“On our recent trip to Japan, I discovered that bonsai are so much more than tiny trees in pots. They’re living sculptures, scarred and shaped to tell stories of endurance, patience, and beauty. Standing before a bonsai over 1,000 years old, I realized these small trees carry big truths. Here’s what I learned…”

Just back from Japan and still thinking about Kenrokuen Garden in Kanazawa—one of the most breathtaking landscapes I’ve ever experienced. Black pines over 300 years old, a resident grey heron perched like he owns the place, and dragonflies dancing over waterlilies in a centuries-old moat. Designed for strolling, shaped by time, and still evolving with the seasons. I’m already dreaming of going back in winter to see the yukitsuri snow supports stretching from pine to sky.

While the interiors were undeniably fascinating, I was itching to get outside. After all, the gardens were really what I came for. From the back of the main house, we made our way into the formal gardens, allee's lined with white marble statues pointing the way.

In the distance we could hear music and realized that they had turned on a fountain nearby...The sheer scale of Versailles’ gardens is impossible to overstate. This isn’t just a backyard—it’s an entire kingdom of hedges, pathways, and water features designed with precision that only 17th-century royalty could demand.

Selby Gardens in downtown Sarasota was an exceptional experience. A gem of a botanical garden. Highly recommend a visit

Go ahead and let the warm salty breeze go to your head. This is a magically place with stunning plant material.

It all began at Franklin Park Conservatory in Columbus, Ohio