I was fortunate to visit the NC Arboretum in Asheville last weekend. The Bonsai Exhibition Garden is one of their most visited permanent exhibits. The Garden is very well conceived - the mixture of stone and wood complement the bonsai very well. One of the more unique compositions is named Appalachian Cove, which is a mixture of native trees planted in an old wooden box. It's the bonsai version of the Blue Ridge Parkway. It included a very refined hollow-trunk American Hornbeam, which had unbelievable leaf reduction. It almost looked like an elm. I also thought the mixed planting of American Beech and Eastern Hemlock was a unique effort. It would be interesting to know more of the history surrounding these trees, including all of the pot makers. Enjoy the tour!
