Happy Little Trees

To soothe pandemic anxiety, check out the tutorials of Ryan Neil, the Bob Ross of bonsai

- Heather Arndt Anderson

Ryan Neil talks about trees as if they are a source of ancient metaphysical power. He doesn’t grow them; he “engages” with them. He talks about “utilizing” them. He’s not a destination man; this is all about the journey.

Operating out of St. Helens, Ore., Neil is the founder of Bonsai Mirai LLC. The company sells a few trees on request, but its primary mission is to service those who already participate in the 800-year-old Japanese art of carefully guiding tiny trunks, by pruning and training, to grow into the wizened old trees they were meant to be.

On its site, there’s a $72 pair of concave cutters for trimming your specimen next to a $3,285 ceramic pot that mimics a pocked slab of raw basalt. The company can pack up and move a bonsai with all the precaution of transporting a painting, and it offers a boarding program in case you need someone to plant- sit your prized Rocky Mountain juniper while you’re away.