New England Bonsai Gardens in Bellingham offers lessons in unique hobby
BELLINGHAM - New England Bonsai Gardens started out as a single greenhouse in 1987 and now it's an 8-acre nursery in Bellingham.
Bonsai is the art of growing miniature trees in pots. At this complex, they have more than 4,500 trees.
"When you look at it, you know that somebody has had their hands on that tree, every single day for the entire life of the tree in order to get it to look the way it does today," Peter Olson, the head Bonsai professional, told WBZ-TV.
"You know it's a unique plant. So, everybody wants something a little bit unique in their life but it's also Zen," said owner Ashley Carrier.
They teach the skill here.
"We have what's called Kaikou School of Bonsai and through that we have a two-year intensive program where students will come every couple of months and learn a new chapter of Bonsai art. It could be styling. It could be re-potting," Carrier told WBZ.
This nursery has many purposes. It serves as a place of relaxation.
"You can certainly walk through, take pictures, just enjoy the trees. But for those people who do want to get into the hobby, it is something that can give you a lot of piece of mind," said retail manager Amanda Marsocci.
With trees up to a thousand years old, the gardens can also serve as a place of information.
Olson described one tree as "approximately 900 years old."
"The tree was dug out of the Sierra Nevada Mountains sometime in the late 50's, early 60's. The original owner did a buying trip out to California and he bought it out there in 1985," he told WBZ. "It's extremely peaceful and extremely rewarding to watch them grow into what they are today."
For more information, visit their website.