News for friends, contributors NBF and members of The National BULLETIN Foundation Winter 2006 Volume XVII, Number 3 New Website Is Launched

The National Bonsai Foundation’s re- designed website (www.bonsai-nbf.org) was posted on the internet on December 1, 2006. The site was designed by James H. Dawson III, of Jamie Dawson, Inc. in Wilmington, Delaware. He was assisted by Donna Ellis of Ellis Design, who has worked on several design projects for NBF and the World Bonsai Convention. The majority of the photographs on the site were taken by Joseph Mullan who did the photography for the NBF publi- cation: Awakening the Soul: The National Viewing Stone Collection. Funding for the website design came from the Yuji Yoshimura Education Fund. The prototype for the new web page was presented by Mr. Dawson to the NBF Board during the May meeting this year and the board approved the imple- mentation of the design. The actual con- struction of the site began in June. The home page of the newly redesigned NBF website. The previous website was the idea and creation of NBF Board member, basis to reflect the lively nature of the appeared originally in the NBF vol- Christopher Cochrane, who worked Museum. In particular, the pages “What’s ume: Proceedings of the International with Craig Hunt of Vancouver, British New” and “Collection Exhibits” will be Scholarly Symposium on Bonsai and Columbia, Canada in the development updated on a regular basis as events Viewing Stones. Plans are underway to of the site beginning in 1999. Mr. Hunt occur. Also more photos of the trees and have this page be the platform for bon- has been the Webmaster since that stones will be added soon to the collec- sai professionals to address issues of time and he will also hold this position tion pages until all collection holdings philosophical interest and answer with the new site. The vast amount of are available for viewing. questions of practical concern. material, compiled by Mr. Cochrane Every effort was made to place The website should be easy to nav- and written by NBF Board members, the visitor within the Museum context igate as users will be able to go from which was a hallmark of the original through the use of many color pho- one page on the site to any other of the site, will be archived on the present tographs, as well as maps, and a link to many pages available. There are no site. And the link pages that were an the U. S. National Arboretum site with restricted pages and the only area not important part of the first site have the “Virtual Tour”of the Museum. available to nonmembers of NBF will be been retained and updated. In addition, the page “Information the current year’s NBF Bulletin. Also, for The toolbar on the home page is of Interest” will change periodically. the first time, the website will offer visi- divided into two sections. Information The current entry features an essay tors the ease of using a credit card to buy about NBF is on the left hand side of “History of the Introduction and publications and to join NBF or renew the bar and the right side highlights the Establishment of Bonsai in the their membership. Museum and the collections. The Western World” by Arboretum We hope that you will visit the NBF Museum pages will change on a regular Director, Thomas S. Elias. This article website soon, and please return often. 2

President’s Letter broad experience in the field of Asian art as the Assistant Curator for Artifact Collections, and Aarin BOARD OF DIRECTORS Packard, a young bonsai master of HONORARY MEMBERS the future as Assistant Curator for H. Marc Cathey Plant Collections. At the same time, John L. Creech Harry Hirao we are grateful for the continuing Daizo Iwasaki () hard work of Christy Hilberg, the Saburo Kato (Japan) Museum Gardener, who does such Barbara Hall Marshall Hiroshi Takeyama (Japan) an excellent job maintaining the Yun-hua Hu () gardens and outdoor spaces of the EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR Museum complex. Johann F. Klodzen As for NBF, we have been busy OFFICERS working on improving communica- Felix B. Laughlin, DC As 2006—the National Bonsai & tions with our membership and the President Marybel Balendonck, CA Penjing Museum’s 30th Anniversary— larger bonsai and penjing community. Vice President comes to a close, the dedicated com- As you can see elsewhere in this Christopher M. Cochrane, VA munity supporting the Museum can Secretary Bulletin, we have spent many months César Portocarrero, MD take great pride in the solid strides we preparing the redesign of the website Treasurer have made this year in our quest to to better inform you and the general MEMBERS maintain this treasure as the best public about the Museum and its col- Julian Adams, VA Museum of its kind in the world. Karin Albert, GA lections. We also have expanded the Vaughn L. Banting, LA A year ago at this time, Jim Hughes number of issues of the Bulletin and Mary Bloomer, AZ was the brand-new Curator of the have moved to a color format. David Bogan, IN Museum and both Assistant Curator James Brant, PA Of course, none of the Museum’s Roger S. Case, Jr., NM positions were vacant. Now, with a accomplishments during 2006 would Dennis S. Donald, PA full year under his belt as the fourth Robert Drechsler, MD have been possible without your con- C. F. Kwok, VA Museum Curator, Jim has more than tinuing support. So, on behalf of Janet E. Lanman, MD met the intricate challenges of man- NBF, I would like to express our most Ron Lang, PA aging this historic institution and its Cheryl Manning, CA sincere appreciation to you for your Brussel Martin, MS wonderful collections. Now too, support this past year, and send you Carl Morimoto, CA both of the Assistant Curator posi- our very best wishes for the new year. Mary Ann E. Orlando, DC Larry Ragle, CA tions are filled with outstanding per- Glenn Reusch, VA sonnel: Kathleen Emerson-Dell, a F. Chase Rosade, PA skilled museum professional with Deborah Rose, MD Wayne Schoech, VT Thomas Scott, TN Sean Smith, PA Jerald P. Stowell, NJ NBF has published a Jack Sustic, MI New NBF Desk Calendar Edward Trout, FL small Museum desk calen- Ted T.Tsukiyama, HI dar for 2007. Since this is William N. Valavanis, NY Jack W. Wells, DC our first effort to do our Chris J.Yeapanis, VA own calendar, we have EX-OFFICIO MEMBERS printed only a limited num- President ber. If these sell well this American Bonsai Society President year we will print more Bonsai Clubs International copies in future years. President The calendar is available Potomac Bonsai Association only to NBF members and ADVISORS the price is $10.00 plus $3.00 Thomas S. Elias Director, U.S. National Arboretum for shipping. If you would Carole Bordelon like to purchase this calen- Supervisory Horticulturist James J. Hughes dar, please send a check for Curator $13.00 in the envelope Kathleen Emerson-Dell enclosed with this mailing. Assistant Curator Aarin Packard Sample page, 2007 NBF Calendar. Thank you! Assistant Curator 3 Penjing from By Kathleen Emerson-Dell

The Chinese Moon Festival was cele- brated at the U.S. National Arboretum in October with exhibits, workshops and demonstrations presented by masters from the Shanghai Botanic Garden of the Peoples Republic of China. While Chinese flower arranging, and paper-cutting were featured in the Administration building, various forms Photo: Staff Museum of penjing were demonstrated in the Yuji Photo: Staff Museum Penjing landscape “Lijiang River in Spring”,Ying Li Linxiang creating penjing landscape “Spring Rain” Stone, Province, China Yoshimura Center at the National Bonsai with Qi Stone from Province, China & Penjing Museum. Li Linxiang, an award-winning master of penjing, created 4 water- and-land penjing landscapes on white marble trays—each with a different type of Chinese stone. He used a round marble tray to style a rock-and- tree penjing. These 5 arrangements, along with 5 Chinese ash trees (Fraxinus hupehensis) now in quaran- tine, were given to the Museum as a Photo: Staff Museum gift from the Shanghai Botanic Photo: Staff Museum Penjing landscape “Autumn Winds”,Wucai Lingbi Li Linxiang assisted by Tang Jianping, creating Stone, Province, China Garden. “Dancing Dragon” with Linglong Stone from Anhui Province, China

Visitors from China

The Vice Premier of China, Tang Jiaxuan, in Washington D.C. to meet with U.S. President George W. Bush, paid a surprise visit to the Museum in late October. He was shown through the Dr. Yee-sun Wu Chinese Pavilion by Curator Jim Hughes. Photo: Staff Museum Photo: Staff Museum Left to right, Scott Aker, Gardens Unit Leader, Chinese Jim Hughes showing the Chinese Delegation the Ambassador Zhou Wenzhong, Chinese Vice Premier penjing collection. Tang Jiaxuan, John Hammond, Acting Director of the Arboretum, and Curator, Jim Hughes.

NBF Board Notes ❖ NBF Board member, Ted Tsuki- ❖ The World Bonsai Contest winners (Carpinus laxiflora—Loose Flower- yama of Hawaii, has been recog- for 2006 have been announced and ing Hornbeam—Aka Shide) was nized as a “community leader the trees of three NBF Board awarded one of the fifty best trees in who made a significant contri- Members were among the winners the Honorable category. All of the bution in the public affairs and or honorees. Julian Adams’ tree winners can be viewed on the Bonsai public policy arena in Hawaii” (Pinus sylvestris—Scots Pine) and Clubs International website at by the Hawaii Institute for Edward Trout’s tree (Conocarpus http://www.bonsai.bci.com Public Affairs. He will be hon- erectus—Buttonwood) were in the ❖ Sean Smith of Marysville, Pennsyl- ored at their annual gala dinner winning category of fifty interna- vania has been elected to the NBF in February 2007. tional trees. Bill Valavanis’s tree Board. 4 The Enduring Contribution of Jack Billet By James Hughes

The Melba Tucker Arbor, in the lower to splintering and cracking. I used this courtyard of the Museum, is an acces- material myself on my deck at home. Membership in the National Bonsai sible location and a hospitable site for Eleven years later, the wood has turned Foundation is based on the calendar many bonsai events. When the weather gray, like aging teakwood, but all the year. Therefore, if you have not yet joints in the structure maintain their is pleasant, weekend demonstrations by renewed your membership for 2007, the staff are held here. It was also used integrity, unlike structures built from it is due now. Membership in NBF in May by the Potomac Bonsai Associ- cedar or treated lumber. includes receiving the NBF Bulletin, The handsome stands were a 10% discount on books published installed in late September and by NBF, invitations to Special now the Melba Tucker Arbor is a Museum events, an NBF Member focal point for visitors to the decal, as well as having the honor Lower Courtyard. This important and distinction of supporting the installation was made possible by world’s first and finest bonsai and numerous and generous dona- penjing Museum. tions given to the National Bonsai In addition, every January NBF Foundation in memory of Jack publishes a handsome colored Billet, NBF director, teacher, artist poster/brochure of the schedule and a tireless promoter of bonsai. of exhibits and programs in the He was an active participant in the Museum for the coming year. This Photo: Mullan Joseph work of the Museum and in 2004 poster/brochure will be mailed to The Lower Courtyard & Rose Family Garden from the we were proud to host an exhibit all those who join or renew before Merritt Gate of shohin from his collection and February 2007. the collection of Doris Froning in the ation for presentations during their And this year for the first time Special Exhibits Wing of the Mary E. spring show at the Arboretum. On that you can now renew your member- Mrose International Pavilion. occasion the Lower Courtyard was ship on the newly designed NBF filled to capacity by crowds of website: www.bonsai-nbf.org or you interested visitors. can send a check or credit card Although the Arbor is an attrac- information in the envelope tive setting for demonstrations, it enclosed for your convenience. always appeared a little “forlorn” on those other days when no activities The categories of were scheduled for the space. During the late summer we decided to reme- support are: dy the limited use of that area by the addition of two wooden display Basic Membership $35 pedestals. These stands would allow ($25 for Charter members) us to display bonsai or penjing on a Photo: Mullan Joseph regular basis when the Arbor is not Melba Tucker Arbor in the Lower Courtyard with new display benches Contributor $50 to $99 being used for demonstrations. The benches that we designed are Now we are pleased to have these made out of a South American tropical beautifully crafted additions that will Sponsor $100 to $249 hardwood called ipé, which is an incred- honor Jack and his many contributions ibly strong and dense wood that is har- to bonsai and the Museum. They will be Patron $250 to $999 vested from naturally sustainable formally dedicated during the NBF forests. It is very durable and is resistant Board meeting in May 2007. Benefactor Over $1,000

Visit our redesigned website: Thank you for your support of the National Bonsai & www.bonsai-nbf.org Penjing Museum.