Finally made it to the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum

[PiñonJ]

JWP, in training since 1625


JWP, in training since 1855

JWP, in training since 1832

JRP, in training since 1795

JWP, in training since 1879

JBP

Foemina

Sargent Juniper

Windswept Chinese Elm

 

[AZbonsai]

Amazing!

 

[drew33998]

Hey we were there at the same time!

 

[Potawatomi13]

Amazing how man made really old trees looked. Some great trunks though.

 

[queenofsheba52]

Thanks for the great pics!

 

[bonsaichile]

Amazing how man made really old trees looked. Some great trunks though.

Isn't that the point? After all, "art" is the opposite of "nature." ?

 

[Potawatomi13]

Isn't that the point? After all, "art" is the opposite of "nature." ?

No. Should look like Real trees. Whether "art" remains huge debate. As Master Naka said: "Make Bonsai look like tree, Not tree like Bonsai". If you watch Ryan Neils Live stream presentations maybe can see he strives to use trees natural manner of growth to properly style with only added balancing to make pleasingly natural appearing trees. That would be good art rather than forcing an unnatural abomination.

 

[namnhi]

Good photography on the first tree. If you look at it long enough, the pot for this tree looks like it floating on top of the stand. Cool.

 

[BonsaiMatt]

No. Should look like Real trees. Whether "art" remains huge debate. As Master Naka said: "Make Bonsai look like tree, Not tree like Bonsai". If you watch Ryan Neils Live stream presentations maybe can see he strives to use trees natural manner of growth to properly style with only added balancing to make pleasingly natural appearing trees. That would be good art rather than forcing an unnatural abomination.

'Should' was a key word in your first sentence. And I agree. I understand what he means though, most of the trees at the national arboretum are in a more classical design. Classical design often results in trees that look crafted rather than natural. Also, these trees are maintained in show condition all year round, decade after decade. I think this adds to the man made feel.

 

[PiñonJ]

It is something that strikes you, that most of the trees have a pretty conservative Japanese style, especially in the Japanese pavilion.? I think ultimately, they try to maintain the style the tree had when it was presented to them, so there’s a little more variety in the North American pavilion. Here’s a Ponderosa donated by the U.S. Forest Service:

 

[PiñonJ]

Here are some pen jing:

Trident maple trained in the shape of a dragon:

 

[rockm]

No. Should look like Real trees. Whether "art" remains huge debate. As Master Naka said: "Make Bonsai look like tree, Not tree like Bonsai". If you watch Ryan Neils Live stream presentations maybe can see he strives to use trees natural manner of growth to properly style with only added balancing to make pleasingly natural appearing trees. That would be good art rather than forcing an unnatural abomination.

Bullshit. Comparing a tree begun 450 years ago with work that Ryan Neil has done in the last five years is mostly (I'll be polite) #$^&(!!. That "abomination," has been worked on by GENERATIONS of bonsai artists since Queen Elizabeth 1 was on the throne. It's creation predates wire, power tools and modern pesticides and the other stuff we take for granted nowadays by 300 years or so. If you do the math, the Yamaki Pine's lifetime were an hour long, Ryan Neal's contribution to bonsai would be about ten seconds, probably less.

Do those old trees fit exactly into today's modern sensibilities of bonsai. Hardly, but they weren't meant to. Hell, trees begun in the 1970's don't fit Ryan's vision either.

Bonsai tastes change. Sometimes dramatically. If you're going to criticize at least understand what you're talking about.

 

[Vance Wood]

Amazing!

Honestly if you are suggesting that tree of life is your source for bonsai material you are fooling yourself into thinking any of these trees are going to make a decent bonsai in anything short of geological time. You need to find another place to search for trees-----or maybe you are a shill for this business? I don't mean to be confrontational but I have yet to see evidence of you working on a tree.

 

[AZbonsai]

Honestly if you are suggesting that tree of life is your source for bonsai material you are fooling yourself into thinking any of these trees are going to make a decent bonsai in anything short of geological time. You need to find another place to search for trees-----or maybe you are a shill for this business? I don't mean to be confrontational but I have yet to see evidence of you working on a tree.

Hey...who peed on your Wheaties this morning?

 

[substratum]

Very cool! I'll be there for a first visit on April 24th! Looking forward to it.

 

[Clicio]

Beautiful trees, as always some japanese preference for JWP (unfortunately it is impossible to make them survive here in tropicaland), I really like them all.

 

[MrFancyPlants]

I know that they are not, but is there any chance that some of the pre-1900 JWP's are grafted? I'm just noticing some swelling and differing bark characteristics?

 

[rockm]

I know that they are not, but is there any chance that some of the pre-1900 JWP's are grafted? I'm just noticing some swelling and differing bark characteristics?

I know that they are not, but is there any chance that some of the pre-1900 JWP's are grafted? I'm just noticing some swelling and differing bark characteristics?

It's not impossible those trees aren't grafted. The one I think you're looking at looks like a graft to me too. I don't know its specific history, unfortunately.

 

[Wilson]

Beautiful photos! I love these historical trees, they are the foundation. I could never really scoff at a bonsai maintained for hundreds of years, just too amazing!

 

[JudyB]

Too bad about people who only look at things with a jaundiced eye. Yes Potty, talking to you. You might learn something if you'd open your mind a little to some of the old school trees. How long will some of these modern trees last? No one can say, but the idea that these trees have been bonsai for so very long speaks of reverence to the artistic endeavor. Even if you prefer something different, you can (or most of us can) appreciate these.

Thanks @pinyonj for the time to photograph and post these.