One overarching job in winter is giving each of our many bonsai specimens a thorough pruning. This is done in order to set up the plants for the new growth that will occur with the advent of a new growing season. With deciduous species the absence of leaves during dormancy allows for seeing into the twiggy structure of the canopy, making it possible to prune in detail. With evergreens it's sometimes necessary to dig past the foliage to see structure, but it's still desirable to do a thorough pruning on these species before they pile on new growth in the spring. This is the type of pruning I think of as high-value and creative. It goes on at a steady albeit unrushed pace through the first three months or more each year. At some point in April the approaching World Bonsai Day weekend starts exerting influence on the pace of activity. That weekend is our official start of the bonsai viewing season at the Arboretum, and all the little trees need to be ready.

The time leading up to the big weekend is a strange mix. There's stress because there's demand and a deadline, and the closer the deadline gets the more stress there is. The deadline is a worry, but that which must be done by the deadline is very enjoyable and really shouldn't be rushed, and therein lies the problem. All the high-value, creative pruning work an avid pruner could wish for comes due all at once, with a deadline.

There are various kinds of pruning and I enjoy them all. When I say creative pruning I mean the kind that fundamentally drives the shaping of the tree. The kind of pruning that allows for intention and artistry to come into play while determining the form — the identity, the personality, the character — of the bonsai. I've always believed that creative pruning should ideally be done in a composed state of mind, unhurried, taking whatever time necessary to ponder the multitude of possible design effects. I've done it like that a few times and it's nice. At this time of year, however, leading up to the big weekend, the creative pruning comes in at too great volume to be handled so serenely.

The reason for the crush in the last few weeks before the big weekend is the need to prune more than a score of some of our largest and most detailed specimens, still completely dormant and stored in the walk-in refrigerator in the pavilion basement. These bonsai are essentially in the same condition as they were when they went into storage five months ago. Every year I tell myself I should get to work on these trees earlier in the off-season. There are reasons why that doesn't happen and the reasons are legitimate enough, although I don't choose to dwell on them here. The point is, all these valuable bonsai needing detailed attention finally get their due in the couple or three weeks leading up to World Bonsai Day weekend. I pull one of them out of the cooler at the start of the work day and sit down with it, then that tree or landscape gets thoroughly and creatively pruned. Then another gets taken out of the cold and has its turn, and another follows that, until all the time in that particular day has been spent. The next day it's the same routine, and the next, and the next. It's a grind to do all this pruning — a truly meditative, spontaneously creative and thoroughly satisfying grind.

It takes a determined and sustained effort to get the bonsai back out on display in the garden for the second weekend of May and creative pruning is just one aspect of the process. Let me assure you, I don't do all the work myself. Much is done by a great group of volunteers — Rebecca, Robin, Sara and Chris — who between them contribute about twenty-eight hours of talented labor every week, and more than that in the runup to the big weekend. The work consists of certain specific tasks as the trees come out of dormancy. Repotting is a big part of the assignment, as is a general cleanup of all elements on every specimen and fussing with the myriad details that make a bonsai shine when it's on display. Additionally, as soon as the little trees come out of dormancy, receive their spring cleaning and commence to grow, pruning needs instantly come into play. The volunteers shoulder a great deal of this responsibility, as well. The kind of pruning required at this juncture is all about regulating growth, keeping the seasonal surge under control and basically maintaining the desired appearance of the tree. Maintenance pruning does not involve so much creativity, it's true, but it does call for close observation and a steady hand, not to mention dedication, patience and persistence. The creative stuff is quickly undone without conscientious follow-up maintenance.

While all this hustle and bustle goes on about the bonsai, getting them ready to be seen again, the Bonsai Exhibition Garden has its own lengthy list of work that needs doing. The garden takes year-round care, but as spring unfolds and the big weekend draws near demand increases exponentially. The garden has to look its best on World Bonsai Day weekend, resuming its role as the enchanted scene in which people encounter the world of miniature trees and landscapes. Emily, the Bonsai Assistant, is the person primarily responsible for making the bonsai garden as close to perfect as she can manage. Evidence of her excellent work is plainly in sight, even as she herself prefers to keep a low profile.

Here are some scenes from World Bonsai Day weekend 2024:

A sample of sights to be seen in the bonsai garden this spring:

I take the liberty of calling your attention now to a particular page accessible elsewhere on the Curator's Journal website. On that page are two links that lead to plant lists. One list shows all the bonsai currently on display at the Arboretum. The information is updated any time changes are made to the exhibit, so if you are planning to visit and want to know what will be viewable, you can do that. Or, if you're following what goes on from another state — or even another country — you still can get a sense of what we’re showing. The other list contains the names of every species and cultivar planted in the bonsai garden landscape. Not only that, but every plant on that list links to a web page giving botanical information about that particular plant. The number and diversity of taxa in the garden is impressive and worth a look. The additional horticultural information provided through the curated links makes this list a valuable resource.

Check it out! Here's a link to take you there: About The Bonsai Exhibition Garden.

The Big Weekend