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<br /> <br /> <br /> <br />News Release August 21, 2017 <br /> <br />Subject: Joy in Liliʻuokalani Gardens <br /> <br />In honor of the Centennial celebration of the Liliʻuokalani Gardens in Hilo, the Hawaiʻi Floriculture and <br />Nursery Association created a multi-faceted floral art piece designed by Ms. Hitomi Gilliam, AIFD. The <br />floral art piece was installed in the Hawaiʻi County Building and 16 additional floral art pieces were <br />installed throughout Liliʻuokalani Gardens. <br /> <br />Today at 10:00 AM, the floral art pieces were presented to the Friends of Liliʻuokalani Gardens and the <br />County of Hawaiʻi. <br />Remarks were made by: <br /> Eric Tanouye, President, Hawaiʻi Floriculture and Nursery Association. <br /> Will Okabe, Managing Director, County of Hawaiʻi <br /> K.T. Cannon-Eger, President, Friends of Liliʻuokalani Gardens <br /> Hitomi Gilliam, AIFD, floral designer <br /> <br />It was one hundred years ago that Liliʻuokalani Gardens in Hilo was established in honor of Queen <br />Liliʻuokalani, the last Monarch to rule the Kingdom of Hawai’i. In 1907 the Queen gave the people of <br />Hawaiʻi Island the 5-acre lagoon to be used as a public park. Ten years later the Territorial Legislature <br />set aside this land and an additional 12 acres. The park was named for the Queen in the spring of 1917, <br />the same year she died. <br /> <br />The floral art pieces created for Liliʻuokalani Gardens and the Hawaiʻi County Building use only locally <br />grown flowers and foliage. Buying locally grown agriculture products supports local farms and <br />nurseries and is the goal of the State of Hawaiʻi Department of Agricultureʻs “Buy Local: It Ma?ers” <br />campaign. Buying local contributes to the sustainability of not only the Stateʻs economy, but the <br />environment as well. By using locally grown products there will be less imports and in turn, less chance <br />of invasive species that can be carried on imports. Invasive species threaten native ecosystems and <br />local agriculture. <br /> <br />The floral art pieces began to take shape on Saturday, August 19. Ms. Hitomi Gilliam, AIFD, a world <br />renowned floral designer, gave a public workshop and assisted the attendees as they designed and <br />●Hawaii Floriculture and Nursery Association ● P.O. Box 4400 ● Hilo, HI 96720 ● Ph: 808-959-3535 <br /> <br /> <br />