Inside the Museum, Museum Curators, NBF News
Brendan Bailes
Spring Arrives with Fresh Blooms and Budding ...
Spring Arrives with Fresh Blooms and Budding Bonsai
Bonsai People, Inside the Museum, Museum Curators, Museum Donors Trees
Brendan Bailes
Introducing Stunning Recent Additions of Bonsai ...
Introducing Stunning Recent Additions of Bonsai and Suiseki
Inside the Museum, Photographing Bonsai
Brendan Bailes
Our Best Bonsai Photos of 2023
Our Best Bonsai Photos of 2023

Inside the Museum

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Spring Arrives with Fresh Blooms and Budding Bonsai

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Japanese apricot (Prunus mume 'Kobai')

Sunlight glinting off bright, young leaves. The aroma of sweet quince drifting across your path. The ambiance of refreshed, peaceful trees in the courtyard.

No, this is not a dream — it’s just a peek into the sensory experiences that await you at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum this spring.

Kusamono display

The energy of the season always brings lots of activity to the Museum, from new growth and fresh buds to tree placement shuffles and pavilion adjustments. In an interview this week, Museum Curator Michael James shared an inside look at preparing for the surge of warm weather visitors, and he discussed what makes the beauty of bonsai so unique.

The Post-Winter Waltz

Sensitive trees are protected in the greenhouse with controlled temperatures during the frigid months. Meanwhile, the consistently cold weather this past winter has prepared the trees for strong growth this spring. Winters that are peppered with warm and sunny days encourage bonsai and penjing to open up earlier than preferred, Michael said.

“When those leaves emerge under glass or in a protected environment, they’re extra thin, and sensitive to sun and wind,” he said. “If we move the trees out at that point, any slightly harsh weather can easily damage that foliage. This year, the trees have stayed very dormant, so we can move the deciduous trees outside before they sprout.”

Trident maple (Acer buergerianum subsp. forosanum ‘Miyasama’)

Every spring, staff complete a major structural change at the Museum by removing the roof of the Chinese Pavilion, which no longer requires winter protection. But the trees aren’t yet completely in the clear. Museum staff remain on frost watch, in case a cold snap sweeps through and requires them to protect these specimens once again.

“There’s this spring dance in horticulture of watching the weather for that last cold night, that last freeze, and moving sensitive plants back inside for a night or two as needed,” Michael added.

A New Focus

The springtime shuffle also allows staff to intentionally ponder this year’s displays. Michael, alongside Assistant Curator Andy Bello and other Museum staff, build the bonsai, penjing, and stone placements from scratch each year, ensuring the dominant flow of directional branches leads visitors through the enchanting exhibits.

Sargent juniper (Juniperus chinensis var. sargentii)

The courtyard display for 2025 showcases native species from the Museum’s collections, aligning with the U.S. National Arboretum’s Lahr Native Plant Symposium, hosted annually in March.

“It’s amazing to see every pedestal in the central courtyards display a native tree this year,” James said. “These species are all relatively new to bonsai, because they weren’t used in the Chinese and Japanese tradition. It really shows how bonsai is global now.”

Though leaf removal, root care, and other maintenance might need different approaches from more traditional bonsai species, Michael and his team have developed their expertise by working with native trees and getting to know their unique characteristics.

Native species also naturally draw pollinators, which facilitates a healthy ecosystem. They are well-adapted to the local environment, making them excellent choices for bonsai cultivation that reflects the natural appeal and resilience of regional landscapes.

Spring Showstoppers

Japanese maple (Acer palmatum)

As with most gardens or naturally occurring vegetation, the beauty of bonsai flourishes in the spring. Small vegetative buds open up on deciduous trees, while the flowering species flaunt their scents and petals.

Drummonds red maple (Acer rubrum var. drummondii)

Chinese quince (Pseudocydonia sinensis)

In the international pavilions, inconspicuous red pearls on maple varieties will unfurl into delicate, star-shaped flowers, while the Japanese apricots boast bright pink blooms. The Chinese quince will display unique flowering, which occurs on bare branches before vegetation sprouts, as well as the cherries. Crab apples and tricolor Higo camellias already have leaves when flowering. Satsuki azaleas will be in full bloom for May visitors – with "satsuki" referring to the "fifth month" in Japanese.

Can’t-Miss Events

Please join us for the Potomac Bonsai Association Festival on the weekend of May 10-11, which coincides with World Bonsai Day on May 10. We will also be celebrating an incredible milestone: The 400th anniversary of the legendary Yamaki Pine. Stay tuned for more about these events in the next few weeks!

World Bonsai Day will include a Beginner Bonsai Workshop (Saturday and Sunday), as well as appearances and workshops from Andrew Robson of Rakuyo Bonsai (Saturday) and John Naka student and contemporary Guy Guidry of NOLA Bonsai (Sunday), who will demo work on his tree in the North American collection.

We hope to see you soon to absorb the beauty of the art of bonsai this spring! Stay tuned for more information on World Bonsai Day and plan your visit here.

 

Click images below to enlarge. Photos by Stephen Voss.

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Queen of the Crepe Myrtles

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RECENT Donations to the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum
Part 4/6

In 2024, the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum welcomed five remarkable new additions—four exquisite bonsai and a striking suiseki. Each piece tells a unique story, reflecting the artistry, history, and evolving traditions of bonsai. Carefully selected for their cultural significance and artistic merit, these new acquisitions highlight the diversity of bonsai and its growing influence in North America. Join us as we explore the fascinating origins, creative vision, and horticultural mastery behind these latest treasures.

The magnificent bonsai displayed at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum often hail from unassuming locales across the world. This particular crepe myrtle seemed destined to land back at the U.S. National Arboretum.

In May 1978, the U.S. National Arboretum officially released a cultivar of crepe myrtle called Lagerstroemia indica, or Natchez, that had been specifically bred for its resistance to disease. The seeds were a cross between Asian crepe myrtle genes, impervious to powdery mildew, and U.S. genes that produce the iconic crepe myrtle flowers and mottled bark. They were sent to nurseries all over the United States.

Cliff Pottberg, owner of a Florida nursery called Bonsai at Pasiminan, grew this specimen for more than 35 years, alongside a field of 25 other crepe myrtles. Brussel Martin – founder of Brussel’s Bonsai, the largest nursery in the United States – purchased the tree in 2013 and cared for it for 10 years.

Martin’s nursery manager helped transplant the crepe myrtle from Pasiminan and was told that the tree was either of Natchez or Muskogee cultivar, but this mystery remained unsolved. Although its specific origin had been lost to time, the tree stood out as a quintessential example of a flowering bonsai.

Recognizing the uniquely special characteristics of the tree, McNeal McDonnell – previous co-owner and now sole owner of Brussel’s Bonsai – generously donated it to the Museum. McNeal is a business entrepreneur with a deep appreciation for the art and beauty of bonsai.

In early 2024, the crepe myrtle arrived in Washington, DC. Noted bonsai expert Bjorn Bjorholm, with support from Curator Michael James and Assistant Curator Andy Bello, styled the tree in the Museum’s Yuji Yoshimura Lecture and Demonstration Center. Guided by Bjorholm’s artistic insight while honoring the original vision for the tree, they trimmed, wired, and shaped the crepe myrtle to prepare it for its new home on display among the native species in the North American Pavilion.

Assistant Curator Andy Bello, Curator Michael James, and bonsai artist Bjorn Bjorholm after styling the Queen of the Crepe Myrtles, 2024.

Four months later, the tree finally flowered. This allowed a botanist on staff to determine that this species was none other than Natchez, the very same cultivar that the Arboretum had introduced back in the 1970s – bringing the Lagerstroemia indica full circle, back to its roots.

Curator Michael James said this cultivar demonstrates how a plant’s value can increase both through breeding – ensuring a species is disease resistant, tolerates droughts, produces more ornate flowers, etc. – and through artistic training techniques.

U.S. National Arboretum Director Dr. Richard Olsen admires the crepe myrtle.

“People often don’t make the connection between bonsai and scientific institutions,” Michael said. “But if you’re going to care for a plant that will last longer than your lifetime, it’s important to start by choosing a plant with strong attributes.”

With its glossy, dark green leaves and pure white flowers, this elegant deciduous tree became known as the “queen of crepe myrtle,” a perfect example of how the Arboretum’s and Museum’s missions are intertwined. The species’ mottled cinnamon bark and powdery, mildew-resistant foliage flaunts its long-tapered pure white flowers between June and September.

We look forward to seeing you at the Museum this summer, when you will be able to witness the crepe myrtle’s full bloom.

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An Award-Winning Bonsai Joins the Collections

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Dr. Karen Harkaway with the spectacular Blue Spruce she donated to the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum.

RECENT Donations to the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum
Part 3/6

In 2024, the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum welcomed five remarkable new additions—four exquisite bonsai and a striking suiseki. Each piece tells a unique story, reflecting the artistry, history, and evolving traditions of bonsai. Carefully selected for their cultural significance and artistic merit, these new acquisitions highlight the diversity of bonsai and its growing influence in North America. Join us as we explore the fascinating origins, creative vision, and horticultural mastery behind these latest treasures.

If you work in bonsai, chances are you’ve come across a blue spruce. Picea pungens is one of the most common of the 35 species in the Pinaceae family, originating in North America, Northern Europe, and Asia. Hard to miss – but have you ever seen one like this?

In early 2024, Karen Harkaway, a former board member of the National Bonsai Foundation and president of the American Bonsai Society, donated a beautiful blue spruce to the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum.

Blue Spruce (Picea pungens), 2024.

President’s Award 2024, Mid-Atlantic Bonsai Societies.

Her captivating conifer previously appeared at the 2022 and 2024 Mid-Atlantic Bonsai Societies' Spring Festivals and the U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition in 2023, where it won the North American Award for Finest Native American Bonsai.

In its natural habitat, a blue spruce can grow up to 200 feet, enduring heavy snowfall that forces it to form dark, flakey rough bark – one of its best bonsai attributes. For a bonsai display, that protective covering provides a lovely contrast with the spruce’s vibrant green needles and potential for beautiful deadwood features.

Todd Schlafer, of Denver-based First Branch Bonsai, first collected the specimen in 2016. Two years later, Harkaway purchased the tree from Schlafer’s vendor booth at the 2018 U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition. 

Harkaway’s spruce then underwent two stylings in 2019 and 2022 with Italian bonsai master Mauro Stemberger. Stemberger published videos on both the original styling and restyling, where you can learn about the importance of shade and moist, acidic soil for the spruce, as well as the duo’s styling choices.

Harkaway explains that the blue spruce had lived in a growing box and sought to regain health in her greenhouse, before its 2021 repotting with bonsai artist and former NBF board member Chase Rosade. The current moon-style container may appear as stoneware, but is actually European artist Erik Krizovensky’s cement creation – custom made to Harkaway’s specifications.

This tree is on display in the North American Pavilion at the Museum during your next visit. Don’t miss this incredible example of American artistry using a native species with a unique flair.

(click images to enlarge)

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From Wilderness to Wonder: The Journey of Little Lonely Doug

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Bonsai artist, expert, and donor Bjorn Bjorholm with Little Lonely Doug outside the North American Pavilion at the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum.

RECENT Donations to the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum
Part 2/6

In 2024, the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum welcomed five remarkable new additions—four exquisite bonsai and a striking suiseki. Each piece tells a unique story, reflecting the artistry, history, and evolving traditions of bonsai. Carefully selected for their cultural significance and artistic merit, these new acquisitions highlight the diversity of bonsai and its growing influence in North America. Join us as we explore the fascinating origins, creative vision, and horticultural mastery behind these latest treasures.

In 2016, in the nooks and crannies of the Rocky Mountains in the greater Denver area, Richard Le discovered “Little Lonely Doug”.

Little Lonely Doug, 2024.

The tree – unique in its scale, taper, age, and character – represents one of North America’s oldest and largest conifers, the Douglas fir (Pseudotsuga menziesii). It was named in honor of Vancouver’s iconic, 230-foot “Big Lonely Doug,” the last Douglas fir standing in the Gordon River Valley, after intense and devastating logging deforestation.

Le, who spends time hunting for large yamadori, or “bonsai from the wild”, sells the trees he collects for use as bonsai or ornamental landscape trees. Little Lonely Doug, which was one of Le’s most compelling discoveries, ended up at Eisei-en, the well-known bonsai artist Bjorn Bjorholm’s nursery, garden, and school in Nashville.

Little Lonely Doug was the first tree to arrive at Bjorholm’s nursery upon its opening in 2018. There, the Eisei-en team repotted the fir in a more suitable container. In the spring of 2020, the tree went through another repotting and styling, while it finished out its term as a centerpiece at Eisei-en.

Staff from the U.S. National Arboretum position Little Lonely Doug in the North American Pavilion at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum.

The fir was one of the last trees to leave the nursery when Bjorholm moved his business to Kyoto, Japan, where as a student he had completed a study abroad program and met his future wife. He also spent 16 years as a bonsai apprentice in Osaka. Marianne Duhamel, Montreal Botanical Garden’s penjing curator, rewired and styled the tree again under Bjorholm’s direction, just before its arrival at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum. In March 2024, Le and Bjorholm donated this striking specimen to the Museum.

Staff from the U.S. National Arboretum, including Director Dr. Richard Olsen, Museum Curator Michael James, and Assistant Curator Andy Bello, were on hand to welcome the bonsai to the collections. They were joined by NBF board members Stephen Voss and Ross Campbell, as well as Executive Director Bobbie Alexander.

Left to Right: U.S. National Arboretum Director Dr. Richard Olsen, NBF Board Member Stephen Voss, NBF Board Member and Officer Ross Campbell, bonsai artist, expert, and donor Bjorn Bjorholm, Museum Curator Michael James, Assistant Curator Andy Bello.

Also joining the welcome committee were Aaron Stratten, immediate past President of Potomac Bonsai Association, and Roberto Coquis, President of the Northern Virginia Bonsai Society. Our local clubs do so much to support the art of bonsai, and we are grateful for their presence. Everett Miller, the Diplomatic Associate for the Economic Section of the Embassy of Japan, attended the ceremony as well. We greatly appreciate their partnership and friendship.

Left to Right: Museum Curator Michael James, NBF Board Member and Officer Ross Campbell, immediate past President of Potomac Bonsai Association Aaron Stratten, bonsai artist, expert, and donor Bjorn Bjorholm, President of the Northern Virginia Bonsai Society Roberto Coquis, Assistant Curator Andy Bello.

These esteemed guests helped Little Lonely Doug find its home in the North American Pavilion, where it proudly represents an American species of evergreen conifer with a rugged appearance, hardy resilience, and uniquely “wild” look.

You can see more about the tree’s life and journey to the Museum’s North American Pavilion in Eisei-en’s beautiful tribute.

Little Lonely Doug also found a spotlight as the star of the National Bonsai Foundation’s limited edition World Bonsai Day 2024 clothing line, designed by Aaron Stratten.

The Museum is open daily (see hours), if you want to help Doug feel a little less lonely!

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Introducing Stunning Recent Additions of Bonsai and Suiseki

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Clockwise from top left: Blue Spruce by Karen Harkaway; Western Hemlock by Nick Lenz, donated by Mike McCallion; Douglas Fir by Bjorn Bjorholm; waterstone “Horseshoe” suiseki from Seiji Morimae and Ronald Maggio; Crepe Myrtle from McNeal McDonnell, styled by Bjorn Bjorholm.

RECENT Donations to the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum
Part 1/6

In 2024, curators at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum were thrilled to welcome four extraordinary bonsai from influential artists along with a striking suiseki, or viewing stone. In the coming weeks, we’ll share a lot more photos and the fascinating stories behind each one!

These additions bring fresh beauty and new depth to the Museum’s already remarkable collections, inspiring joy and wonder for visitors.

Last year’s donations include (click images to enlarge):

A beautiful Blue Spruce by Karen Harkaway, president of the American Bonsai Society;

A striking Douglas Fir, collected by Richard Le and cultivated by Bjorn Bjorholm;

An intricate Crepe Myrtle from McNeal McDonnell, styled by Bjorn Bjorholm;

A majestic Western Hemlock, created by innovative artist Nick Lenz and donated by Mike McCallion;

And a remarkable waterstone suiseki presented by Seiji Morimae on behalf of the family of Ronald Maggio.

The Museum is home to three historically significant bonsai collections—Japanese, Chinese, and North American—preserving them for public education and appreciation. While maintaining these living works of art, curators also seek new acquisitions that reflect the intricate evolution of bonsai. These new pieces enrich the story of the art form, showcasing its diversity, legacy, and evolving global influences.

Last year, curators focused on contributions from North American artists and collectors, highlighting the role of American art and representation of American culture within this ancient art form, which traditionally was shaped by Chinese, Korean, and Japanese artists. This enhances the narrative of bonsai as both an artistic and horticultural tradition rooted deeply in nature. But these are not just any bonsai.

Adding any specimen to the Museum’s collection is a meticulous and intentional process. Curators do not accept trees on a whim; each must hold historical and artistic significance, reflecting how cultures have transformed nature into art across generations. They carefully evaluate every bonsai and viewing stone based on its aesthetic qualities, artistic interpretation, and place in the broader story of bonsai. Whether naturalistic, highly stylized, or a unique blend of both, each new addition contributes to the ongoing evolution of this art form.

Last year’s acquisitions specifically highlight the role of American artists in shaping bonsai’s future. These trees embrace native species rather than adhering strictly to traditional selections, demonstrating both innovation and an American sensibility within this deeply rooted East Asian tradition. Each piece brings a distinctive vision, skillfully showcases the unique beauty of North American flora, and adds a chapter to the ever-growing legacy of this living art form.

The National Bonsai Foundation is proud to help introduce these five remarkable specimens into the permanent collection at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum. We extend our deepest gratitude to the artists and generous donors who made these gifts possible: Karen Harkaway, Richard Le, Bjorn Bjorholm, McNeal McDonnell, Nick Lenz, Mike McCallion, the family of Ronald Maggio, and Seiji Morimae.

To see their beauty firsthand, visit the stunning collections at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, D.C. The experience will inspire you.

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The First Signs of Spring

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This article from NBF officer and board member Ross Campbell first appeared in the March 2025 edition of Snippets, the Brookside Bonsai Society’s newsletter.

We were foiled by unusually cold temperatures in February and thus discouraged from starting our repotting checklist. But now the weather has warmed into the 60s, and our trees are beginning to respond. The forecasts look promising for the next week or so, meaning that it should be safe to repot. Keep in mind that newly repotted trees still need to be protected from a sudden freeze.

At the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum, many of the trees are wintered in the Chinese Pavilion. The Pavilion is somewhat warmer than ambient temperatures because of the glass panels in the roof and the walls and doors. As a result, trees begin to break dormancy in the Pavilion a little earlier than they would otherwise. A recent stroll past the benches found several trees with buds that are starting to swell.

Parsley Hawthorn (Crataegus marshallii)

The buds on this Parsley Hawthorn are gratifying to see. Proof that Spring is close at hand. This native of the Southeastern U.S. was named in honor of botanist Humphry Marshall (1722-1801), an American botanist. (Not after Elvis Parsley, as you may have thought.) Marshall is known as the “father of American dendrology.”

Chinese Quince (Pseudocydonia sinensis)

This Chinese quince is far ahead of the hawthorn, with some leaves fully open and flowers soon to follow. One of the original 1976 Bicentennial gifts to the nation from Japan, this quince has been in training since 1875. That means that the tree is celebrating its “Sesquincentennial” this year. ;)

Drummond Maple (Acer rubrum drummondii)

If you look closely, you can see not only the buds at the tips of this Drummond Maple’s branches, but also along the branches. It appears that pruning has triggered interior buds, a very welcome development.

Chinese Elm (Ulmus parvifolia)

On the other hand, this Chinese Elm forest is still in the depths of winter dormancy, at least to all outward appearances. Perhaps it is convenient that different species wake up at different times; that way we can schedule deciduous bonsai repotting in a sequential manner, starting with those that are showing bud swelling.

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Together, we are growing the art of bonsai

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I find myself returning to bonsai again and again to experience the serene joy they offer.

When I began photographing the collections at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum two decades ago, I thought the project would have an obvious endpoint.

After my book of bonsai photographs was published in 2016, it seemed a natural place to stop.

And yet, I found myself returning to the museum month after month, year after year, to visit these trees that inspire me. The experience always gives me that “first time feeling” I once had more than twenty years ago: A sense of peace and admiration for the grace and beauty of these magnificent trees.

One of my favorite poems is this haiku from the 10th century by famed Japanese poet Bunya no Asayasu:

“In a gust of wind the white dew
On the autumn grass
Scatters like a broken necklace.”
— Bunya no Asayasu

This work marvels at the beauty of nature while remarking on its fleeting transience. Similarly, each trip to the museum, no matter how brief, enriches my lifelong experience of the place. I visit with my favorite trees, savor their seasonal changes, and admire the subtle growth of their branches over time.

When we talk about a “living art”, this is the unique gift it offers us: Natural artwork that evolves every day, with an ephemeral beauty which outlasts all of us, yet is impossible to capture permanently. The trees we see on display are not an end result, but part of a continuing conversation the talented artists have with their subjects.

The National Bonsai Foundation has a vital role in supporting this work. We train the next generation of bonsai practitioners, facilitate the acquisition of historic trees and viewing stones for the collections, and promote this legendary but niche art form.

With the support of our passionate, dedicated community, we will continue to partner with the museum, preserve the legacy of these trees, and ensure that they will flourish for generations to come.

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Photographing Bonsai with Stephen Voss: Trees in Transition

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By Stephen Voss

Stephen Voss is an accomplished professional photographer and member of the National Bonsai Foundation’s board of directors. His photographs are held in the permanent collections of the Library of Congress and the DC Commission on the Arts and Humanities.

For many years, Stephen has honored an annual fall tradition of visiting the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum at the U.S. National Arboretum. He strolls the serene grounds, taking remarkable photos of trees in transition. Below, he shares reflections from his most recent visit in November 2024.

Each fall season at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum feels like an opportunity to learn something new about the colorful transition of vibrancy and change.

A wonderful Washington Post article outlined the life cycle of a leaf, and I was amazed to learn that as the leaves lose the chlorophyll that makes them green, they reveal their actual colors. That means that the fall colors we're now seeing have been there all along — waiting for this moment to set the museum alight.

The museum is never a static place, and on every visit I find a fascinating new discovery.

This time, I notice a sizable quince fruit hanging off a tree, and a beautiful selection of Chrysanthemums in the Vaughn Banting courtyard, outside of the exhibit space.

A profusion of tiny pollinators swirl around the garden mums along the Kato Family Stroll Garden, as small piles of leaves gather in the nooks and crannies of this peaceful place. The lack of rainfall this season has made for somewhat muted colors; there are more browns than oranges and reds, and we’ve had unusually warm days that maybe aren’t so unusual anymore.

For a long time, I came to the museum and went straight to the bonsai, drawn to their magnificence at the expense of the surrounding gardens. My photos for many years were close-up images, guided by minimalist tendencies. I still lean in that direction; but now, I’m also so taken by the interplay of the trees within the larger space, and how I might interpret these interactions visually. The whole of the museum contributes to the experience of visiting the trees.

Visitors pass through the exhibit space, murmuring questions about the trees and taking in their structural forms that are slowly revealed by the shedding of leaves. It occurs to me that not a day goes by at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum when someone visits who has never been there before.

As the seasons change, the Museum changes too — revealing another unique chapter in the story of this special place and these incredible trees.

All photos © 2024 Stephen Voss. (Thank you, Stephen!)

Click any of the images below to enlarge it. You can scroll through the gallery using the arrow keys or by clicking the left or right icons.

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Our Best Bonsai Photos of 2023

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Thank you to all of our supporters in 2023! You are the reason that the National Bonsai Foundation continues to thrive in our mission to preserve the history, protect the legacy, and prepare the future of the art of bonsai in America.

Whether you donated to the National Bonsai Foundation last year, visited the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum in person, or simply shared in the admiration of bonsai – your contributions to and participation in this great art form are deeply appreciated.

Through the course of years, decades, and even centuries, successive caretakers cultivate and nurture these incredible living art works. During our own lifetimes, the great responsibility and immense honor to care for these timeless trees falls to us. There is more to be done if we want to sustain the resilient beauty and persistent hope of bonsai for generations to come.

That's why, with your help, we will continue to sustain the art of bonsai in numerous ways throughout 2024:

  • We are proud to sponsor the National Bonsai Apprenticeship, the nation's premiere training program for up-and-coming bonsai artists. The renowned program prepares a new generation of American bonsai experts to ensure the future of the art of bonsai. Apprentices benefit from immersive education with professional curators and caretakers, hands-on experience with America’s national bonsai and penjing collections, and daily opportunities to hone their horticultural and artistic talents.

  • We partner with the U.S. National Arboretum to help maintain the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, the first and finest museum of its kind in the world. We support new exhibitions of bonsai, penjing, and viewing stones, helping to share the magic of these art forms with the public. We also provide ongoing education and development for the curators, which offers expanded opportunities to keep current with the latest approaches and techniques to the art form, and allows them to gain learning to stay at the top of their field.

  • We inform, educate, and inspire people at all levels about this breathtaking art form. Through initiatives like World Bonsai Day, exhibitions around the country, hands-on workshops, and national awards, we continue to share and delight in these awe-inspiring trees that give us so much joy, hope, and purpose.

We are so grateful that you have joined us to support these initiatives. Our dedicated community includes everyone from bonsai artists with decades of experience to new enthusiasts who have just discovered the awe of bonsai. Wherever you find yourself on your bonsai journey, we value you and we're glad you're here.

Thank you for helping to cultivate this incredible living art form. Together, we can ensure a vibrant and enduring future for the art of bonsai.

Warm regards and best wishes for the new year!

Visit the Museum to see these beautiful trees in person.

Our Best Bonsai Photos of 2023

All photos courtesy of NBF Board Member and professional photographer Stephen Voss.

Click on any photo to see a larger version. You can then scroll through the gallery by clicking on the left-right icons or using your arrow keys.

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Ringing in the New Year, Literally

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On New Year’s Day, the National Bonsai Foundation joined more than 150 visitors at the U.S. National Arboretum to hear the resonant tolls of a sacred Japanese temple bell. The bell, a gift from the National Bell Festival, was cast in 1798 at a monastery outside present-day Tokyo – which makes it 226 years old!

The bell was installed in the central courtyard of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, above the entrance to the Japanese Pavilion. The dedication included remarks from Arboretum Director Dr. Richard Olsen and National Bell Festival Director Paul Ashe, a traditional Buddhist blessing and sacred chants from All Beings Zen Sangha, and a ceremonial ringing of the bell. The ceremony also included four varieties of Japanese tea courtesy of local DC teahouse Teaism, including GenMaiCha (green tea with toasted rice), Hojicha (toasted green tea), Sencha, (very high grade green tea), and Soba Cha (Japanese buckwheat herbal infusion).

The event was covered by several outlets. You can read more at the links below:

ABC 7 (WJLA): Centuries-old Japanese temple bell installed at National Arboretum on New Year's Day »

WTOP News: How a nonprofit plans to preserve the sound of an ancient Japanese bell in DC »

The National Bell Festival: Japanese Bell Dedication Ceremony »

The National Bell Festival rings on New Year's Day across all seven continents, including eight handbells that are being played by two women on the ice shelf in Antarctica.

The bell is inscribed in classical Japanese across three ikenomachi, or panels, which detail the particulars of its casting. It includes the phrase: “One strike permeates all things. How could it be said the strike is slight, when it is heard without fail?”

Visit the Museum to see this beautiful bell in person!

an old bell finds a new home

Courtesy of the National Bell Festival:

The hanshō, or Buddhist temple bell, was cast in the ninth month of Kansei 10 (1798) by Katō Jinemon from Yokokawa, who came from a family of bell makers in the area of present-day Hachiōji, west of the Tokyo metropolitan area. Their foundry was near the Zen monastery and temple Daisen (also called Daisenji in respect), for which the bell was cast. A monk named Myōdō led a fundraising campaign for the bell's casting. It stands 27 inches tall and weighs 80 lbs.

The Daisen monastery no longer exists. It was located in the Amema village in the Tama district of the province of Musashi. As is true of many Edo-period villages, the names of locations have changed, but the location corresponds to Amema, Akiruno City, Tokyo 197-0825. In 1868, the monastery was incorporated with another temple complex named Jōfukuji, which also no longer exists.

The bell is inscribed in classical Japanese across three ikenomachi, or panels, which detail the particulars of its casting. It includes the phrase:

One strike permeates all things. How could it be said the strike is slight, when it is heard without fail?

What is a Hanshō?

Courtesy of the National Bell Festival:

Hanshō are stationary clapper-less signaling bells hung in Buddhist temples throughout Japan. Like the larger bonshō, hanshō are hung mouth-down and remain motionless. A wooden beam or handheld mallet is swung to sound the bell, which indicates the time and calls monks to prayer. In earlier days, hanshō also gave service as fire alarms in village watch towers.

It is said the sloping shoulders and flat base of a hanshō emulate the seated posture of Buddha. As such, the bells are accorded utmost reverence. Casting the temple bell is also a sacred event, with sprigs of hallowed mulberry, gold offerings, and papers containing Buddhist prayers tossed into the molten bronze.

During World War II, an ordinance to collect metals was decreed throughout Japan. To feed its war machine and keep its armies outfitted, Japan needed vast quantities of industrial materials – and like plucking fruit from a tree, they turned to peaceable, defenseless bell towers. An estimated 70,000 bells (approximately 90% of the temple bells then in existence) were destroyed and smelted into armament.

Today, bonshō and hanshō maintain their sacred place in Japanese society and have become internationally-recognized symbols of peace and diplomacy.

Event Photo Gallery

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All photos courtesy of The National Bell Festival / bells.org.