Old News on the Pacific Rim

This stately Hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa) is from Weyerhaeuser’s Pacific Rim Bonsai collection. The photo is from a gallery of Pacific Rim bonsai from Kahlua Bonsai on facebook. I was going to use this photo to start a post on Formal upright bonsai when, in the course of a little research, I stumbled upon an important piece of old news about the Pacific Rim Collection. Better late…. Way back in April 2009 we featured a post titled Pacific Rim; a Glimpse of What You Can’t See. The Pacific Rim refers to Weyerhaeuser’s rather famous bonsai collection in Washington (near … Continue reading Old News on the Pacific Rim

What About Refining Bonsai?

One page of a sixteen page article on refining branches, from Bonsai Today issue 13 (long out of print, but we’ve bought back a few old issues and are offering them at antique prices at Stone Lantern). Do you really care about refining bonsai? Years ago I heard an old Japanese master say that the primary difference between Japanese and Western bonsai is refinement. I concur; at the time, most Westerners we not taking the time and trouble to develop fine branching (and other things) to the extent that the Japanese were. Now, though much has changed and Western bonsai … Continue reading What About Refining Bonsai?

David De Groot: Bonsai Artist, Author & Teacher

This shot presents a glimpse of a small piece of the Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection. David De Groot is the resident bonsai artist (curator) of this impressive collection. A while back I put up a couple posts (here and here) on the Weyerhaeser Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection. At the time I spoke with David De Groot, the collection’s curator. David told me that the bright spot to the (temporary) closing of the collection, is that he will have more uninterrupted time working on the trees. This has got to be good for the collection as David is an accomplished bonsai … Continue reading David De Groot: Bonsai Artist, Author & Teacher

Pacific Rim

The two bonsai in this post, including this remarkable Korean Yew (Taxus cuspidata), are from Weyerhaeuser’s Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection. The photos were sent to us by David De Groot, the collection’s curator. This famous Chinese elm (Ulmus parivflora) planting is by Qingquan Zhao, reknowned penjing artist, teacher and author of Penjing: Worlds of Wonderment.

Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection Now Open to the Public

Note: much has changed since we originally posted this. The Pacific Rim Collection is now open the the public and has been for a long time (posted 12/10/2012). The following bit of sobering hard times news is from Weyerhaeuser’s Website. Weyerhaeuser Announces Closure of Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection Federal Way, Wash. (March 4, 2009) — Weyerhaeuser Company announced today that it will indefinitely close to the public the Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection, located at its corporate headquarters in Federal Way, Washington, effective April 2.