The garden was created in 1977 by Warren McCord as a native Hawaiian plant reserve. It was Maui's first public garden. The garden is located near the Haleakalā volcano, at an elevation of . For both tropical and semitropical species. Today the garden contains nearly 2,000 plant varieties, including collections of protea, orchids, bromeliads, native Hawaiian plants, and trees including koa and kukui. Other features include an aviary, a koi pond, waterfalls, and a covered bridge.