Fall 2010
And the A ward goes to…
我的青春谁做主主题曲Honolulu Botanical Gardens’very own Olive Vanselow ,Program Director at Ho‘omaluhia Botanical Garden,was recently chosen to receive a national award,the 2010 Elizabeth Abernathy Hull Award from the Garden Club of America. For twenty five years Olive has guided and educated young children to appreciate the wonders of their tropical environment through nature walks,art projects,and the sharing of her excitement about native flora and fauna. By creating innovative programs,such as the Critter Art Contest,she has inspired thousands of keiki to care for the natural world around them. By stressing environmental principles,Olive’s hands-on approach communicates invaluable lessons relevant to our young people. Indicative of her total dedication,Olive has decided to use her monetary award to help fund the initial phase of a new Tropical Forest Children’s Library at Ho‘omaluhia.
Congratulations,Olive,and many,many thanks for the remarkable work you do!
Bamboo provides food for pandas and hundreds of useful products for people. Via garden programs,island children learn about the importance of plants in our daily lives
and the need to preserve forest habitats.
Hawaii’s state tree,the kukui,has many uses — including this lei.
Sweet potatoes are good to eat and easy to grow in your garden.
President’s Message
喜宝郭采洁Mary Foster was one of the closest friends of Queen Liliuokalani and was one of only two people allowed to visit the Queen during her imprisonment at home. Both women loved plants and gardens. Each lived a long productive life where they whole-heartedly supported our Hawaiian community.
Foster Botanical Garden is a green gift to us,the people of Hawaii and the world,given in perpetuity by Mary Foster. The garden is part of the City and County of Honolulu Parks Department. There are five Honolulu Botanical Gardens in the system. They are in diverse Hawaiian ecosystems and have different kinds of documented and labeled plant collections. Botanical gardens are like libraries or living museums with rare,wonderful,Hawaiian and exotic plants.
The other gardens are Liliuokalani Botanical Garden which includes the beloved Waikahalulu waterfall and many Hawaiian plants and Arbor Day trees. Liliuokalani Botanical Garden is entered from School or Kuakini Street and is mauka of Foster Botanical Garden separated by the freeway. The very wet,lowland Ho‘omaluhia Botanical Garden in Kaneohe,dry land elevation Koko Crater Botanical Garden out by Sandy Beach,and mesic mid elevation Wahiawa Botanical Garden,up
Discovering Mary Mikahala Foster
by Heidi Bornhorst
Aloha,
Your trustees traveled to Wahiawa Botanical Garden August 21 for their quarterly meeting. Wahiawa
一个人在游走午夜的街头是什么歌garden was at its best,sunny but cool,everything brightest green from daily rain showers and good grooming by a punctilious staff. We were entertained by a comic chapter of local Wahiawa Garden history related by Mary Jane Lee ,longtime trustee,city volunteer and member of the Wahiawa Historical Society. A brief and interesting overview of Sri Lanka was presented by Roshini Suehiro ,born in Sri Lanka and a local tour agent here. For most of us this was a revealing introduction to a long time dream of visiting Peredenya,the famous tropical garden of Sri Lanka,formerly known as Ceylon. We will be sending you travel information soon for this unique tour. We hope you will join us on this garden adventure.
Friends’trustee Paul Weissich has created a calendar of garden activities and tours…something for everyone. By now you should have received the flyer…send in your reservations and join your Friends for fun and new plant knowledge.
The Friends is in a modestly good economic situation but actively seeking different venues to increase our earning so that we can continue to increase our support of the Honolulu Botanical Gardens. We are now researching a momentous scientific project for the gardens,mapping and evaluating the plant collections. This is a project that has not been accomplished for over 20 years. It is a huge and costly undertaking that will take several years to complete. Funding this task will be th
e primary focus of the Friends’fundraising events for the future. You will be receiving more information about this in coming issues of the newsletter and on our website.
2011 will be the 50th Anniversary of the Friends organization and we‘re planning a super birthday party in March at our annual meeting. Plan to attend this gala event.Grace Dixon,President
王艳王志才Friends of Honolulu Botanical Gardens
(continued on page 3)最后祝福 黄宗泽
It was gratifying to hard-working garden staff and volunteers that two of our Honolulu Botanical Garden sites were acknowledged by Scenic Hawaii,receiving the organization’s 2010 Betty Crocker Landscape Awards. Foster Botanical Garden’s Conservatory received the “Award of Appreciation”for interior and exterior displays and Wahiawa Botanical Garden attained the “Award of Excellence.”
R eflective of the commitment to excellence shown throughout the gardens as well as in the above awards,several HBG staff and volunteers were also given individual recognition by the Department of Parks and Recreation. The DPR program makes awards quarterly as well as annually.This year,HBG staff and volunteers are well represented.Brian Koren ,R ecreation Specialist I (Volunteer Co-ordinator),was selected as “Employee of the 1st Quarter 2010”. Scot Mitamura ,Horticulturist (Orchids),was chosen
“Employee of the 2nd Quarter 2010”,and Doris & Bob Lee ,who volunteer primarily at Wahiawa Botanical Garden,were selected for the “Outstanding V olunteer”award. In addition to being the “Employee of the 1st Quarter”,Brian was also given the high honor of being selected DPR “Employee of the Year.”
A Recognition Luncheon will be held on Friday,September 10,to honor all DPR awardees. Congratulations to all — great job!
Winnie Singeo,Director Honolulu Botanical Gardens
Editor’s Note:We just couldn’t let it pass that,in addition to the awards listed above,HBG Director Winnie Singeo ,will receive the DPR 2010 “Manager of the Year”award. Bravo,Winnie,for your hard work and dedication!
From the Director’s Desk
Discovering Mary Mikahala Foster (continued from page 2)
in the cool mauka lands of central Oahu,complete this botanical treasure trove which was all started by the founding gift from Mary Foster.
Many today know of Victoria Ward and Mark Robinson,but not their oldest sister,Mary. Their mother was a descendent of Maui Alii. Mary’s life is an interesting,unfolding story.This is our opportunity to celebrate another strong Hawaiian woman.
Foster is well-known and beloved throughout South Asia where she funded a hospital,orphanages,schools and seminaries for Buddhist nuns and monks. She is revered in Sri Lanka,but many people here in her Hawaiian home don’t know about her today. She was a life long l
earner,and one of the first Hawaiian conservationists of our aina. Kahana Valley is a green Hawaiian place today,when it could be a burned over and barren dry grassland if not for Mary Foster and her akamai benevolence.
Karen Miyano,Pat Masters,Joyce Spoehr ,yours truly and the hard working staff of Honolulu Botanical Gardens hope to continue Mary’s spirit of goodwill with a simple birthday celebration in her garden. You’re all invited to Foster Botanical Garden for a FR EE Birthday celebration. On Tuesd ay,September 21,from 4:15–6: we will celebrate Hauoli la Hanau O Mary Foster,on the main terrace.
This is where her house originally stood and where ancient original trees still grow on the lush green lawn.
A special mele “Beautiful Kahana”,made famous by the Sunday Manoa in a lovely arrangement composed by Robert Cazimero ,recalls Mary’s country home in Kahana Valley.The Cazimeros are unable to perform in Foster Garden this year but they may celebrate Mary Foster and her garden in the future. “Beautiful Kahana”will be performed by the R oyal Hawaiian Glee Club,and their hula dancer,Piilani Smith .Pat Masters will share some of the mo‘olelo or stories about this wonderful Haw
aiian woman. We can all sing Happy Birthday/Hauoli La Hanau together for dear and generous,truly Hawaiian conservationist and botanical philanthropist,Mary Foster. We will sing and dance,celebrate,and enjoy complimentary gourmet birthday cupcakes compliments of master gourmet chef Karen Miyano .
Bring your ohana and friends; pack yourself a picnic,and enjoy the beautiful late afternoon peace and light in Mary’s garden. Bring a beach mat or chairs so you can sit in the garden and enjoy our unique inheritance. Come see the special orchid and native Hawaiian hibiscus which are named for her and grow in the garden today,thanks to the well trained and dedicated botanical gardens staff and numerous community volunteers.
Pat Masters
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