Nourishing nature and Bonsai at the National Arboretum
By: Cris McCullough On a recent trip to our nation’s capital, I discovered a hidden gem among the many museums and attractions of Washington, D.C. The National Bonsai and Penjing Museum at The National Arboretum contains miniature masterpieces of this extraordinary horticultural art. The Chinese art of penjing and the Japanese art of bonsai use woody plants in shallow containers as a medium to portray the natural growth habit of ancient trees in the landscape. These are living sculptures which require continual care, nourishment, and training to maintain their artistic design, and it’s also an example of bonsai meditative art, which can be used for nourishing ourselves. The museum’s collection began in 1976 with a gift of 53 bonsai trees from Japan to commemorate the United States...
