Cancer survivor honors those dear to her with lovely garden

When kumu hula and two-time cancer survivor ‘Iwalani Walsh Tseu walks around her garden on a sprawling property in Ewa Beach, she feels blessed.

The garden, which she named Pu‘u­ho­nua o Hono­uli­uli, was envisioned as a gathering place for cancer survivors as well as a gift for her three daughters and four grandchildren.

The property, about an acre, was passed down to her by her late father, Alfred William Walsh Jr., and her grandparents. More than 350 varieties of plants, including ti, ginger, ferns and palms are arranged in round beds bordered by rocks that delineate walkways.

"When you’re in a place of peace and serenity, your whole body reacts to it," she said. "Starting the garden was my healing factor. It healed me, spiritually and emotionally. Once I was working in it, I didn’t have time to pity myself."

Tseu, who lives in Mili­lani, was diagnosed with breast cancer in October 2005, about 20 years after surviving cervical cancer. She underwent surgery, followed by several weeks of radiation therapy.

As Tseu describes it, the place was a dump when she embarked on her project. There were broken appliances, auto parts, bags of trash. Her daughters urged her to sell the property to pay off her medical bills. But she couldn’t. Tseu was flooded with memories of growing up there, riding horses in the cane fields and playing outside until dusk when her father would whistle for the kids to come home.

A pair of tall, teak elephant sculptures from Thailand — a gift from her father — flank a tree in the garden, reminding her to be courageous.

"My father said, ‘Be bigger than life but gentle in heart, like an elephant,’" she said.

She tackled the project with dogged determination. Her mantra: "Whatever the mind can conceive and believe, you will achieve."

Friends and family helped with the initial cleanup efforts by renting haulers to take the larger pieces of junk away. Then Tseu borrowed her brother’s truck to finish. She estimated it took 500 trips to do it.

Tseu does not consider herself a gardener. Yet she pulled on rubber boots and gloves and started working.

"My hands, as you can see, are for hula and putting on jewelry," she said. "I lost many plants along the way by planting them in the wrong place or adding too much water. But I kept persevering. I was plowing, planting, praying. I had a purpose."

She would pull over by the side of the road to ask for cuttings. When friends asked what she wanted for gifts during holidays, she requested plants to plant in their honor. Over 10 years what she’s planted has grown and thrived.

She planted ti for her hula students to make lei, while the mother-in-law’s tongues and bromeliads pay homage to her mother, Aurea Irene Walsh, who loved them.

Pink splashes here and there — a hibiscus, plumerias, rose-hued ti — honor breast cancer survivors, who have gathered at the property to meditate, bond and reflect on life.

The garden even has its own mascot: Macock, a friendly, black-and-white rooster who appeared one day three years ago, according to Tseu, and followed her as she worked in the garden.

More recently she’s focused on edible plants, such as lemongrass that she uses to make tea, and aloe plants. A Zen prayer garden is her next project.

Pu‘uhonua o Hono­uli­uli is now where the family celebrates birthdays, graduations and other milestones. At a recent gathering her grandchildren ran around picnic tables, getting dirt on their hands, chasing Macock.

Today, Tseu remains cancer free. She takes no day for granted.

One of her favorite places to sit is beneath the shade of a large, century-old ban­yan tree that she refers to as her grandmother’s tree.

"I just sit and give thanks," she said. "I look and I say, ‘Thank you.’"

Artist Dean honors brother claimed by cancer with mural

A dilapidated storage shed at ‘Iwalani Walsh Tseu’s healing garden is now a sitting area anchored by a hand-painted floor mural by artist Ronnie Dean of Honolulu.

The 25-by-50-foot mural depicts patterns at the bottom of a pond with large koi swimming among lotus flowers and lily pads. Surrounding the pond are rocks that Dean painted to create texture.

He calls it "Gathering of the Koi."

Dean, 52, lost his older brother to breast cancer six years ago and was inspired by the mission of Tseu’s garden when he learned of it through a mutual friend. The kumu hula had mentioned that she wanted to create another area at the garden where people affected by cancer could gather, pray and meditate. So he took on the challenge.

"It’s very personal, very dear to my heart," he said. "I’ve lost many aunties to cancer. I admire what ‘Iwalani does when it comes to breast cancer, all cancers. She makes a difference, and I’m only one grain of sand that makes up this whole garden."

He raised funds for paint and supplies on his website, ronniedeanart.com, and in return donors’ names appear on the fish. People from as far away as Germany donated.

A Hawaiian blessing for the mural was held in mid-January in conjunction with the release of his "Under the Sea" painting collection. — Nina Wu

"Garden Party" spolights unique and exceptional gardens. Contact us via email at features@staradvertiser.com or call 529-4808.