Introducing Stunning Recent Additions of Bonsai and Suiseki

View fullsize

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):

View fullsize

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;

View fullsize

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;

View fullsize

View fullsize

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.

View fullsize

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.

View fullsize

Bonsai Around the World: Jardin Botanique de Montréal

”Garden of weedlessness” – the Penjing greenhouse at the Montreal Botanical Gardens, credit to Matthiew Quinn

For this edition of Bonsai Around the World, we’re highlighting a garden that is just a hop, skip and a jump north of us: in Canada!

The Montreal Botanical Garden, or Jardin Botanique de Montréal, is home to about 350 bonsai and penjing from North America, Japan, Northern and Southern China, and Vietnam or similarly tropical areas. About 120 trees are on display at a time, while others are worked on in a service area or greenhouse, depending on the season. 

The collections began with just Chinese trees. In 1980, the garden participated in a flower show called Floralies, and after the show concluded, Japanese and Chinese vendors donated trees they couldn’t sell to the botanical garden. Dr. Yee-sun Wu, a notable penjing collector, also gifted the gardens his penjing with the stipulation that they construct a dedicated penjing area. 

Left: Juniperus chinensis var. Sargentii, Japanese collection, donated by Kenichi Oguchi (Japan); Right: Serissa japonica, penjing collection, donated by Lui Shu Ying (Hong Kong) – credit to Roger Aziz

A greenhouse was soon converted to house the penjing, followed by a Japanese garden in 1989 to house trees gifted by the Nippon Bonsai Association. The gardens eventually accumulated so many bonsai and penjing that former curator David Easterbrook and other managers decided to start employing two curators to oversee the different collections. 

Curator Eric Auger working on a bonsai – credit to Roger Aziz

One current curator, Eric Auger, first became involved with the Montreal Botanical Garden working under Easterbrook, whom he met at a bonsai workshop. 

“One day he told me, ‘You’ve got good hands and a good eye, maybe you could take over for me when I retire,” Auger said. “I studied horticulture in Canada and bonsai in Japan, and when I came back I got the job.” 

He became curator in 2011 to oversee the Japanese, North American and tropical collections. Some of the more famous trees Auger works on are a forest planting by Saburo Kato, a juniper from Kenichi Oguchi, a few bonsai from Nick Lenz and a tree from Ryan Neil. 

The Montreal Botanical Garden North American Collection – credit to Eric Auger

The North American collection is on display in the The Frédéric Back Tree Pavilion, an educational center that opened in 1996 to educate visitors on the various dimensions of tree care, the importance of ecosystems and the vital role trees play in human life.  

The Vietnamese collection constitutes the garden’s core tropical tree collection. A generous gift of big tropical bonsai in the 1990s and further donations built the collection to what it is today. The trees are shown once a year in the garden’s main entrance hall. 

Auger’s favorite part of the curatorship is technical work, like wiring and shaping trees during the winter, when the bonsai are all in the same greenhouse. In the summer, the bonsai and penjing are spread out across the botanical gardens.

He added that the goal for the North American collection is to only hold native species, regardless of where the artist is from. 

“Right now we’re at about 70 percent of native species, but we’ll soon hit 100 percent,” he said. “All of our collections are donations, so we’re dependent on that, like many bonsai museums.” 

Curator Matthiew Quinn working on a penjing – credit to Roger Aziz

Curator Matthiew Quinn cares for the two Chinese collections. Quinn was first introduced to bonsai in a way many got their first taste: watching Karate Kid. Years later, he read Michael Hagedorn’s book on bonsai, bought a ficus and attended a class in Montreal to rekindle his interest in the art form. 

Quinn eventually showed off his bonsai skills to Easterbrook, who wanted him to prove that he was serious about bonsai and could eventually take over the garden’s Chinese collections. So he went back to school, started part-time work on the Montreal collections and studied bonsai and penjing in China before accepting a curator position. 

One unique aspect of the Chinese collections is that Quinn tries to maintain the authentic Lingnan style of Chinese penjing. 

“People who just try the clip and grow technique on their penjing are missing a whole bunch of pointers to make it really authentic,” he said.

Learn more about the Montreal Botanical Gardens here, and share with us on Instagram or Facebook if you’ve visited their beautiful collections!