St. Louis Japanese Festival--Bonsai Display

Labor Day weekend is the traditional time for one of the oldest and largest Japanese cultural festivals in the United States, in St. Louis, MO. It is held on the grounds of the Missouri Botanical Garden, home to Seiwa-en, the largest Japanese strolling garden in the Western hemisphere. The Bonsai Society of Greater St. Louis shares a space with an ikebana display. This is the tree that greeted visitors at the entrance:

Japanese white pine

The grounds of the entire botanical garden were thronged with people enjoying the food, drink, vendors, and gardens, and a great many visitors viewed the bonsai exhibit.


A couple more examples of displays at the show:

Collected Korean hornbeam

This is a very nice example of a multi-trunk collected tree. Here it is seen in full leaf.

Shimpaku juniper clump style (netsuranare-root-linked)

I got a close look at the base of this tree and really appreciated its natural appearance. If this wasn't originally all one tree, it's a great job.

Japanese black pine

I really like the potential in this tree. It is obviously in excellent health, and well cared for.

Japanese white pine formal display

I must say I like this tree, too. While it needs some thinning and adjustment, it's a great specimen.

There was a wide range of trees shown, both in variety and quality. Some of the trees would probably never be show trees, and others are beautiful specimens. But the folks are friendly and helpful and I enjoyed meeting some and getting reacquainted with others.