Founder of the delightful farm is Ali’i Chang, agriculture artist and horticulture master. Born on February 19th, 1942, Chang grew up on a 20-acre farm on the island of Oahu under the care of his grandmother, Christina Lamson. Part Hawaiian and part Chinese, Chang’s grandmother took him into her care through “hanai”, a Hawaiian term referring to an informal adoption when a child is cared for by another family member. Chang had a total of 24 other siblings. His grandmother taught him not only how to grow native plants to the island but also how to cook with them, and gave him an independent education from her own experience in business. Chang had a green thumb from his youth on the farm with his dear grandmother, and once said “my passion has always been in the earth”. When Chang’s grandmother passed away shortly after his high school graduation, he knew that he needed to continue on with not only her legacy, but also in his learning of nature.
In 1976, Chang opened Ali’i Gardens in Nahiku, on the island of Maui. Keeping his roots of greenery and earthly growth, Chang built the gardens using all that he had learned from his grandmother about sustainable and earth friendly farming, including organic fertilization using seaweed and chicken manure. However, in 1989, the farm had grown too big for Chang to handle, and he sold the property to a Japanese Company. It was down the road in 2001, that Chang’s dear friend, Emma Veary, a local singer known as “golden throat of Hawaii”, gifted him a lavender plant. And in 2002, Ali’i Kula Lavender was born. Chang had a vision of creating not only a full garden, but also an experience, a radiant and elegant grounds for visitors to truly be in touch with the earth. As lavender represents purity, silence, devotion, serenity, grace and calmness, Chang used his skills of building and his green thumb to let his imagination go wild in creating the exquisite farm that guests can witness today.
Along with all of the lavender blooming on the farm, guests will also find other growth such as olive trees, succulents and endless flowers. Featuring nine types of lavender that bloom year-round, with peak blooming occurring between the months of July and August. Because no animals or bugs enjoy feeding on lavender, the farm does not need to use any pesticides and is free to practice organic and natural farming. Guests are welcome to trek through the land independently, or may also opt for a guided tour, either on foot or by golf cart.
Ali’i Kula has an expansive website, that not only offers a newsletter, but also an array of articles describing uses for lavender as well as recipes. Lavender was used in World War I to treat wounds, and can be used to also treat infections, inflammation, digestion issues, anxiety, depression, fungus, headaches, sprains, insomnia and hair loss, amongst many other ailments. Though the plant is not native to the islands of Hawaii, the area of Kula receives less than 25 inches of rain annually, creating the perfect growing environment for lavender, giving the staff a more than substantial knowledge and wisdom of the plant.
