Celebrating peace, heroes and roses at Oahu Urban Garden Center

University of Hawaiʻi at Mānoa
Contact:
Jayme Grzebik, (808) 453-6050
Assistant Extension Agent, Oahu Urban Garden Center, CTAHR
Posted: Mar 28, 2014

Plants growing in recycled containers.
Plants growing in recycled containers.

The Oʻahu Urban Garden Center, an outreach program within the UH Mānoa College of Tropical Agriculture and Human Resources, will dedicate its new Peace Rose Garden, Heroes Rose Garden and custom-built Rose Pavilion on Saturday, April 12, 2014, from 9:30 a.m. to 12 noon as part of its Second Saturday at the Garden event. The center is located at 955 Kamehameha Highway in Pearl City.

The new gardens, planted with roses whose names relate to heroes or peace, will receive a Hawaiian blessing. In celebration of the new gardens, the Honolulu Rose Society will announce the winners of two new writing contests for Oʻahu elementary school students, who addressed “What Peace Means to Me” and “What a Hero Means to Me.” One winner was selected for each of three grade divisions in both contests, and each winner will receive a $100 prize. The winning entries will be printed on small plaques at each garden and may be read at the Honolulu Rose Society’s website at http://www.honolulurosesociety.org/peace-contest-winning-entries.html.

Also at the April 12 Second Sunday at the Urban Garden Center, there will be a free seed- and plant-sharing workshop and event.  Experts will speak on seed saving and selection. Members of the community are encouraged to bring their own saved seeds, huli, cuttings and rhizomes to share and barter with others.

Keiki and families may bring a recycled container and receive a free vegetable plant. Types of containers include a quart-size yogurt container, 1/2 of 2-liter soda bottle or 1/2 milk carton. Any container at least 3-4 inches deep and 4 inches wide will be accepted.

The Oʻahu Urban Garden Center provides innovative and diverse horticultural information to the gardening public. The Second Sunday events, held the second Sunday of every month, are open to the public, and bring together Master Gardeners and volunteers for demonstrations, tours, and seed and plant sales.

A schedule of events is available at http://www.ctahr.hawaii.edu/ougc/index.asp.