Page 31 - BSAM 2018 Q4

“All of my
trees are
either grown from seed or collected in the forest, and they are all West Coast species.”
Which brings us back to the 2003 New Talent Contest win and subsequent tour of Japanese bonsai that further fuelled Peter’s bonsai education. He continued to collect and refine locally-sourced trees. In 2014, two of Peter’s Mountain Hemlock won awards in the Pacific Northwest Bonsai Clubs Association Show in Victoria, BC, taking both Best in Show and People’s Choice awards. Humbly he says, “I’ve got a good eye to see things and know what needs to be pruned off.”
Over time Peter developed his own soil mix, using locally available soil, and adapted techniques for his trees. “All of my trees are either grown from seed or collected in the forest,” and, as they are all West Coast species (Western Red Cedar, Thuja plicata, Yellow Cedar, Cupressus nootkatensis, Shore Pines, Sitka Spruce, Mountain Hemlock), they remain outside all year. At one point he set up an automatic watering system, but now, retired in Campbell River (halfway down the Island), he prefers to hand-water his large collection so he can individualize the watering to the needs of the trees. He prefers a “natural looking tree,” and finds that the tree trunk and planting position dictate the style.
A visit to Peter’s bonsai garden is a very special experience. Coming around the greenhouse you first spot a couple of large well-tended bonsai, which are impressive in their own right, and then the view opens up to an expanse of benches with dozens of potted trees ranging from seedlings to well-developed, mature trees. And this is only the beginning. A leisurely walk towards the back of the property reveals several more caches of trees at various stages of development. Many are tortured and gnarled, with ancient rugged trunks showing splits, knobs and natural shari, telling the story
of many, many years of poor soil and harsh weather in the wild. Peter has given them new life through judicious pruning and shaping.
Peter is a marvelous host, introducing each tree, recalling where and how it was collected. One contorted Shore Pine was found lying completely flat on the ground. After it adjusted to the pot, he tied it up with guy wires, applying traction to the trunk to lift the crown, creating an entirely different perspective, showcasing the fabulously knobby shari root. (page 21)
A large Yellow Cedar snaked through a swampy area, with just one small root visible at the edge of the water. It was cut off immediately below that root, collected, and has been shaped into a graceful upright style. Later, Peter returned to that spot and collected the remaining
Top; Twin Mountain Hemlock “after” photo, on exhibit at the 2014 Pacific Northwest Bonsai Convention “25th Anniversary Celebration” where this tree won the Peoples’ Choice Award. Photo: Joe Grande
Bottom; Twin Mountain Hemlock “before” photo when newly potted. Photo: Peter Wilson.
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