Readers like you make quality local journalism possible. We hope you’ll subscribe to help us continue that commitment.

Pacific Bonsai Museum: Training, shaping, pruning on a miniature scale

Originally published October 21, 2015 at 10:16 pm Updated October 22, 2015 at 9:00 am

Pacific Bonsai Museum curator Aarin Packard prunes a grove of 25 trident maples that have grown together to suggest a natural forest with trees of varying ages. Packard says he is “the plant’s personal trainer” in “this open-air museum.” This weekend (Oct. 24) features a book signing of “Basic Bonsai Design” by former curator Dave De Groot and bonsai demonstrations by Packard. (Alan Berner/The Seattle Times)

It’s curator Aarin Packard’s job to maintain the living sculptures that bonsai plants become. The museum was formerly known as the Weyerhaeuser Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection. More information on Federal Way’s Pacific Bonsai Museum is at (Alan Berner/The Seattle Times)

This staghorn sumac has a spare beauty and references Zen philosophy. It’s unlike most bonsai plants at the Pacific Bonsai Museum in Federal Way. (Alan Berner/The Seattle Times)

This bald cypress, so named because it loses its leaves in winter, is a close relative of the redwood. (Alan Berner/The Seattle Times)

Trees can be trained with wires, weights and pruning at the Pacific Bonsai Museum in Federal Way. (Alan Berner/The Seattle Times)

Japanese maple leaves pruned by the museum’s curator Aarin Packard, before being cleaned up at the Pacific Bonsai Museum in Federal Way. (Alan Berner/The Seattle Times)

The base of this Eastern white cedar becomes its own sculpture the way it’s been shaped and trained. (Alan Berner/The Seattle Times)

Volunteer Victrinia Ridgeway leads a tour at the Pacific Bonsai Museum in Federal Way. Admission to the muscum is free. (Alan Berner/The Seattle Times)

Trees can be trained with wires, weights and pruning at the Pacific Bonsai Museum in Federal Way. An ornamental tree or shrub grown in a pot is prevented from reaching its normal size. (Alan Berner/The Seattle Times)

Surrounded by trees, the Pacific Bonsai Museum in Federal Way exhibits living sculptures. “It’s nature on a pedestal,” says curator Aarin Packard. (Alan Berner/The Seattle Times)

Berries on a firethorn bonsai plant contrast with the leaves at the Pacific Bonsai Museum in Federal Way. (Alan Berner/The Seattle Times)

Japanese maples turn various hues of red in the fall. (Alan Berner/The Seattle Times)

This American larch turns golden in the fall at the Pacific Bonsai Museum in Federal Way. (Alan Berner/The Seattle Times)

The Pacific Bonsai Museum is a place for photos of miniature tree sculptures, living sculptures. (Alan Berner/The Seattle Times)

These Catlin elms form their own miniature forest at the Pacific Bonsai Museum in Federal Way. (Alan Berner/The Seattle Times)

The Pacific Bonsai Museum is an outdoor museum where people can come and contemplate the plants and surround trees. The wall is made of English ivy. (Alan Berner/The Seattle Times)

It’s a forest in miniature, composed of 25 trident maples plants at the Pacific Bonsai Museum in Federal Way, (Alan Berner/The Seattle Times)

Back to story Restart gallery

The Pacific Bonsai Museum features various ornamental, artificially dwarfed trees.

By

Alan Berner

Seattle Times staff photographer

Alan Berner

No personal attacks or insults, no hate speech, no profanity. Please keep the conversation civil and help us moderate this thread by reporting any abuse. See our Commenting FAQ.

Powered by Livefyre

The opinions expressed in reader comments are those of the author only, and do not reflect the opinions of The Seattle Times.