One of the new gardens at this year’s EPCOT International Flower & Garden Festival is the China Penjing Garden, located at the China Pavilion in World Showcase.
China Penjing Garden
Discover ancient Chinese art that recreates miniature landscapes.
“Penjing” refers to the Chinese art of forming trees and other natural elements into mini landscapes. It’s similar, but not exactly the same, as the Japanese art of bonsai.
The garden displays the miniature landscapes in wide pots atop red pedestals.
This Bougainvillea glabra, a.k.a. “paper flower,” is 50 years old with nine years of training. It’s presented by Daniel Lacich and is “forest” style. This means multiple trees of the same species were planted together and then shaped.
This Taxodium distichum (bald cypress) is 13 years old. Presented by Lawrence Naeder III, it’s “clump” style, which means several trunks come from the same root system.
The Portulacaria afra (dwarf jade) is also forest style. It’s 10 years old and has been trained for four years. It’s presented by Antonio Castillo.
This “bunjin”-style tree is a Pithecellobium tortum — a Brazilian rain tree. It’s 25 years old, with 20 years in training, and presented by Ed Trout. “Bunjin” means the branches don’t start until relatively high on the trunk. It’s inspired by Chinese scroll paintings.
See these landscapes and more at the China Penjing Garden through the end of the festival on May 27, 2024.
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