Part of the National Tropical Botanical Garden, Limahuli Garden, at the northern end of Kauai, focuses on tropical plants’ conservation, research and public education. (Gail Fisher / LAT)
The gardens at Smiths Tropical Paradise are perfect for strolling by day and having a luau by night. (Gail Fisher / LAT)
Scarlet heliconias, called hanging lobster claws, bloom at the Na Aina Kai garden in Kauai. (Gail Fisher / LAT)
A St.Thomas bean vine envelops a tree, forming a dense canopy for strollers in the McBryde Garden. (Gail Fisher / LAT)
The Diana Room, surrounded by a rain forest of monkeypod trees, is an oasis in the Allerton Garden. (Gail Fisher / LAT)
Shortcut, by Jane DeDecker, is one of 65 bronze sculptures at Na Aina Kai, a 240-acre garden devoted to tropical horticulture. (Gail Fisher / LAT)
