A lush, green oasis blooms on the Kuilei Cliffs on the lower slopes of Diamond Head Crater, just past the lighthouse, above the popular surf spot, “Cliffs.” Over eleven years ago, Gilbert Lum, an 84 year old retired utility worker, started the Diamond Head Surfing Club Garden on this barren wasteland, transforming nearly one acre of land into what it is today, a garden of Eden. Known as “The General,” Mr. Lum is proud of what he created over time from sheer determination and hard work.
Although the land is owned by the State, Mr. Lum has permission to till the soil, so long as he does not plant edible plants, fruit trees or vegetables, which could give the State liability issues. Mr. Lum, once an avid surfer, started this garden on the mornings that the surf was no good. He rarely surfs anymore, “perhaps once a year,” he said. Nowadays he spends his time watching the weeds grow - not the surf - as they grow so fast. Anyone can join the Garden Club they just need to ask Mr. Lum. “I am in charge here,” he said. Mr. Lum welcomes help, but takes his leadership role seriously. His newest member to join the group is Roy, a surfer who recently asked if he could help out. When the waves are small, Roy can now be seen weeding with a special tool Mr. Lum gave him with his name on it.
One of my first questions to “The General” was, “How do you keep the garden so green, especially in the heat of summer?” The answer was time and devotion. Mr. Lum can be found here most mornings between 6-10 AM, as he waters and cares for the plants. Given the dry climate of Diamond Head, he notes, “If it were not for watering everyday, it would not be this green.” Mr. Lum hooked up two hoses to the water line that services the showers at the beach park below. Surfers often stop here to rinse the salt off their boards after they hike up the cliff. Mr. Lum doesn’t mind sharing the water, so long as they use it on the grassy area and water the garden, rather than make a muddy mess on the sides of the garden.
The garden’s lush, green appearance is indeed misleading. Under the soil, anywhere between three to eight inches, lays a coral and rock bed. It took over two years just to clear the brush and make a garden possible on this spot. Mr. Lum recalled what this area used to look like: “a dry desert, full of trash and feral cats and mongoose.” He said, “I wanted to make it a nice spot, so I brought in dirt and got people to donate plants and money to create all this.” His son used to own a farm near Kaiser High School, which is where some of the bromeliads came from. He has bought many of the plants with his own money, and always welcomes contributions of fertilizer, plants or just plain cash.
There are a wide variety of plants in the garden including grass, succulents, bromeliads flowering shrubs and trees. Mr. Lum’s knowledge of gardening and plants is impressively self-taught. He pointed out a special white flower he called a “Confederate Rose” that changes from being white in the morning to red in the afternoon. It is part of the Hibiscus Mutabilis family, meaning “Hibiscus that changes.” I asked him if he had a favorite plant, and he was quick to say that he likes all the plants the same, and does not favor any one over the other; like his five children, all loved equally. I got the distinct feeling that this garden was like one of his children, which he has nurtured and loved and as a result has grown into the beautiful Eden it is today, despite the desert-like conditions of heat, poor soil and little rain. Mr. Lum proudly said that if he closes his eyes, he can visualize the entire garden, “I know where each plant is by heart.”
I found Mr. Lum to be an extremely friendly man, willing to talk story with just about anyone who engages him. He loves the publicity that the garden has gotten over the years, proudly mentioning that after a story was published about the garden in a tourist magazine in 1999, hoards of tourists that come to visit from all over the world to enjoy this special spot. On this particular morning, he had three guys helping out and talking story. Spanky was sweeping up the rubbish on the sidewalk, Roger was artfully shaping the trees, and Chuck, the grass trimmer, was keeping him company.
One subject Mr. Lum is very vocal about is the disrespect from some people who visit the garden. I was surprised to hear about the problems in the past with vandalism, stolen plants, trash and dog poop. Despite the frustrations Mr. Lum expressed towards these issues, he still maintains that his garden “is the best place to come and meet people and talk story.” I noticed during my short visit on a Saturday morning, more than three locals stopping by just to say “hi,” and upon seeing me interviewing, ask Mr. Lum what publication he was going to be in now!
It is no surprise that Mr. Lum was recently given a “House Certificate” by Representative Barbara Marumoto for his “beautification efforts.” Mr. Lum is indeed a special man, devoted to the garden and contributing his time, money and energy to making this a special gathering for the community and visitors alike. If you are on Diamond Head in the morning hours, stop by and say “hi.” “The General” will greet you with a smile as he takes care of the garden and welcomes people to enjoy this magical spot above the ocean he has tended for so many years.