This was the first year I attended the Potomac Bonsai Festival that is held at the U.S. National Arboretum near the National Bonsai-Penjing Museum in Washington D.C.. Outside they had a large tent with a lot of vendors selling all types of stuff. They had bonsai tools, pre-bonsai nursery stock, developed bonsai, soil, scrolls, pots, yamadori, accent plants, books and the list goes on and on and on. If it was bonsai related, it was there! Also in the welcome center they had some activities for children, free demos from bonsai professionals such as Jim Doyle (Natures Way Bonsai), Jim Sullivan, Martha Meehan, Harry Hirao (known as Mr. California Juniper , Kofu Bonsai Kai: http://www.kofukai.org),Chase and Solita Rosade (Rosade Bonsai Studio), Chris Baker and Steven Miller. Also during the event they held the annual Potomac Bonsai Club Show and had members trees on display in the Chinese Pavilion and the winners of the show they had displayed inside the museums “Special Exhibits Wing” of the International Pavilion. The bonsai of the Potomac Bonsai Club members will be in a post of its own following sometime after this one.

Aarin Packard who is an assistant curator of the bonsai museum (also blogger of http://www.capitalbonsai.wordpress.com) works with Harry Hirao (blocked in photo) and others on a large collected juniper during a free demo.

The tent area where all the stuff on sale was.

Pathway into the National Bonsai-Penjing Museum and the welcoming display with a bonsai in front and 3 on display in back.

Ginkgo Biloba growing on wall (not a usual site for a ginkgo)

Japanese Wisteria next to ginkgo biloba on wall.

And a couple other bonsai throughout the museum that I don’t have in my other post related to the museum ( at least I don’t think they are there)

Me next to Japanese Wisteria to give you an idea of the size!

This is all for now but stay tuned for the photos of the Potomac Bonsai Club Members Show that took place during this event coming soon.

If you haven’t already visited, check out my post on each section of the National Bonsai Museum and the bonsai on display. In the right column of this page you will find a “Categories” drop down box. All the display areas are listed separately (Japanese, Chinese, Tropical Pavilions, etc.)