Botanical gardens are like zoos for plants. The big difference is that few people would say that the plants are being mistreated or that they are being held captive. However, botanical gardens are often artificial environments for the plants they contain, just like zoos, so the experience might not be quite as fulfilling. But, also like zoos, gardens are good places to experience organisms you wouldn't see in natural settings anyway.

The types of organizations that run botanical gardens are the same as those that run zoos: non-profits and private groups. There are some that are run by government agencies but these are more rare... except in Hawaii, where there are five public botanical gardens on Oahu alone.

These are the botanical gardens in Hawaii:

• National Tropical Botanical Gardens (not-for-profit)
• Lyon Arboretum (managed by the University of Hawaii at Manoa, so ultimately a government)
• Foster Botanical Garden (run by the city of Honolulu)
• Ho'omaluhia Botanical Garden (run by the city of Honolulu)
• Lili`uokalani Botanical Garden (run by the city of Honolulu)
• Koko Crater Botanical Garden (run by the city of Honolulu)
• Wahiawa Botanical Garden (run by the city of Honolulu)
• Garden of Eden Arboretum (private)
• Hawaii Tropical Botanical Garden (private)