Ho'omaluhia means, "to make a place of peace and tranquility." From 1976 to 1982, the Army Corps of Engineers did just that by developing Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden.

Ho'omaluhia was originally designed and built by the corps to protect the residents of Windward O'ahu from devastating floods. The project began in 1964, when the City and County of Honolulu asked Congress to authorize it to ensure the safety of the residents. The result of this massive civil-works project was the Kaneohe Flood Control Project and Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden.

Dedicated in March 1982, Ho'omaluhia is not only a safeguard for residents living downstream. It also provides adults and children with opportunities to enjoy the great outdoors, with the breathtaking Ko'olau Mountains as a backdrop.

Central to Ho'omaluhia is a 32-acre lake where birds (including the endangered Hawaiian coot and Hawaiian gallinule) swim, nest and thrive — it's a great place for bird watchers. There also is a catch-and-release fishing program, picnic and camping areas, miles of hiking paths to explore, a visitor center and a small art gallery where local artists display their work.

Best of all for naturalists is a wide variety of plants to study. Divided into main geographical areas, the focus is on plants from Hawai'i, Polynesia, Africa, India and Sri Lanka, Melanesia, Malaysia and tropical America.

Next month, Ho'omaluhia botanical garden celebrates its 25th anniversary. To celebrate, the staff has planned four weeks of special activities.

Stop by the visitor center to get a free bookmark with suggestions for 25 fun things to do at Ho'omaluhia. Also on the bookmark is a list of plants highlighted in a "25 tree and plant walk." The short walk begins at the visitor center and ends at the scenic point overlooking the lake. Highlighted plants will be specially labeled, and visitors can easily take the short, self-guided tour by matching the numbers on the plant list to the numbered plants along the walk.

See the Sealing Wax palm, with its gorgeous, bright red trunks; the Cuachilote tree from Mexico and Central America, now laden with greenish-yellow, ribbed fruits; and the peach palm, whose fruits resemble peaches and whose stems are used commercially as "hearts of palms." That's just a sample of the plants listed on the walk. Beyond this short walking tour, there is nearly 400 acres to explore. Come and visit!