Post 191 Pacific Bonsai Collection

The Weyerhaeuser Comapny set up the Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection (now Rim-less) collection in 1989 on their extensive and beautiful company 'campus' just south of Seattle. I raced up from Portland on a recent trip to take a look before the forecast 2 to 4 inches of rain started.

This is the main entrance, very nicely done. Just inside the front gate you come to the hothouse where a number of tropical species are housed.

It was pretty cool outside so there was a good layer of condensation on the glass, steamy inside. If you wear glasses as I do, they also fog up instantly as you walk in and it takes a while for them to warm up, by which time I felt like I was back home again.
It was great to see some of these trees live after having seen many in photos on the net for years.

 Pyracantha ca1955

 Hinoki cypress ca1975

 This shows the general arrangement around the garden; big block walls and plinths. The trees are enclosed in plastic boxes, presumably just for the winter for a little extra protection. There are sheets to put on the front too, I guess for extremes in weather.

 Trident maple ca 1945   Beautiful flowing root over rock

 Japanese white pine

 Celtis sinensis ca 1950  This shows the versatility of this species - growing outdoors here in the US NW as well as subtropical Brisbane. This tree is a model I'm using in the development of my yamadori Celtis  stumps.

 Western Hemlock ca 1930. Great tree and really good to see a local native species as bonsai.

 Beautiful Chinese elm Penjing and the oldest tree is only ca 1980.

 An American (Eastern) Larch ca 1880

 European olive also ca 1880. This one hasn't had the trunk chop transition managed well but still a great tree and so old.

 This one I've been seeing in pictures it seems forever. The rootstock is Sierra juniper but because the SJ has pretty scatty foliage it has been over grafted with Chinese Juniper. The trunk goes back to the year 990 and the foliage 1970. You won't see many older than this one. I've just been trimming the foliage on my small sergents careful not to shear but cut into the stems under the surface layer. The 'bubble' foliage styling on this SJ/CJ is a beautiful natural style compared to the often seen flattened pads, and must take about a week full time each time it needs attention.

 Another Chinese elm with amazing ramification and only ca 1970.

 Blue atlas cedar ca 1945

 Catlin elm ca 1970

 Coast redwood ca 1957. Very pleased to see this one as I have just recently started to grow a few. Here it is in classic natural upright style.

 Another Eastern larch ca 1830.

 Korean yew  ca 1500

 Bougainvillea ca 1950, from the hot house.