Bonsai Shinsei New York is thrilled to have an honored guest in the garden for the next few days.

This beautiful root-over-rock shimpaku was created over 40 years ago by New York area bonsai grower and business-owner Phyllis Wishnick. For the last ten years this tree has been owned and cared for by another accomplished bonsai lover, Lucille Miller.

Phyllis passed away last month. Here's the announcement sent to the members of our club a few weeks ago:

Phyllis Wishnick, an early and dedicated member of the Yama Ki Bonsai Society passed away on September 20th. Phyllis was 90 at the time she died and still tending to bonsai; some which she had only recently acquired.
Phyllis was an early member of Yama Ki and also ran a successful business importing and selling bonsai accessories - pots, tools and stands. Throughout her years of membership, Phyllis was generous in her donations to the club. Our auctions have been regularly seeded with goodies from Phyllis. She is also the only person I've known with a winter storage "cold frame" so large it required a full-size staircase to access. Her trees and stones were important parts of our displays at the New York Botanical Garden and other area shows. She was an early and strong supporter of the establishment of the U.S. National Bonsai Collection and gave generously for its growth and upkeep over the years. That collection was the first bonsai museum in the world; a distinction of which American bonsai enthusiasts should be especially proud.
Phyllis' friends and family would like to see her remembered at the museum and are raising funds to ensure a memorial in her name there. Some of her last bonsai items are being sold and the proceeds used in this effort. If you would like to make a donation, please make a check out to the National Bonsai Foundation and put "For Phyllis Wishnick" in the memo. In order to make the best impression, we'd like to bundle them and send them as one. Send your check to:
Lucille Miller
217 Mortimer St.
Portchester, N.Y. 10573
Yama Ki lost a great member and friend. I look forward to seeing her name at the U.S. National Arboretum.
Mike Pollock
Pound Ridge, NY

9/29/13

Lucille displayed this tree last weekend at Yama Ki's exhibit at the New York Botanical Garden as part of their last weekend of fall exhibits. A few of the thousands of visitors who came through remembered the tree from past showings. It was a fitting tribute to Phyllis' skill as a bonsai artist and value as a friend. She will be missed.

Lucille asked me to bring the tree back for her and I'm thrilled to have it here for a few days and to share it with you. Enjoy this wonderful, unusual tree.

Closeup or root and  rock — Closeup or root and rock