Bonsai, a Happy Accident

On my way to Mt. Rainier last week I happened upon a sign for a bonsai garden. The Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection is a meticulously curated compendium of bonsai trees from six Asian nations that catalogs different styles and species of bonsai. Trees are cultivated carefully, trimmed and shaped into forms that evoke the idealized vision of the artist. Prior to my detour into the garden, I had only ever seen “stereotypical” bonsai of Chinese boxwood trees, most often in an informal upright or semi-cascade shape, but I was surprised to see bonsai in different configurations and from a large variety of species in the collection. I did not record which bonsai were of what type but some of the most interesting are below. If you ever find yourself in the Tacoma, WA area, I’d highly recommend stopping by – it’s free!