Ornamental Trees and Plantings
Bonsai is the art of growing trees and plants on a scale that makes the plants far smaller than they would be if they were left in the wild. Bonsai plants are not special varieties, but rather specially pruned and kept in small containers to limit their growth. They will live and be healthy just as long as if they were full-sized plants.
First developed in ancient China, bonsai achieved remarkable sophistication once imported to Japan. Bonsai are classified by the general shape of their trunks (formal upright, slanting, and cascading), as well as by size. Some are so large they require two to three people to move them, and others are so tiny they can be balanced, pot and all, on a fingertip.
This year’s featured expert is Roy Nagatoshi, President of the California Bonsai Society. Roy’s first encounter with bonsai was in 1959, working side-by-side with his father, Shigeru, learning the techniques of making bonsai. Roy continues to work alongside his father as co-owner of Fuji Bonsai Nursery in Sylmar, California.
Everyday, 10 a.m.
Orthwein Floral Display Hall