The N.C. Arboretum to Celebrate Fifth Annual World Bonsai Day on May 9
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE CONTACT: Whitney Rigsbee, Marketing & PR Manager [email protected] (828) 665-2492 x204 The N.C. Arboretum to Celebrate Fifth Annual World Bonsai Day on May 9 ASHEVILLE, N.C. (May 7, 2015) – The fifth annual World Bonsai Day is an internationally celebrated event dedicated to furthering bonsai awareness and appreciation world-wide. Initiated by the World Bonsai Friendship Federation (WBFF) in honor of Mr. Saburo Kato, the world bonsai patron and founder of WBFF, World Bonsai Day is recognized annually on the second Saturday of May. This Saturday, May 9, The North Carolina Arboretum, a 434-acre public garden located within the Bent Creek Watershed of the Pisgah National Forest, will celebrate World Bonsai Day by fully displaying its bonsai exhibit to the public for the first time in the 2015 calendar year. Established in October 2005, The North Carolina Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden is a world- renowned garden that hosts up to 50 bonsai specimen at a time. The garden draws inspiration from the traditional roots of Japanese gardens, but takes the form of a contemporary, Southern Appalachian influenced American garden. The Arboretum’s bonsai collection is uniquely diverse. Represented are traditional Asian bonsai subjects such as Japanese maple and Chinese elm, tropical plants such as willow-leaf fig and powderpuff, and American species such as bald cypress and limber pine. Of particular importance are the plants native to the Blue Ridge region, such as American hornbeam and eastern white pine, which enable the Arboretum to bring the thousand-year tradition of bonsai home to the mountains of Western North Carolina. “Because plants in containers, including bonsai, are more vulnerable to freeze damage, the Arboretum’s bonsai are removed from display in the garden through the winter months and stored in an unheated shelter,” explained Arthur Joura, bonsai curator at The North Carolina Arboretum. “World Bonsai Day is a fitting time for celebrating the return of the full bonsai display to the garden, and we are glad to once again be sharing these miniature marvels with our visitors.” In addition to World Bonsai Day, The North Carolina Arboretum also hosts its annual Carolina Bonsai Expo the second Saturday of October. Scheduled for October 10 – 11, 2015, the 20th annual Carolina Bonsai Expo features work from bonsai enthusiasts belonging to clubs hailing from a six-state region of the United States. Every year, the Expo offers free educational programming, workshops, a bonsai marketplace, ikebana displays and a live auction of bonsai and bonsai-related items. “Our Bonsai Exhibition Garden is an extension of the Arboretum’s overall founding mission to connect people with plants,” continued Joura. “All winter, our visitors miss being able to see our bonsai collection, so we look forward to Saturday being a beautiful spring day in a garden filled with little trees and happy people.” The North Carolina Arboretum’s Bonsai Exhibition Garden is open Monday through Sunday, 9:00 a.m. – 5:00 p.m. For more information about the Arboretum’s hours and exhibits, please visit www.ncarboretum.org. About The North Carolina Arboretum Each year more than 500,000 visitors experience the Arboretum’s gardens, trails, exhibits, shows and expos, educational programs, demonstrations and lectures. The Arboretum’s ability to meet its mission and enrich the visitor experience is made possible by a community of supporters—from members, volunteers and staff to state and local funds, tribute gifts, grants, and community partners. (more) Shows and events are free for Arboretum Society members or with the standard parking fee ($12 per personal motor vehicle). For more information, please call (828) 665-2492 or visit www.ncarboretum.org. The central mission of The North Carolina Arboretum, an affiliate institution of the 17-campus University of North Carolina system, is to cultivate connections between people and plants. ### The NC Arboretum is located next to the Blue Ridge Parkway entrance at Milepost 393. From I-26, take Exit 33 and follow Blue Ridge Parkway signs for two miles to the entrance ramp. Visit www.ncarboretum.org/plan-a-visit for parking fees, property hours and building hours. For general information call (828) 665-2492 or visit www.ncarboretum.org. .