Since I am "The Limping Hawaiian" due to a pulled muscle playing Racquetball yesterday, I'm resting my leg today and sharing with you my previous foray into "Foster Botanical Garden." Located off of Vineyard Blvd, (actually was a vineyard for the Royals) in Honolulu, this beautifully manicured garden is a real treat to the senses.  Did you guess that this picture of the vine is peppercorns?  Yes, and that's nothing to sneeze about!  HaHa!

Thomas and Mary Foster bought this property from Dr. Hillebrand, a German Doctor and Botanist, when he decided to move back to Germany. Thomas Foster was a Captain of a ship and Mary Foster, childless, continued to develop the garden.  Upon Mary's death, she bequeathed the property to the City and County of Honolulu as a public garden.  Dr. Harold Lyon was the first director of the public garden and many of the orchids in the orchid garden are plantings from his own personal collection. 

By the way, Mary Foster was a daughter of a High Chiefess of Maui, friend of Queen Liliuokalani, she is quite mysterious.  If you would like to read more about her, a book written by Pat Masters called, "In Search of Mary Foster," should be an interesting.

This tree is called, "Blue Marble Tree," and although it doesn't look like your kitchen countertop, its so named because...

these are the fruits of the tree!  Don't eat it, its inedible, but, you can make a beaded necklace out of it!

Time to wax your car?  This is the "Carnauba Wax Palm," and the leaves are coated with a natural wax to protect it from the harsh tropical sun.  Dried leaves are collected to make car wax, candy, cosmetics and furniture polish.  Twenty leaves make 1-lb of carnauba wax.

Mad at your neighbors?  Plant this tree and buy a cannon, the seeds will supply the ammo!  Nah, nah!  This is called, "the Cannonball Tree," with signs warning you to watch out for dropping cannonballs!

For my friends who love "Monstera" leaves, this variety which is mostly white was fascinating!

"Coco-De-Mer,"  a rare palm only found in the Seychelles Islands in the Indian Ocean were thought to be a mythical submerged tree, as the floating fruits seemed to have no place of origin.

"Cycads," which dominated the landscape millions of years ago, are rare and endangered now due to habitat destruction and over-collecting.  Resembling ferns and palms, they are actually related to conifers, with no flowers, just cones.

Oh yes, we must have flowers!  Enjoy the lush colors of the orchid varieties seen in the "Conservatory" building.  Double click the photo to see up close!  Just a sampling of the garden, I hope that you can see it with your own eyes and find your personal favorites!  Hope to be walking again tomorrow!  Aloha!(Bye)