Tropical Gardens of Hawaii with Graham Ross

{Bon Voyage}

Aloha, we`re off on our Winter getaway to Oahu and Kauai. Oahu is a melting pot of culture, the ‘heart of Hawaii’, a bustling metropolis of cultural highlights. Then we will take a short flight to Kauai, the oldest and most beautiful of Hawaii’s main islands.

For our remaining 2025 & upcoming 2026 tours, please visit our website: www.rosstours.com

#rosstours #rossgardentours #hawaii #oahu #kauai #pearlharbour #rt_hawaii

{Hawaii - Bookings closing Friday 13 June 2025}

We have one room left on our fabulous Hawaii tour with Graham Ross. Bookings are closing Friday 13 June, so don`t miss out.

Aloha & welcome to Hawaii! Join Graham Ross in Hawaii and spend time on two islands, Oahu and Kauai. Oahu is a melting pot of culture, the ‘heart of Hawaii’, a bustling metropolis of cultural highlights. Then it’s a short flight to Kauai, the oldest and most beautiful of Hawaii’s main islands. Peter, Paul and Mary will agree!

Tour dates: 4 - 12 August 2025

For the full itinerary, please click here: https://rosstours.com/tours/hawaii/

#rosstours #rossgardentours #hawaii #oahu #kauai #pearlharbour #rt_hawaii

{The Royal Hawaiian Hotel, Waikiki Beach}

Built on 15 acres of beautiful beach frontage, the The Royal Hawaiian Hotel stands out with its distinctive Moorish-style architecture, painted in pink. Since its opening in 1927 it has welcomed a lot of world stars and celebrities like Elizabeth Taylor, Frank Sinatra and Shirley Temple. At the heart of The Royal Hawaiian lies the Coconut Grove, a picturesque courtyard lined with swaying trees and lipstick-red ginger blossoms, once the playground of Hawaii’s kings and queens.

Join Graham Ross in Hawaii this August and stay at The Royal Hawaiian Hotel. For the full itinerary, please go here: www.rosstours.com/tours/hawaii

To book your seat on this tour, please call the office on 1300 233 200.

#rosstours #rossgardentours #travelwithfriends #hawaii #waikiki #rt_hawaii #theroyalhawaiian

{Kauai, Hawaii}

Kauai stands out with its lush landscapes, dramatic cliffs, and pristine beaches. From the Na Pali Coast to Waimea Canyon, where Jurassic Park was filmed, every corner offers breathtaking beauty. Visit Allerton Gardens, Queen Emma’s garden estate. Explore Hanalei on Kauai’s scenic north shore and its famous pier on Hanalei Bay and finish off your visit at Limahuli Garden and Preserve, selected best natural botanic garden in the USA by the American Horticultural Society.

Join Graham Ross on our Hawaii Tour this August. For the full itinerary, please go here: https://rosstours.com/tours/hawaii/

To book, please go online or call the office on 1300 233 200 when we`re back on Monday 6th January 2025.

#rt_hawaii #hawaii #rosstours #rossgardentours #kauai #travelwithfriends

{Throwback Thursday}

Hawaii here I come 68 years later. That’s the Aloha Tower in the background. It might sound strange but Hawaii, and NZ and Fiji was my garden ‘awakening’ to the big wide world of plants in 1956. I had been already been gardening for 5 years and two years later after this photo was taken I was working at Kingsgrove Garden Centre on weekends.

Join Graham on his trip down memory lane! For the full itinererary, please click here: https://rosstours.com/tours/hawaii/

#hawaii #rt_hawaii #rosstours #travelwithfriends @realgrahamross

{New Tour}

Aloha & welcome to Hawaii! Join Graham Ross in Hawaii and spend time on two islands, Oahu and Kauai. Oahu is a melting pot of culture, the ‘heart of Hawaii’, a bustling metropolis of cultural highlights. Then it’s a short flight to Kauai, the oldest and most beautiful of Hawaii’s main islands. Peter, Paul and Mary will agree!

Tour dates: 4 - 12 August 2025

For the full itinerary, please click here: https://rosstours.com/tours/hawaii/

We will offer a group flight once it becomes available.

#rosstours #rossgardentours #hawaii #oahu #kauai #pearlharbour #rt_hawaii

Hawai’i wrap. An interesting hibiscus angled flower, the best frangipanis, more feral chooks than people, too many Aussie she Oaks, giant Moreton Bay figs, forests of African flat topped Albizzia, the Royal Hawaiian Hotel-still majestic, bread fruit that created Mutiny on the Bounty, giant exotic kapok trees, Limahuli home of the original Hawaiians & Puff the Magic Dragon, the King still reigns, Queen Emma’s Palace & Queen Victoria’s silver gift, tourist hula still popular, flowering Rainbow Cassia trees, kukui but leis and a child discovers a dinosaur egg! Hawai’i has it all, ‘til next time Aloha. kentross, kkatha2000, sandra_ross_gardener rosstoursofficial allertonmcbryde limahuligarden royal_hawaiian hotel @#rt_hawaii,

All good things come to an end. Hawaii ‘25 was as expected, lots more than expected & in transition beginning the long journey possibly away from the 50th State back to the old, real Hawai’i if it’s not too late. Still the best frangipanis & hibiscus, too many feral chooks, Giant exotic Aussie & African trees, figs, kapok, she oaks, flat topped forests of Albizzia dominate their flora. But the National Botanical Gardens scheme fighting hard to rescue endemic flora. Queen Emma’s Palace w its Queen Victoria silver gifts & the Kings statue standing proud. The Pink Palace & my fav clothing shop there as striking as I remember in 1956. The black kakui nut leis remind visitors to reflect on reconciliation, a celebration of heritage, community, & the enduring spirit of Aloha. All sounds a bit familiar. Mahalo rosstoursofficial kkatha2000 royalhawaiianhotel limahuligarden fostersbotanicalnursery allertonmcbryde jimlittleplumeria jimlittlenursery #rt_hawaii jimlittlenursery

Manoa Heritage Centre is based around ‘Kuali’i’, a Tudor style grand home built in 1911 by the Cooke family. When later the property was cleared they discovered an ancient Heiau or religious place of worship. The stone walling had collapsed but was carefully reconstructed using the same local volcanic stones in a dry pack wall arrangement. On the steeper side the beautiful wall is designed to withstand earthquakes. The same stone is used for modern 20thC walling & paving. Garden filled w frangipanis, gingers & a small waterfall. As part of the new educational program taro & vegetables are grown. Today the Manoa Centre attracts children for classes & is attached to the local university. A quite remarkable place for our group to experience. manoaheritagecenter manoaheritagecentre #rt_hawaii rosstoursofficial kentross kkatha2000 sandra_ross_gardener oahu hawaiitropicalbotanical

I don’t often mention hotels our groups stay at. But in Hawaii, like Japan, they come w superb landscaped gardens. A pounding surf sea spray can’t help but you’d never know. The Grand Hyatt, Poipu, Kauai, is top shelf w even their own massive hydroponic veggie production. (sorry no pics) Resident macaws mimmic the colourful hibiscus, lantana (sterile- we were duped into banning them), cordylines, pink ixora hedge & Queen Emma’s favourite purple bougainvillea. And did I mention the staff & food service 💫. But these gardens made for a doubly happy holiday destination for my group. grandhyattkauai rosstoursofficial #rt_hawaii kkatha2000 kentross sandra_ross_gardener kauai_hawaiii kauaidiscovery

The formidable Waimea Canyon, w some of my group on Kauai Island Hawai’i, the scene of multiple Jurassic Park films & a dozen others. Impressive & vast, with tiny human ‘ants’ visible in one vid. All the islands are of volcanic origin, some still very active & growing while Kauai is the oldest &
weathering away ever so slowly. It has certainly been a memorable tour. Mahalo. kentross, kkatha2000, sandra_ross_gardener rosstoursofficial #rt_hawaii grandhyattkauai kauaidiscovery hawaiitropicalbotanical

One of my global garden favs, Limahuli Botanic Garden & Preserve, Hanalei, Kauai, the Garden Isle. Today part of National Tropical Botanical Gardens USA. An ancient peoples landscape w Taro beds, rare endemic plants labeled & cultivated. Protected w best disease prevention shoe system I’ve ever seen. The last image is of a great hibiscus cv & spp collection. Note flower shapes, colours & stamen angles. Yes Puff the Magic 🐉 is nearby in relaxing, beautiful Hanalei. No highrise, no big tourist coaches, but a Qld 1950’s vibe. So happy to be back supporting true Hawai’i people’s future. rosstoursofficial kentross kkatha2000 sandra_ross_gardener forsterbloke limahuligarden #rt_hawaii gohawaiiau hawaiitropicalbotanical kauai_hawaiii kauaiisc kauaidiscovery

Wonderful fountains in McBride Allerton Gardens w serene statuary. No music to capture constant sound of water throughout the garden. Such an iconic movement in the evolution of botanic gardens in Hawai’i. Group enjoyed the experience, I found it revolutionary from my previous visits back to 1956 & since. rosstoursofficial kentross sandra_ross_gardener kkatha2000 allerton #rt_hawaii

Queen Emma, McBride then Allerton boys created Allerton Gardens, Kaua’i, the home of botanical research, native plant propagation & the 21st C botanical garden movement in Hawai’i today. A combination of centuries of exotic plant arrival & now endemic plants recovery. Tourists, charitable donations & the odd movie, Jurassic Park, fund its existence. The Allerton men installed sculpture from their global trips. A 2 hour drive/ walk was an amazing experience for my group. Beautiful fountains & statuary to come. rosstoursofficial sandra_ross_gardener kkatha2000 kentross allertonmcbryde #rt_hawaii

Some of my group on a Waikiki cruise braved the waves to have a fun time at sea. Earlier today we saw the revered King Kamehameha‘S iconic statue. I’ve not seen it since with my parents and bro in 1956. Still as majestic 69 years later. rosstoursofficial kkatha2000 kentross forsterbloke #rt_hawaii kingkamehamehacelebration kingkamehameha visit.hawaii

Our next O’ahu Island, Honolulu stop was the Lili’uokalani BG. Squeezed between suburbia it retains a volcanic bedrock stream & ancient tree plantings. Shrubs added for colour. Hawai’i is very late to the global botanic garden system, eg 209 years behind Australia. They’re working hard to make up time with firstly protecting what they have then getting botanists, horticulturists & other scientists in to start classifying. Most endemic flora is on the brink of extinction but they’re working hard to secure native flora from all Hawaiian Islands. honolulubotanicalgardens rosstoursofficial #rt_hawaii kkatha2000 kentross forsterbloke jpsiemon

Then it’s the spectacular frangipani collection 👀 at Koko Crater Botanical Gardens. 💥 later to Lili’uokalani Botanical Garden& return to Royal Hawaiian Pink Palace for a colourful luau night. Wow 🤩 Everyone (well some brave souls) tattood up in the spirit of Aloha. forsterbloke rosstoursofficial kkatha2000 kentross rosstoursofficial sandra_ross_gardener royal_hawaiian #rt_hawaii