The Moir Gardens of Kauai, Hawaii, are in the town of Poipu on the island's south shore. They are botanical gardens covering about 35 acres and are open to the public free of charge. The gardens were started in the 1930s by Alexandra "Sandie" Moir, wife of Hector Moir, the manager of the Kiahuna Sugar Plantation. At that time the plantation was a major social and business center for the island's sugar plantation society. The Moirs lived in a beautiful home made from lava rock where they frequently entertained in high style. The Moir home is the main lobby of the plantation today, and is still a center of activity.
Sandy Moir started the garden as a hobby. She planted tropical plants like ginger and heliconia, and other blossoming plants that require plenty of water. However, she soon found that without irrigation, these plants would not thrive in a region that gets so little rainfall. She turned instead to cacti and succulents, and the famous Sandie Moir Cactus Garden had its beginning. As the years passed, Sandie Moir added rare and exotic species of cactus, succulents and other plants and trees. She included hau, wiliwili, plumeria and coconut. Her brother-in-law William Whitmore Goodall Moir was a world traveler, and he brought back exotic specimens for her garden. Many of those plants can still be seen in Moir Gardens. Mrs. Moir set aside one part of the garden for the cultivation of orchids and bromeliads. These gorgeous plants are favorites with visitors today. By 1948 the Moir Gardens had attracted the attention of the world and was declared one of the ten best cactus and succulent gardens in the world. In 1954 the gardens were officially opened to the public.
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