Mary Robinson Foster

In 1884 the couple bought William Hillebrand's property, which Foster later donated for public gardens, and began developing the plant collections.

This patriotic group was founded shortly after its male counterpart the Hui Aloha ʻĀina for Men to oppose the overthrow and plans to annex the islands to the United States and to support the deposed queen.

[8][9] She resigned this position on April 17, 1893, after a dispute arose between two factions of the group over the wording to the memorial seeking the restoration of the monarchy to be presented to the United States Commissioner James Henderson Blount sent by President Grover Cleveland to investigate the overthrow.

He hoped that she would support his fundraising efforts to return the Mahabodhi Temple in Bodh Gaya, India, where the Buddha is believed to have gained enlightenment, to Buddhist ownership.

She donated land along Pali Highway for the building of the Honpa Hongwanji Mission, the first Buddhist temple in Honolulu.