Allerton Garden facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Allerton Garden
Allerton Garden, view from above.
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Type	sculpture park
Area	80-acre (320,000 m2)

Allerton Garden, also called Lāwaʻi-kai, is a beautiful botanical garden on the south shore of Kauai, Hawaii. It was first created by Robert Allerton and his adopted son, John Gregg Allerton. This amazing garden covers about 80 acres (32 hectares) and sits next to Lāwaʻi Bay. A stream called Lāwaʻi Stream flows through its valley. It is one of five special gardens run by the non-profit National Tropical Botanical Garden.

Discovering Allerton Garden's Past

Allerton house, a historic building in the garden.

The valley where Allerton Garden now stands has a rich history. Long ago, Queen Emma of Hawaii lived above this valley for a short time. A small house, possibly hers, was later moved to the valley floor and fixed up. In the late 1800s, the McBryde family bought the entire valley. They used the land, including what is now the nearby McBryde Garden, for a sugarcane plantation.

How the Garden Began

Robert Allerton loved designing gardens, creating sculptures, and planning landscapes. He had already shown his talent at "The Farms" estate in Illinois, which is now Robert Allerton Park. His adopted son, John Gregg Allerton, studied architecture in the 1920s. In 1938, Robert and John Gregg came to Hawaii. They bought a smaller part of Queen Emma's old plantation to build their home and gardens.

They quickly started planning the garden's layout and individual sections. They brought in plants from Hawaii, tropical Asia, and other Pacific Islands. They also added special landscape features and sculptures from "The Farms" to their new Hawaiian garden.

Becoming a Tropical Botanical Garden

Robert Allerton later joined a group of people who wanted to create a tropical botanical garden in the United States. Before he passed away, he saw his dream come true. A charter was granted, and the Pacific Tropical Botanical Garden was created. This garden is now known as the National Tropical Botanical Garden.

John Gregg Allerton continued to care for the garden until he passed away in 1986. He left the garden in a special trust. In the early 1990s, the National Tropical Botanical Garden took over managing it. The garden was then named Allerton Garden, honoring its founders.

Visiting Allerton Garden Today

Allerton Garden is a wonderful place to explore. It features different "garden rooms," calm pools, tiny waterfalls, and beautiful statues. The garden is open to visitors who want to experience its beauty. There is a fee to enter and enjoy all the sights.

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  Lāwaʻi Bay, a scenic view from the garden.

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  The charming Mermaid Fountain.

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  Diana Waterfall, located below the Diana Fountain.

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  A peaceful garden walk.

Allerton Garden on Screen

This stunning garden has been a backdrop for many famous movies and TV shows. Its beautiful scenery has appeared in South Pacific, Donovan's Reef, Jurassic Park, Pirates of the Caribbean, Starsky and Hutch, and Magnum, P.I..

See also

In Spanish: Allerton Garden para niños

• Robert Allerton Park ("The Farms")
• Limahuli Garden and Preserve
• Kahanu Garden
• The Kampong
• List of botanical gardens and arboretums in the United States
• Landscape