My recent trip to Portland included a stop at Ryan Neil’s garden. I’d last visited a year ago (see “Pines” and “Junipers” for details). This year I was struck by how different the trees looked before I’d finished making my way through the gate. In a word, they were full – really full. Twelve months ago, many of the bonsai in the garden were being prepped for the Artisan’s Cup. This year the trees were getting a well deserved break to restore their vigor.

Seeing how fast everything was developing, I felt compelled to look closely – as if I’d miss out on the progress before my next visit. Such progress is encouraging and a is testament to the fantastic job Mirai is doing.

One fun indicator of bonsai quality is when trees look good from different angles. Take the super Rocky Mountain juniper below – one of my favorites – as an example.