Longwood Gardens is home to an exceptional bonsai collection recognized for its artistic and horticultural excellence. Our collection exemplifies the highest level of the Japanese bonsai tradition, blending time-honored techniques with masterful stewardship.
Established in 1959 with the acquisition of 13 trees from renowned bonsai artist Yuji Yoshimura, our collection has grown under the care of six dedicated curators, each bringing the expertise necessary to refine and advance these living works of art.
A recent gift from The Kennett Collection, one of the most significant bonsai collections in the US started in 1999 by Doug Paul, more than doubles the bonsai in our collection. This gift introduces rare Japanese tree species and masterfully trained specimens, making our collection one of the leading collections of bonsai trained in Japan on public view in the United States.
Today, our collection features more than 150 trees in 14 distinct styles, cultivated by some of the world’s most esteemed bonsai masters.
Curators: Kevin Bielicki & Matt Turner
Collection Highlights
Chinese juniper (Juniperus chinensis ‘Shimpaku’)
Japanese white pine (Pinus parviflora ‘Miyajima’). Photo by Hank Davis.
The Bonsai Courtyard glows softly on a winter evening.
Within the Bonsai Courtyard, guests can enjoy a rotating display of up to 60 specimens.
Yuji Yoshimura, a world-renown bonsai master who taught traditional Japanese techniques and aesthetics to enthusiasts in the west, shows his technique for training bonsai in a class in 1959.
Fruiting trees like pomegranates can be trained to stay miniature, but their fruit will still grow to full size.
