by George Buehler

This article first appeared in our newsletter in 2000. Since we are having a ‘Winterizing Your Bonsai' meeting on Nov 22, I thought this would be a good time to dust it off and run it again to refresh everyones thinking on putting your bonsai to sleep for the winter - ED.

When I visited the North Carolina Arboretum in July, I was disappointed that the bonsai exhibit scheduled to be open early in 2005 was still under construction. Lee Hatcher sent me an email saying to check it out now. The exhibit officially opened on October 8. The arboretum is located in scenic Ashville and is about a six hour drive from Louisville. Visiting the arboretum next spring should be on your list of weekend trips. The Bonsai Exhibition Garden, located adjacent to the Entrance Plaza of the Arboretum's Visitor Education Center, will provide a permanent display area for the Arboretum's bonsai collection. The collection has been housed in temporary quarters since the first trees were donated to the Arboretum in 1992, by the George Staples family of Butner, NC. The Bonsai Exhibition Garden will be open Monday through Saturday, 9:00 a.m. to 5:00 p.m., and noon to 5:00 p.m. on Sunday.

The Bonsai Exhibition Garden includes the following features:

• An upper courtyard with decorative wrought iron gates, stonework, plantings, and a water feature. The entrance and lower courtyard provide an area for gathering, seating and instruction.
• An open-air pavilion, constructed of Douglas fir timbers native to the American Pacific Northwest. The pavilion will be used for demonstrations, classes, and interpretive exhibits and includes restrooms.
• Display areas that showcase a variety of bonsai pieces throughout the year, except during times of extreme cold.
• An expansive deck made of Ipe, a tropical hardwood grown on plantations in South America.
• A lighted, fully accessible boardwalk path and handcrafted benches.
• A "dry stream" comprised of 100 tons of native stone that adds interest in all seasons.
• Interpretive signs that inform visitors about the art and process of bonsai.

The Arboretum's Visitor Education Center has a large selection of bonsai books as well as some tools, pots and general plant books.

The Arboretum's bonsai collection is well known for its diverse plant species, use of native plants, and interpretations of familiar Southern Appalachian landscapes.

The North Carolina Arboretum is located next to the Blue Ridge Parkway entrance ramp at Milepost 393. From I-26, take Exit 33 (previously Exit 2) and follow Blue Ridge Parkway signs for two miles to the entrance ramp. Arboretum grounds are open 7 days a week. Property hours are 8 a.m. to 9 p.m., April-October and 8 a.m. to 7 p.m., November-March. The Visitor Education Center and bonsai exhibit are open Monday through Saturday from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m., and on Sundays from Noon to 5 p.m. Parking Fees: $6 per personal motor vehicle. No parking fee applies for NC Arboretum Society members. All day Tuesday, parking is free for all visitors. There is no additional charge to visit the bonsai exhibit.