Friends of Lili`uokalani Gardens gathered with members of Moku `Aina, the East Hawaii Master Gardeners Association, and Moku Loa Sierra Club for gardening chores to prepare Shoroan, the Urasenke tea house, for a visit of the retired Grand Master Dr. Genshitso Sen and to clean around the stone lantern from Fukushima for the annual tanabata festival.
Six large trash bags were filled with ironwood needles removed from the lawn and lava around the lantern from Fukushima prefecture
Tanabata or the Star Festival is a time of wishing for good things and peace, according to Walter Tachibana of Fukushima-Ken. Strings of colorful paper cranes are hung on bamboo branches placed beside the ishi-doro (stone lantern) from Fukushima. Traditionally the festival is held on the seventh day of the seventh lunar month.
By the end of this recent work session, 17 trash bags were filled with green waste and trash from four different project areas.
The area to which the most attention was paid during the past three months was the Urasenke tea house, Shoroan. A total of 28 volunteers worked 112 hours in the tea house garden to help prepare for the visit of Dr. Genshitsu Sen, retired XV Grand Master of Urasenke, on July 22.
Before the third work day, a few wild hairs on the bushes indicate the need for a light trimming
photo by Bill Eger
By the end of the work day, all the bushes were trimmed and all the weeds on the paths were pulled
Dr. Genshitsu Sen, retired XV Grand Master of Urasenke, enjoys a bowl of tea with Russ Oda, Rev. Jeffrey Soga, Art Taniguchi and Hiroshi Suga in Shoroan
Dr. Sen congratulates Kumiko Sugawara and Philippe Nault on four otemae (the artful performance of tea ceremony) outdoors in Lili`uokalani Gardens
The next volunteer day is scheduled for Saturday, August 16, from 8 a.m. to noon. The focus of the next chore list will be preparing for the annual Queen Lili`uokalani Festival held in early September.
To volunteer, please contact K.T. Cannon-Eger at 895-8130.
Volunteers gather to discuss the day’s projects at 8 a.m.
photo by Bill Eger
Additional projects worked on so far include pruning of small trees; fertilizing azalea and camellia throughout the park; beginning removal of weeds from the edges of the ponds; replacement of a dislodged stone in the stepping stone path that goes through the water; repainting of parking lot lines; removal of invasive pest species from the roofs of several shelters and from the arched stone bridge. In all, including the tea house projects, 54 volunteers put in a total of 216 hours in the first three work days at Lili`uokalani Gardens.
Donations of nearly $550 in plants, materials and tools were received from Home Mart-Keaau Ace Hardware, Mountain Meadows Nursery, Rozett’s Nursery, and members of Friends of Lili`uokalani Gardens. The tools were added to the County park’s tool shed for use in Lili`uokalani Gardens.
The cultural landscape of Lili`uokalani Gardens is nearly 100 years old. Plans are in the works for centennial celebrations in 2017
photo by Bill Eger
U.S. Japanese Gardens 