Anyone who has lived in this area since 1990 probably knows about the Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection on the Weyerhaeuser campus between 336th and Hwy 18.

I try to make it a point to visit there a couple of times each year and I am always impressed with how beautiful this world class facility is maintained.

I like art in nearly any form, but I'm dumb as a stump about trees as art, so I made an appointment with the Curator, David DeGroot.

David was gracious with his time and turned out to be a complete fount of information about the art of Bonsai (pronounced 'bone-sigh' and which translates as, "a planting in a shallow container").

According to David, it is much more than merely miniaturized trees.

"Bonsai asks that you see beyond the object...it's about the (Japanese) concept of 'ma', which means, 'space' and that less is more," he said.

A well crafted bonsai display, David says, according to Japanese custom is "complete when there is nothing left to remove."

The art of Bonsai is not just Japanese, but is pan-Asian and a world-wide discipline.

In the collection of over one hundred plantings are trees from Korea, China, Taiwan, Canada and the U.S. About sixty trees are on display at a time, allowing David and his trained staff to present them at the peak of their beauty.

Walking the carefully raked gravel grounds, David led me to a gorgeous Chinese Juniper.

"This tree is estimated to be about one thousand years old, but it's only been in training for about thirty years," he said.

Are there older trees in the collection, David?

"Physical age is less important than how long they have been in training," he said, "and in this country, we don't have a cultural heritage that compares." David became more animated when I pressed him.

"We've had Bonsai in this country for more than one hundred years, but we tend to look at them as antiques rather than artistic compositions."

So, bonsai trees aren't static museum pieces like a chair or a painting?

"We think the collection here is like a museum rather than a garden, but look at this Caitlin Elm...with a painting on canvas, you look at it to see the image the paint has created, but with bonsai, you will see the tree as it would be in nature," he said.

"Everything about the display matters, the shape and color of the pot, the symmetry, and accompaniment is important too...nothing is accidental," he added.

According to David, there are at least twenty-five other public bonsai exhibits around North America and he rates the Pacific Rim Collection about number three.

"The U.S. National Bonsai Museum in Washington D.C. is probably the top collection," he shared

David showed me a "Tall Stewartia" and began tending to the trunk.

"The bark becomes a tawny cinnamon color if you rub it," he pointed out.

I could see the affection that David and the staff bring to their work.

"They really require special care," he said "In the winter we have covers for each display and we sometimes put heaters inside when the temperature gets below freezing."

In addition to the ever-changing bonsai displays, there is currently an art exhibit at the museum called, "SUMI-E!" which features ink paintings in the Asian tradition and which are for sale.

Also, there are special exhibits of bonsai, bonsai photographs, and other art on display year round. You can even bring your own bonsai during introductory lectures for help with styling suggestions.

The bonsai collection and special exhibit area is open year round (except Thursdays) from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm. For more information, you can call 253-924-5206.

If go there and you see David, ask him about what is new.

I apologize, David, if I got some of these trees mixed up. I may be a bit more informed than I was before, but I have a feeling there are still a few trees here that are smarter than me.