens is located near several wonderful sightseeing, water play and other destinations including the Byoda Temple tucked away in the Valley of the Temples and featuring a larger than life Buddha statue, meditation garden and pond with 10,000 koi; Kaneohe Bay with its white sandbars appearing as tiny islands in azure waters at low tide; the cities of Kaneohe and Kailua with several shopping and dining opportunities; the country and very Hawaiian town of Waimanalo where horses still roam free and the beach is one of the best on the island; and Kailua Bay, the quintessential water playground of the Windward side that offers a long stretch of white sand and protected waters popular with beginning boogie boards, kayak paddlers and windsurfers.

A variety of programs are offered at the gardens throughout the week such as orchid growing, weather making, and botanical drawing to name a few. Some of these have fees, while others are free of charge. For a current schedule, use the contact information above and request one.

Hawaiian ecology is emphasized in these programs. Day use and camping programs can include ethnic, craft, botanical, horticultural and environmental activities. Free guided nature hikes, covering topics such as local birds, cloud watching and medicinal plants, are offered at 10 a.m. on Saturdays and 1 p.m. on Sundays.

The catch to this free and peaceful campground in a garden? It's in a rainforest. So remember to bring a waterproof tent and gear. It will still be warm though, so something light-weight, like the poncho that fits in your pocket or a light-weight jacket will work best. You may also want some mosquito repellant, although I wasn't bothered by them. You will find picnic tables here and campfire rings. If you want to use a tarp, bring poles because they don't allow tying anything to the trees. A small camp stove or hibachi might also be useful.

You can get a detailed map with hiking trails in the Visitor Center or at Ho'omaluhia Botanical Gardens. However the Website's map doesn't include a legend, so if you use it just know that the hiking trails are shown by dashes, and the H-3 Freeway is shown by bold printed dashes. Distances aren't shown on the map, but the Visitors' Center can answer you questions.

Excerpt from THE HAWAII ECO BUDGET VACATION GUIDE TO OAHU. To learn how to vacation on Oahu for $60 a day (including everything except airfare) and to learn more about Oahu's budget priced yet nice and locally run accomodations from yurts and B&B's to hotels and condos, as well as budget and eco activities, restaurants and more, visit Hawaii Budget Vacation

Cindy Blankenship is a Hawaii based, travel writer, award-winning journalist and webmaster of Coconut Roads.com, an eco travel guide to Hawaii, its culture, plants and animals, language, music, and more.

How to Make Your Yard Look Like a Botanical Garden

A botanical garden is basically a well cared for and well-designed (sometimes not even planned out) garden that is considered a public place for the whole community to enjoy. Mostly you will also be able to see cards with the scientific or botanical names of plants, flowers and trees. The key to creating a botanical garden right in your backyard is determining what these plants and trees will be called in any nursery, getting them and start designing! At home, however, you can include the plants you find the most attractive and there are no rules that state you have to keep plants that do not appeal to your tastes.

The most important task you should keep in mind when creating your own botanical garden is the application of a focal point. There should be a corner, a flowerbed or an amazing tree that ultimately attracts the attention. An ornamental flowering tree is a good example of a beautiful focal point and flowers and bushes of your liking can successfully surround these. To create that "lush" and tropical look, you should make sure you incorporate flowering bushes and trees and if you have a big backyard, you can create smaller, interesting focal points with these that lead up to your main attraction. Using bamboo adds to the tropical feel and can even be used to create "walls." Colour is crucial, especially when creating the "botanical garden" effect. This can be done by adding different rose bushes and trimming them to the correct heights to fit in different places. Hibiscus flowers with their huge blooms, Lilies or Gladiolus also add immense and beautiful colour to botanical gardens. When you plant them in heaps or "mass plant" them, you can create a magical effect.

Plan ahead and determine where the most shade and sunlight falls in your garden. Make sure you plant certain flowers and bushes according to their needs, because you can ultimately waste a lot of money by replacing plants over and over. Make sure you also know what the seasons do to your garden. In winter, for example, it is great to have evergreens and plants that keep their berries so you will have colour all year round. When it comes to grass, it is best to use Zebra or Pampas (tall grasses) to fill space or to place here and there. Letting plants and grass grow more freely creates a more natural look.

Do not let a smaller yard discourage you, because smaller yards can in fact look cosier. Creating walkways makes a yard look bigger and adding a bench in the middle of tall plants also gives your garden an intriguing feel. It is also important to not only think "botanical," but also to be consistent with a style and climate appropriate plants, like Mediterranean or English Country. A botanical garden should ultimately be place where trees, flowers and shrubs are "cultivated for exhibition" and that is what you should recreate: a beautiful place that keeps you and visitors in a good mood.

Are you ready to turn your outdoor space into a natural haven of beauty and tranquility? Do you want to be the envy of the neighbourhood? Download your copy of Landscape Design: The Road to a Beautiful Surroundings now and turn your garden into paradise!

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Botanical Gardens of Northern Thailand (Part 2)

Northern Thailand has many attractions that would be of interest to horticultural and botanical enthusiasts. Just outside of Chiang Mai, Thailand's 2nd largest city and the gateway to the northern provinces, are two outstanding botanical gardens - Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden and Bhubing Palace and Garden, one of the estates of the royal family. The best time to go is immediately after the end of the rainy season in early November, when many flowers are in bloom.

Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden

Located in Mae Sa Valley, a popular mountain resort area just 45 minutes - 1 hour drive from Chiang Mai - Queen Sirikit Botanical Garden at 960 hectares (2,372 acres) is by far the largest and most important Botanical Garden in Thailand. If you're a botanical enthusiast, no trip to Thailand is complete unless you schedule at last a day or two visiting this fascinating facility. As there is so much ground to cover here, I suggest you stay at one of the fine mountain lodges near the Garden in Mae Sa Valley as opposed to staying in Chiang Mai.

Opened in 1993, this garden were created as a botanical research center and for visitors who wanted learn more about the plants and flowers of Thailand. Believe me, QSBG is huge. When I visited these gardens about 2 years ago, I did not have enough time to thoroughly tour the property, maybe next time. There are a number of interesting botanical walking trails that crisscross and circle the hilly property featuring prominent displays of tropical plants and flowers. One route will introduce you to Thai plants and local medicinal herbs, another route features climbers and vines. Or perhaps, you would like to take a hike to a small waterfall, on the way you'll pass by the Thai Rock garden. This trail ends up at the Thai Orchid Nursery, which is home to over 350 native orchid species. Although, I did not have enough time to explore any of these trails, I am told each trail takes 40-60 minutes to complete.

While I was there, I visited the glasshouse conservatory, which houses the rainforest exhibit. Complete with an electrically powered artificial waterfall, this exhibit features many of the plants that thrive in the rainforest - gingers, anthuriums, ferns, cycads, impatiens, begonias and other species. There are a series of temperature-controlled greenhouses located on the hillside, each featuring a different grouping or category of plants and flowers. One of the greenhouses features an amazing collection of begonias; another one features mostly Thai medicinal plants and herbs. The most unusual and exotic plant that I encountered there was the Bat Plant (Tacca chantrieri), which is indigenous to Southeast Asia. The greenhouse exhibit featuring an eclectic variety of water lilies and lotuses was most impressive. Check out the stark contrast between the very unique and austere marble planters and the large black pots (see picture). Factoid - The water lotus is a sacred plant in the Buddhist religion.

Bhubing Palace and Gardens

Bhubing Palace and Garden is the winter residence for the Royal family. When her Royal Highness, Queen Sirikit, makes her seasonal visits to Northern Thailand to work on any number of community projects, she always returns to Bhubing Place to rest up.

In addition, the Royal Family often entertain visiting dignitaries on this huge estate, which is located in very close proximity to the magnificent Doi Suthep Temple and Pagoda

The Gardens on this estate are absolutely breathtaking and you can tell a lot of attention to minutiae was involved in the overall design and concept. The landscaping and design will definitely knock you out! Queen Sirikit is a real horticultural enthusiast and her favorite flowers are roses; you'll definitely want to check out the Queen's Royal Rose Garden, which features many exotic cultivars. In addition, there's a lovely Fern Garden and a small Water Reservoir, which is surrounded with landscaped beds of temperate flowering plants. I'll say one thing about the Royal Family (especially the King and the Queen), they truly are very cultured people and have very refined tastes. The traditional architecture and d?cor on this royal estate reflects their genuine appreciation of Thai history and culture. Of course, it helps to be very wealthy to be able to build such a beautiful estate as the Bhubing Palace. A wonderful place for photography, Bhubing Palace and Gardens is open to the public from April to December.

The New York Botanical Garden

The New York Botanical Garden is 250 acres (100 ha) of dazzling beauty and hands-on enjoyment. From the nation's most glorious Victorian glasshouse to the 12-acre (5-ha) Everett Children's' Adventure Garden, it is live with things to discover.

The New York Botanical Garden is the one of the oldest and largest botanical gardens in the world, it has 50 gardens and plant collections, and 50 acres (20 ha) of uncut forest. The Spectacular Enid A. Haupt Conservatory has been wonderfully restored as A world of Plants, with misty tropical rain forests and dramatic deserts.

List of different gardens in Botanical Garden:

Rock Garden:

Rock outcroppings, streams, a waterfall, and a flower-rimmed pond create an alpine habitat for plants from around the world.

Historic Forest:

One of the New York City's last surviving natural forest areas includes red oak, white ash, tulip trees, and birch.

Everett Children's Adventure Garden:

Kids can discover the wonders of ecology and plants.

Palms of the Americas Gallery:

100 majestic palms soar into a 90-ft (27-m) glass dome. A tranquil reflecting pool is surrounded by tropical plants.

The Enid A. Haupt Conservatory:

Consists of 11 interconnecting glass galleries housing A world of Plants, including rain forests, deserts, aquatic plants, and seasonal exhibitions.

Garden Cafe:

This is a delightful spot to enjoy a meal. You can eat outside on terraces overlooking beautiful gardens

Jane Watson Irwin Perennial Garden:

Flowering perennials are arranged in dramatic patterns according to height, shade color and blooming time.

Peggy Rockefeller Rose Garden:

Over 2,700 rose bushes have been planted in the Rose Garden, laid out in 1988 according to the 1916 design.

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Visiting the Royal Botanical Gardens in Burlington Ontario

The Royal Botanical Gardens, or RBG for short, is located in Burlington Ontario, Canada. It is one of the biggest attractions for tourist between Toronto and the Niagara Falls area. It is one of the most popular things to do in Burlington. It is a headquarters for the area horticultural education, conservation and scientific study. It has been recognized by Environment Canada as a National Focal Point for the Global Strategy for Plant Conversation, or GSPC, in July of 2006. The RBG is a 2,422 acres of sanctuary for nature and is considered the leading hot spot for plant biodiversity that Canada has to offer.

RBG contains the largest population of Canadian wild plants to be brought together in one spot.There are more than 1,100 distinct kinds of plants that grow with in the RBG boundaries including some species, such as the Bashful Bulrush, which can not be found anywhere else in Canada. It is also the the home to the largest population Canada's most endangered tree, the Red Mulberry. Other attractions that are things to do in Burlington at RBG included the Nature Interpretive Center, an outdoor education center. Also there is a vast network of trails that stretch for over 20 km and are lined with magnificent flowers. The trails lead to the RBG Arboretum, Raspberry house which is the home of the Bruce Trail Conservancy headquarters.

The Royal Botanical Gardens' natural lands and nature sanctuaries feature some very important wildlife and native Canadian plant life. The largest of these areas is home to Cootes Paradise, also known as Dundas Marsh, which is a large wetland. The wetland is a vital spawning place for Canadian fish species for Lake Ontario. It is also one of the best places for bird watch in all of Canada. It is the target of Project Paradise, one of Canada's major ecological rehabilitation efforts. One of the most interesting things to do in Burlington is the RBG's yearly garden show, The Ontario Garden Show, which is the second largest in Canada.

The RBG offers a contemporary education program in is main buildings located in Burlington as well as in the Nature Interpretive Center that is located north of the Cootes Paradise int eh Arboretum. It host over 18,000 school kids a year through programs organized with the school center. Also its 200 public education opportunities are some of the many things to do in Burlington. These activities include a wide range of subjects including organic cooking, botanical illustrations and basic botany. You can save on admission fees and special attraction tickets by finding Royal Botanical Gardens coupons online.

Chris is an avid outdoor enthusiast who likes to write about The RBG and everything related to plants and the outdoors. You can find other great ideas for things to do in Ontario at his blog where he also does reviews on places to visit, hotels, tourist attractions, cultural activities and just having fun in Ontario.

The Botanical Gardens in Bath

First of all, I have a confession to make: I am ashamed to admit that there are many well-known gardens in the South West that I have never visited. I won't name names. However, there is one place I frequent on a regular basis and that is the Botanical Gardens at Victoria Park. I realise that these gardens are on my doorstep and therefore in theory easy to visit, but there are other's equally as near which I have not yet set foot in!

I have spent countless happy hours at the Botanical Gardens, walking, taking photographs, sitting on benches, staring at the trees and taking my dog Ned for a stroll! I try to visit early in the morning or last thing in the evening and have been locked in more than once!

These gardens are less than a mile from the city centre and at over a hundred years old contain a huge collection of trees and plants. The Botanical gardens are set within Victoria Park. The park was planned in 1829 by a group of local people who wanted to establish a public open space. It was formally opened on October 23rd 1830 when Princess Victoria, then only eleven years old, came to visit with her mother the Duchess of Kent. Princess (later Queen) made a request that the park be designated as 'Royal'. This is the only park laid out in the 19th Century with this honour.

The Botanical gardens were initially established in 1840 but really came into their own in 1886 when an amateur botanist called Christopher Broome, came to live in Batheaston. He was devoted to growing and studying plants and on his death his widow donated his 2000 strong collection to the park and the gardens were truly on their way.

What I love about these gardens is that they are wonderful at all times of the year. They are also incredibly peaceful and calming especially in the early mornings when there are not many people about and the gardens feel as if they belong to me! They are laid out in a way which leads you on a journey through many different gardens, including a rock garden walk, a streamside garden, a shady pool surrounded by Acers and Magnolias, with a pretty circular seat, a newly converted Pavilion, now given over to educational pursuits, a wonderful herbaceous border and lawn, Magnolias galore, a shrub rose garden and the Great Dell, a former stone quarry and now home to vast towering Californian Redwoods, tall conifers, Ginkgo biloba and a mass of scented shrubs and at this time of year Cyclamen lighting up the darker areas with splashes of delicate pink.

I always make sure to visit in Spring when the flowering cherries are a riot of pink and white and the incredible magnolias make their showy appearance. Point a camera in any direction and you can't take a duff shot.

The Acers are also an amazing sight, especially at this time of year when the is shining and lighting up the leaves on the trees. Whether you are a plant obsessive like me, or just like a nice relaxing stroll in the peace and quiet, don't worry about not visiting other gardens in the area, for me the Botanical Gardens has it all.

This article was written by Emma Bond.
Garden designer and author.
http://www.bathgardendesign.com/ and http://www.emmabond.typepad.com/the_orchard_studio.

Date Idea #31 - Visit the Botanical Gardens in Your City

When it comes to dating idea some of them fall under your basic standard fare of things you will eventually find yourself doing with a woman if you want to have a whole lot of variety and "flavor" in your life.

One of these basic dates that not a lot of men take advantage of is going to your local botanical garden to enjoy the variety of plants and flowers that they have on display. Depending on the city and time of year you can expect a variety of different colors as well as a variety of different plants.

 

Perhaps one of the nicest things about going to the botanical gardens with a woman that you have been seeing for a while is many times (unless plants and flowers is your thing) you get to see a variety of different things you wouldn't see otherwise.

 

In other words, it gives you something to talk about and a lot of times it has absolutely nothing to do with the science or history of the plants but rather what it reminds you of or some other random but in some way connected event. As a first date, the botanical gardens aren't really a great idea unless you visit it frequently and it happens to be one of your "power places".

 

A lot of men for good reason are tempted to take "earthy" women here in the hopes of gaining points or favor yet the truth is if she is really into this kind of stuff she has already been there before and she doesn't need you to take her. In the end going to the botanical gardens in your city or town is a great date idea for those of you who are already "connected" with the woman you plan on taking.

 

As for those of you who are still in the getting to know you phase, as usual plan on taking her somewhere that you know best.

Teddy Shabba has been helping men attract and date women in an empowering way for over 5 years now.

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