Beautifying Kona: Orchid Isle Project reaches West Hawaii
The Kona Orchid Society is helping beautify West Hawaii by planting donated orchids at various sites in Kona.
On Sept. 10, 15 members planted 100 orchids around Holualoa Village as part of the Orchid Isle Project.
The Orchid Isle Project is a volunteer opportunity for the club to help fulfill its mission of fostering the collection, culture and appreciation of orchids.
In 2014 the Hilo Orchid Society launched the project to help the Island of Hawaii more fully live up to its nickname, the Orchid Isle. Today, orchid growing is still an important industry, and orchids are grown in many people gardens they are not as numerous as they once were; when they could be found in the front yards of people’s homes as a way to make extra money.
When the Hilo Orchid Society began its efforts in 2014, and for several years after, the Daifukuji Orchid Club also assisted and planted several orchid gardens around West Hawaii including a memorial garden at the Kona Community Hospital, in front of the Aloha Theatre, around the Buddha’s Cup Coffee and Tea Farm, the Greenwell Farms and several other locations.
The Hilo Orchid Society recently reached out to the Kona society to help bring the project to West Hawaii after having been gifted some 1,200 orchids from Kalapana Orchids to be planted in community places around the island. About 50 plants were donated by the Fairmont Orchid.
The Kona Orchid Society is set to receive about 120 plants to be placed around at several sites in North Kona.
“It is the hope of the board members that we can continue on these efforts in perpetuating the islands nickname but also furthering our own mission to foster the appreciation and understanding of orchids,” Kona Orchid Society President Whitney Steele said.
