First Museum Curator Robert Drechsler Passes at Age 88

Affectionately known as “Bonsai Bob” in the bonsai community, Robert F. Drechsler of Cheltenham, Maryland passed away on Oct. 20, 2021, at age 88. Bob Drechsler was the first curator of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum at the U.S. National Arboretum, the first museum of its kind dedicated to the public display of the art of bonsai.

“The Museum is such a vital component of our desire to connect people to the value of plants in their everyday lives,” U.S. National Arboretum Director Dr. Richard T. Olsen said. “Clearly, Bob was touched by the wonders of bonsai and saw to it that this joy was shared through a career spent in service to these trees and the National Arboretum.”

When the U.S. government received 53 bonsai from Japan in 1975 for the Bicentennial Celebration in 1976, Bob was tasked with the care of these living gifts. Bob enthusiastically began studying and learning what it would take to nurture and train these potted plants. Scant information was available at that time. He had no internet or YouTube to teach him. In 1977, Bob traveled to Japan to learn how the Japanese had been caring for the bonsai. He learned first-hand from Japanese bonsai masters and nurserymen.

“Bob laid the groundwork for the Museum,” Head of Horticulture and Education Scott Aker said. “He always insisted on keeping the artist’s intent for each tree in mind when styling decisions were made. He never tried to impose his own aesthetic and served faithfully as caretaker for the trees in their critical transition to our growing conditions.”

Bob held the position of curator until retirement in 1998. He oversaw the construction of the Japanese Pavilion in addition to the North American and Chinese Pavilions. Bob also established the tradition of using local bonsai enthusiasts, whom he managed and trained, to help maintain the bonsai collections. 

Bob held many interests, including freemasonry, which led him to be the Grand Master of the D.C. Freemasons. But in retirement, he also regularly spent time at the Museum continuing to care for the trees. 

"Throughout his career and retirement, Bob was also a faithful supporter of the National Bonsai Foundation and its efforts to provide financial and programmatic support to the Museum, which he helped shape in its infancy,” NBF Board Chair Jim Hughes said.

Former Curator and NBF Co-President Jack Sustic said Bob’s generosity and dedication helped mold the Museum into what it is today.

“Bob was very humble and quick to falsely claim that he knew nothing about bonsai, even after 20 plus years of successful stewardship,” Sustic said. “Bob eagerly shared his wealth of knowledge, insight and experience with the Museum's history and care of the trees.”

In 2012, the First Curator’s Apprenticeship was established in Bob’s honor to train the next generation of bonsai artists. The scholarship has since been awarded to nine up-and-coming horticulturists. Former NBF President Felix Laughlin said he is glad to have the apprenticeship to pay homage to Bob and his legacy. 

“When I think of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, in my mind’s eye I see Bob Drechsler,” Laughlin said. “Bob personified all that the Museum represents: a national center inspiring multitudes of annual visitors with the beauty of bonsai, celebrating the legacy of all those who have made the Museum possible and assuring the health of the living collections for future generations.”

Bob (second from left) with three other Museum curators

Bonsai is Best of D.C. 2021

You voted, and the results are in! Washington City Paper has published this year’s Best of D.C. with promising results. We sincerely appreciate all of our supporters who worked to recognize the National Bonsai Foundation, the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum and the U.S. National Arboretum in so many categories. 

The results show that the Museum, the Foundation, and the Arboretum were recognized in a total of ten categories! Thank you for demonstrating the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum and the National Bonsai Foundation’s value in the D.C. community for yet another year. The National Bonsai & Penjing Museum has now been recognized as one of the best places to take an out-of-towner for four years in a row! Take a look at the total awards and honorable mentions below.

The National Bonsai Foundation:

• Best Arts & Culture Nonprofit — Finalist

The National Bonsai & Penjing Museum:

• Best Place to Meditate — Second Place

• Best Tour for Out-of-Towner — Second Place

• Best First Date Activity — Finalist

• Best Museum Tour — Finalist

• Best Outdoor Venue — Finalist

• Best Place to Day Trip — Finalist

• Best Place to Take an Out-of-Towner — Finalist

The U.S. National Arboretum:

• Best First Date Activity — Winner

• Best COVID-19 Silver Lining — Second Place

Sophia Osorio: An Apprenticeship Reflection

Sophia and Museum volunteer LeAnn Duling repotting a buttonwood from Mary Madison

Since the beginning of my First Curator’s Apprenticeship at the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum in the spring of 2020, I’ve had the opportunity to learn the skills and practices needed to maintain such a stately and magnificent collection of bonsai trees. 

While working on the trees, like daily pruning or watering, I have also been tackling an individual project. My focus was to study and select National Arboretum plant introductions, or species that were originally grown elsewhere, and evaluate their potential for widespread use in creating bonsai material. The goal of this project is to one day display these trees as bonsai at the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum in a collection formed entirely from U.S. National Arboretum plant introductions.

The two species that I had initially selected specifically are Prunus campanulata ‘Abigail Adams’ and Lagerstroemia ‘Tonto.’ While working on the trees, my mentors and I discovered that the graft of Prunus campanulata was not actually an Arboretum introduction. But we are in the process of obtaining a new graft of Abigail Adams that can hopefully be a success soon.

On the other hand, Lagerstroemia ‘Tonto’ looks like a promising specimen that will continue to form new roots and successfully live on for Museum staff to prune and wire branches for styling. Both trees provided a beneficial learning experience in handling grafted introduced species and what is necessary for any species to be potential bonsai material. Just as my project shows, plant introduction species can be explored and tested as bonsai material for many years to come.

As an apprentice gifted with the opportunity to learn about the art of bonsai and work alongside such an incredible team, my knowledge of woody and herbaceous plant species has grown tremendously throughout my time here. The Museum, the Arboretum and its plant introduction program have shown me just how much more there is to learn and discover.

Thanks to the Museum, I’ve experienced learning moments unique to this apprenticeship, such as what it means to have an eye for bonsai and penjing needs, how to wire a branch successfully for better structure and aesthetic or how to patiently prune and thin trees, making sure foliage is visually even throughout.

Some of my favorite memories have been with visitors who have seen me water the collections. Each day I received so many questions about the trees. As an apprentice, it was not only rewarding but also some of the best practice of my knowledge thus far. 

It has also been an absolute pleasure meeting and getting to know the volunteers who dedicate their time to the Museum each week, learning how they got started in bonsai and their personal experiences. They have been some of the kindest and most helpful people I have ever spoken to, and it is very comforting to learn from such a large community of people who also love to practice and work on bonsai as well.

I owe many of my thanks to the Museum staff, especially Michael and Andy. They have been some of the most insightful and talented people I’ve ever had the privilege to learn from. Not only are they both extremely knowledgeable in the art of bonsai, but they are both very patient and caring in their field and offer a range of information, practices and teachings for myself and volunteers alike. I intend to hold onto my experiences here and use them to start my own bonsai collection and as references for years to come.

I will be continuing to put my passion for trees to work, but on a much different scale. I have accepted a training arborist position with The Davey Tree Expert Company and hope to get my arborist certification. I am very excited and happy that my work with trees will continue, and I’ll be sure to visit and check on the trees at the museum as often as I can.

If it were not for the opportunity I was granted at the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum and U.S. National Arboretum, I’m not quite sure where I’d be. But I am eternally grateful for all they have given me and will continue to study bonsai.

“Sophia helped to maintain the National collection of bonsai and penjing through the pandemic, dependably carrying on an essential tradition of bonsai training that has allowed our specimens to thrive for centuries.  Sophia received a job at a multinational tree care company. An opportunity that will allow her to apply her bonsai skills to training trees of a much larger scale. That is something we can all benefit from!” — Michael James, Curator.

​​The National Bonsai Foundation established the First Curator’s Apprentice position in 2011 in recognition of the Museum’s first curator, Robert Drechsler (Bonsai Bob),  for his many years of service.  This apprenticeship supports bonsai scholarship and dedication to future generations. This year’s apprenticeship was funded by the National Bonsai Foundation, with the generous support of Mrs. Barbara Hall Marshall and the Joseph & Sophia Abeles Foundation.

After starting in February 2020 (and having some interruption relating to COVID-requirements), Sophia Osorio’s last day as Apprentice was Sept. 11, 2021. Wish her luck in her next endeavors through the comments section below.

Bonsai is Back: Words from PBA’s President on the 2021 Fall Show

Chuck Croft hard at work.

The weekend of Oct. 8-11, the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum hosted the Potomac Bonsai Association’s 2021 Fall Show (PBA) at the U.S. National Arboretum. In anticipation for the event, the National Bonsai Foundation (NBF) spoke with Chuck Croft, President of PBA and ex-officio member of the NBF Board of Directors. He shared with us his expectations of the Fall Show and what to look forward to in future bonsai events.

PBA was founded by a group of bonsai enthusiasts in 1970. The Association has a long history of contributing Museum volunteers and has maintained a close relationship with both the National Bonsai Foundation and the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum over the years. In fact, during the Museum’s conception in 1976, volunteers from PBA helped to maintain Japan’s bicentennial gift of 53 bonsai to the U.S. National Arboretum, which constituted the Museum’s original collection.

“NBF, as I'm sure you’re aware, is the primary stakeholder for the Museum and PBA provides the vast majority of the volunteers at the Museum,” said Croft. “So we work with NBF in that respect and many of us are NBF members.” 

PBA currently oversees seven local chapters dispersed throughout Washington, D.C., Maryland and Virginia. They prioritize bonsai education and community building by connecting mentors with bonsai practitioners at all levels. 

Chuck Croft’s history with bonsai began over 30 years ago. He has been elected President of the Northern Virginia Bonsai Society twice since 1999 before eventually taking on the PBA presidency a total of four times. His long track record of leadership in bonsai is bolstered by a commitment to educating others.

“The first few years I was in bonsai I tried to learn by reading and that didn’t really help much,” Croft said. “You learn so much more and at a rapid pace as a member of a club where people can mentor you and teach, rather than trying to do it by yourself.”

Outside of his presidential duties, Croft works to mentor others through in-person study groups, some of which last years. He also teaches classes and workshops such as the ones he was invited to do at Merrifield Garden Center.

Croft is looking forward to the Fall Show as an exciting in-person opportunity to gather bonsai enthusiasts and reinvigorate local bonsai activity.

“This fall show is an effort to get things moving in the bonsai world locally again,” he said. “We are going to show trees and have people there to answer questions and teach - socially-distanced - about the trees.”

For those who couldn’t attend the event, Croft has some practical advice.

“Learn about the horticulture of your tree,” Croft said. “Different species of trees have different requirements, as in watering and sunshine and so forth. Learn the horticulture of your tree and you will increase the chances of you keeping your tree alive.” 

Croft acknowledges that perseverance and reflection, beyond community engagement, are necessary to become a better bonsai practitioner.

“If you lose a tree, know that we all have,” he said. “Don’t get discouraged. Learn from how you lost it. Everybody in bonsai has lost trees.”

Despite the losses, Croft continues to maintain the legacy of bonsai through his work at PBA and his generous commitment to hands-on teaching. 

“I enjoy it,” Croft said. “It helped me when I was in a very stressful situation. I think the trees are beautiful and I’ve always enjoyed the outdoors. It brings me back to my roots in a lot of ways.”

The Potomac Bonsai Association’s Fall Show will be held Oct. 8-11 at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum located at the U.S. National Arboretum in Washington, D.C., from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. each day. Join us this weekend to admire the work of fellow bonsai enthusiasts from the D.C. metropolitan area. 

Thank you to the PBA volunteers and Museum staff that made this event possible. Event staff estimate that over 1,000 attendees came to admire the work of fellow bonsai enthusiasts from the D.C. metropolitan area. 

Readers interested in joining a local PBA chapter can visit potomacbonsai.com to learn more.

Embrace Fall at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum

With words from Stephen Voss and Andy Bello
All photos courtesy of Stephen Voss

The crisp crunch of leaves under our feet, the chill in the air and the return of pumpkin-flavored goodies are all telltale signs of fall. But one of the most gorgeous arboreal displays of a change in seasons can be found at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum on the grounds of the U.S. National Arboretum. 

As mid-October crowns, the colors that long dominated the spring and summer in Washington, D.C. appear in flux. The striking chlorophyll that defined the color palette of nature for so many months post-winter wanes, and brilliant yellows, oranges and reds emerge. 

There is no better place to experience this exuberant burst of beauty and vibrance than among the trees at the first and finest public bonsai museum in the world. 

As fall presses on, the dedication Museum staff and volunteers gave to the national collections throughout the growing season is rewarded with cool autumn breezes and show-stopping foliage. They will continue their best efforts on these premier trees to keep them healthy throughout the fall and prepare them for frosty temperatures come winter – many steps of which are necessary for any bonsai owner to observe around this time. 

First comes the tertiary structural pruning of the Museum’s deciduous trees, like the much-beloved trident maples and other non-flowering species. This pruning process includes spotting twigs that have thickened in the outer canopy, detracting from the idyllic delicate and finely ramified structure. 

The pruners will address areas where more than two twigs are growing from one location, known as a node. By reducing these areas to two twigs, they prevent unwanted swelling and promote a smooth transition of taper from the trunk to the tip of the twig. 

Then they distinguish areas where twigs have elongated too far and prune them back to scale with the design of the tree. This work may be completed after the leaves are done changing color, through late winter. If this type of pruning is done too early, it may stimulate new tender growth that will not harden-off before winter, resulting in damage. If the pruning is done after winter dormancy, sugars from the roots are transported to the emerging spring tips and that energy is cut off and wasted.

While pines, spruces and junipers don’t lose all their foliage, the Museum’s conifers also need some attention before the onset of winter dormancy. Pines and spruces are cleaned of old needles, and their designs can be refined with wiring. Weaker foliage on junipers can be removed, and adventitious growth can be eliminated from the crotches of branches.

Cleaning out old needles and growth allows more light to enter the canopy and stimulate interior buds, helping them more strongly develop. Cleaning trees this time of year can be tedious, especially on a large collection, but this intimate operation brings us closer to the trees and gives us an even better understanding of their health and growth habits. 

This is also an important time to take advantage of the last warm months to ensure all winter preparation and some spring preparation is completed, and those techniques vary greatly. First and simplest: Museum staff and volunteers arrange the area where trees will be placed on the ground out of the cold drying winds. Raised beds are constructed to heel trees into mulch to protect the delicate root systems, and cold frames are built and prepared to provide protection from wind and frost damage.

But in between these imperative steps for arboreal care, the trees provide perfect opportunities to engage in mindfulness. Whether you have a bonsai collection of your own or can set aside time to visit the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum, it’s the perfect time to walk through nature to interpret its splendor displayed in the captivating colors of fall. 

An Experience at The National Bonsai Exhibition: NBF Board Chair-Elect Dan Angelucci

Though the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum and staff did not formally participate in this year’s National Bonsai Exhibition due to federal COVID-19 guidelines, a few National Bonsai Foundation board members attended of their own accord. Museum staff sent in an enlarged photo of a Mary Madison buttonwood in the North American collection to honor Mary’s memory at the show. Please enjoy this short recap from NBF Board Chair-Elect Dan Angelucci, who was in attendance along with NBF Secretary/Treasurer-Elect Ross Campbell. 

The National Bonsai Exhibition is held biannually in Rochester, New York.  It is organized by former NBF Board Member Bill Valavanis and his wife Diane, who are owners of The International Bonsai Arboretum. The exhibition displays more than 200 bonsai of various species and sizes along with a sales area of vendors from all over the United States.

This year’s (the 7th) exhibition was held Sept. 11 and 12. There were more than 50 volunteers from the bonsai community, primarily from the Rochester area and the Upstate New York Bonsai Society.

To display a tree in the exhibit, one had to submit photos of their tree to the committee along with information about the species, size, age and pot. Entries had to be submitted by early May, with acceptance notification coming in June. This means that if your tree was accepted, you had to maintain its health and appearance all summer until the exhibition!  

Needless to say, I was very excited to receive an acceptance for my Cotaneaster!  I’ve named him “Jack” after his original owner, my friend and teacher Jack Wikle. I had the task of keeping my tree safe, healthy and styled through the summer until September.

My wife Rose and I drove more than four hours from our home in Pittsburgh to deliver Jack to the show. To say we were awestruck when we arrived is an understatement! People were everywhere setting up displays, bringing trees in and making sure trees were being placed and displayed properly. And the trees – WOW! The quality of the trees exhibited was amazing. The artistry and talent displayed were truly exceptional.  Additionally, it was a great honor that Bill Valavanis asked me to join him for the ribbon-cutting ceremony to open the event to the public.

I met many people while manning the NBF booth along with my colleague and fellow NBF member Ross Campbell who attended the show with his wife Maureen. It was an added pleasure to see my friends from the Ann Arbor Michigan Bonsai Society: Cyril Grum, Jay Sinclair and, especially, Jack Wikle.

For more information and photos, check out Bill Valavanis’ blog. 

Arboretum Profiles: Dr. Richard Olsen, Arboretum Director

Dr. Richard Olsen

Dr. Richard Olsen didn’t always plan for a career in horticulture, but a lifetime of appreciation of the outdoors and inspiring mentors guided him to where he is today –– director of the U.S. National Arboretum.

Founded in 1927 under the U.S. Department of Agriculture, the Arboretum is located on 451 acres of land in Northeast Washington, D.C. and contains more than nine miles of roadways. The Arboretum conducts research that benefits both American growers and consumers, and its collections house specimens for scientists to conduct research in fields like botany, horticulture and medicine.

Although he didn’t intentionally set out to help lead the nation’s premier bonsai and penjing collection, Dr. Olsen recalls that his first horticulture book he ever received was about bonsai. He recently sat down with the National Bonsai Foundation to discuss his goals as the Arboretum’s Director and his vision for the future of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum. 

Olsen’s ambitious plans for the Arboretum and Museum are backed by a successful career in horticulture and education. He has three degrees in landscape design and horticultural science under his belt. After finishing his doctoral degree at North Carolina State University, Olsen came to work for the Arboretum as a geneticist. In 2010 he headed the Arboretum’s germplasm program, which strives to maximize the plant genetic resource conservation. Following his stint as acting director in 2014, he was officially appointed director of the Arboretum in 2015.

Olsen pollinating x Chitalpa as part of his NCSU doctoral studies.

“In my life, I spent many weekends outdoors growing up in North Carolina, so I pretty much always had a profound connection with nature,” he said.

Olsen has held leadership roles on the Casey Trees Science and Technology Committee, the Morton Arboretum Center for Tree Science Steering Committee and the J.C. Raulston Arboretum Board of Advisors. He also previously advised the U.S. Department of State and currently contributes to the Interagency Working Group on Scientific Collections, which helps the federal government make informed decisions on science and technology policies.

His relationship with horticulture stems from a deep respect for nature, cultivated in early years through exploring the family garden and his time as a Boy Scout. What began as an appreciation for the artistic beauty of the outdoors eventually sparked a scientific curiosity that Olsen has explored throughout his career.

“Horticulture is really part art, part science, and bonsai is the epitome of that,” he said.

Left: Olsen with high school soccer coach Chuck Hess at 1992 Eagle Scout Ceremony
Right: Olsen at his 1997 summer internship at the renowned Heronswood Nursery

Olsen said the influence of positive mentors in his early careers from horticultural icons – like Dan Hinkley, who sponsored Olsen’s internship at Heronswood Garden in Washington State, and the late J.C. Raulston, his former academic advisor – evoked the importance of intergenerational knowledge and nurturing.

“Raulston taught me about the value of connecting people with what you do, and the generosity of giving and acknowledging the greatness of others,” Olsen said.

Olsen has championed sustainability throughout his career, from researching trees that are resistant to climate change and disease to reimagining the future of the Arboretum. Just in the 2017-18 fiscal year, the Arboretum’s budget increased by 17 percent. 

As part of the National Bonsai Foundation’s partnership with the Arboretum, Olsen works with NBF staff to outline goals and initiatives that can support the Museum. 

“If it wasn't for NBF, we wouldn't have the Museum as we know it today,” he said. “But now we have to look to the future.” 

That future includes exclusive program funding from the U.S. Department of Agriculture on part with its other programs, Olsen said, resulting in more permanent recognition at the federal level for the Museum. 

“It’s baffling that the Museum does not have specific funding to operate,” he said. “If there's one thing that's worthy of its own funding line at the Arboretum, you would expect it's the Museum. So that's where we need partners, like NBF and bonsai lovers from around the world.”

Olsen and Hayato Shimizu, Mayor of Saitama City, at the ceremony confirming the Sister Museum partnership between the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum and the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum 

Olsen added that he believes in the power of bonsai to connect the public to the importance of plant life.

“I call bonsai the charismatic micro flora,” he said. “They're sort of this introduction to the world of nature, the importance of plants in our lives, they're front and center. Plant blindness is not a problem when one is contemplating a bonsai specimen in the Museum.” 

Olsen speculated on opportunities to use the Museum to get visitors to connect and engage with wider elements of the Arboretum. In fact, many of the specimens featured at the Museum have full grown counterparts on Arboretum grounds. He strives to properly represent the Museum as worthy of its status as a national collection through having national impact.

 “The Museum provides an opportunity to connect with folks and remind them that plants are important, not only important in our lives, for the economy and agricultural wellbeing, but actually as objects of art,” Olsen said. “They feed the soul.” 

The Bonsai Board: Mark Fields

Mark Fields working on one of his bonsai

The National Bonsai Foundation (NBF) is lucky to work in tandem with many other organizations dedicated to promoting the art of bonsai. In fact, each year the presidents of the American Bonsai Society (ABS) and Potomac Bonsai Society (PBS) are recognized as ex-officio members of the NBF Board of Directors. We are excited to introduce you to current ABS President Mark Fields!

ABS was founded in 1967 to be a North American source of information, advice, supplies and material about the horticultural form and hobby of bonsai. The organization presents a merit award to an American species at the regional shows they attend. 

Fields has been studying bonsai since he was 9 years old, learning from more than 60 bonsai artists around the world. He first learned through books and experimenting with discarded shrubs from his father’s landscaping business, but Fields soon discovered Mendel Gardens, a nearby bonsai nursery.

His first bonsai teacher was the owner, Max Mendel, who critiqued his trees, gave him growing and training advice and introduced him to the Indianapolis Bonsai Club. Fields eventually served as the Indianapolis Bonsai Club president for two terms.

He later looked for bonsai education abroad – Fields spent three separate years dedicating himself to the horticultural side of bonsai in Laarne, Belgium under the tutelage of Danny Use at Ginkgo Bonsai Nursery.

At the suggestion of bonsai professional Bjorn Bjorholm, Fields’ self-proclaimed “sensei,” he visited multiple nurseries in Japan, including in Omiya Village, the site of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum’s Sister Museum: Omiya Bonsai Art Museum. Fields soon returned for a five-week program at Kouka-en, where Bjorn had apprenticed and was the resident artist. 

Fields owns a nursery in Indiana called Bonsai by Fields, LLC, where he annually hosts professionals like Bjorholm for bonsai workshops. You may have seen Fields at the yearly Brussel’s Bonsai Rendezvous, an event he seldom misses. He also teaches, sells and judges bonsai around the Midwestern United States and built a new bonsai studio in 2018 after retiring as a landscape contractor. 

Fields first visited the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum in the early 1990s and has since returned several times. He has assisted in multiple fundraising appeals to support the Museum. He said he is looking forward to driving donations for the Museum’s upcoming renovations. 

Fields’ visit to the Museum with his son. Pictured, left to right: Dr. Richard Olsen, Lincoln Fields, Mark Fields, Robert Hoffman, Scott Aker, Michael James and Jim Hughes

Fields recently traveled to the Museum again for a tour with multiple Foundation and Arboretum staff members. He brought with him his 12-year-old son, Lincoln, who has been a budding bonsai artist since he was 4 years old. 

Before becoming president, Fields had previously served on the ABS Board of Directors. His years of involvement in the bonsai community positioned him perfectly to take on the leading role. First elected to the presidency in 2019 for a two-year term, he has been shaking up the ABS routine to make the organization the best it can be.

“It’s not something I ever thought I could do or be,” Fields said. 

The goal of ABS is to share the breadth of bonsai best practices and information held by their members and board throughout the bonsai community, especially in North America, he said. One method of communication is their quarterly publication, BONSAI: The Journal of the American Bonsai Society.

“I’m trying to get our base of board members and talent to write articles and share their immense knowledge,” Fields said. “I’ve written a few and have been getting a lot of positive feedback, so I will continue to do that.” 

He often pulls content from his bonsai textbook, which he wrote for the school he ran for three years, teaching students everything from beginner bonsai tips and basic botany to more advanced techniques like grafting, propagation, fertilizing and dealing with diseases.

Fields is looking to incorporate more photos of members’ trees in a gallery-type layout in the ABS Journal to share the beautiful bonsai they produce and entice readers to become members. Fields said he would also like to increase circulation about events happening at the Museum as well as about news and the history of the Museum and its trees. 

“Everyone is amazed at the national collection,” he said. “ABS should be bringing those trees and the Museum to the attention of the public. We really like the partnership we have with NBF, and I’m proud to be part of it.” 

While the ABS annual convention was canceled in 2020 and 2021, next year’s event will be held in conjunction with Brussel’s Bonsai over Memorial Day weekend in Mississippi. Keep an eye on their events calendar for more information!

Photographing Bonsai with Stephen Voss: The Pace of Light

On a warm summer’s day at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum at the U.S. National Arboretum time meanders. The daylight hours are long and no one’s in any rush. Hard light overhead casts sharp shadows that move imperceptibly over the off-white walls. A cloud or two occasionally gives respite, flattening out the light before the bright glare of the sun returns.

When the summer storms come in the afternoon, they arrive in force. The horizon darkens and a swirling mass of clouds announces the urgency of the moment. The rain arrives like a bucket of water being tipped over. Pale gray stone turns the color of volcanic sand and the trees vibrate with luminous greens and sodden browns, water dripping from their small canopies.

The storms rarely linger. Their last drops catch the reemerging sun, glimmering as they fall. Puddles absorb into the ground. Everything drips in a slowing rhythm. The brief respite of cool temperatures gives way to humid, subtropical air. Shadows pick up not far from where they left off. The trees cast their form on the walls which glisten and steam as they dry.

These time lapses are an attempt to record time passing in still imagery. Each consists of dozens and sometimes hundreds of images, taken at ten second intervals. Compressing time allows us to view these scenes in motion, to reveal what even careful observation may not pick up. The quickened moments reveal a place that is in flux, with light that is always moving.

I’m left with an even greater appreciation of the longevity of these bonsai. Each tree has seen hundreds of these moments, thousands of summer days, sudden thunderstorms, and all the hidden cycles of time that mark the passage of each day.

Vote for the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum in Washington City Paper’s Best of D.C.

You got us on the ballot – now help us secure the titles!

The Washington City Paper’s annual Best of D.C. contest recognizes the best local icons, groups and locations in the D.C. area. The National Bonsai & Penjing Museum has earned the Best Place to Take an Out-of-Towner title in this competition the last three years, as well as the runner-up spot for Best Place to Meditate in 2020! 

This year, we had to secure nominations to even get on the ballot. But you all showed so much support for bonsai – the Museum and National Bonsai Foundation garnered nominations in multiple sections!!

Now we need your help to secure the titles. All you have to do is push the green VOTE button next to the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum or National Bonsai Foundation. 

Will you take a moment to vote for us in the THREE following categories?

• PEOPLE & PLACES – Best Place to Take an Out-of-Towner: please choose the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum

• PEOPLE & PLACES – Best Place to Meditate: please choose the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum 

• ARTS & ENTERTAINMENT – Best Arts & Culture Nonprofit: please choose the National Bonsai Foundation

Please share this information with your friends and family! NBF strives each day to uphold and promote the beauty of the Museum’s trees and historic objects – so more people can experience the resilience and tranquility the bonsai and penjing produce.

VOTING CLOSES SEPTEMBER 19 at 11:59pm! Thank you for taking the time to honor and spread the word about the Museum, an ever-evolving emblem of intercultural understanding and friendship. 

P.S. The Museum and NBF are up for a combined (heartwarming) nine categories! That’s all thanks to YOU for helping us get nominated. We are simply aiming to keep the Museum’s status as Best Place to Take an Out-of-Towner and move up in the Best Place to Meditate ranks, plus grab some acclaim for NBF as the Best Arts & Culture Nonprofit. Any moments you have to vote for us in those three categories and spread the word with your loved ones is very much appreciated!