Garden-Lou Spotlights the Garden of Jesse Gilbertson

The magic and mystery of the woods from Jesse Gilbertson’s childhood initially drew him into the bonsai world. Mature trees, gnarly trunks, delicate moss…it’s all there, just in miniature, much like a ship in a bottle. However, no matter how fragile a ship in a glass bottle might be, a bonsai specimen has the added fragility of being dependent on an expert caretaker to sustain not just its beauty but its life.

Jesse has been the Director of Horticulture at U-City in Bloom for the past 11 years, managing nearly 70 garden spaces throughout University City and the volunteers that also help tend them.

A Garden-Lou conversation with plant-geek, Jesse Gilbertson.

TreeStyle: Aesthetic Pruning and Design is his company that provides pruning services to accentuate the natural beauty of a tree specimen. Jesse is a past president of The Bonsai Society of Greater Saint Louis. He started dabbling in bonsai over 26 years ago. His first specimen was a juniper that, sadly, did not survive. “I didn’t let it go dormant,” says Jesse. “Learning bonsai technics is a journey and I’m still learning.”

Today, Jesse is the proud plant parent of 75-80 bonsai specimens, all thriving under his expert care. Jesse starts every day among his wards, watering and observing…shifting positions, checking, and adjusting wire, or just enjoying the presence of these living works of art. It’s a ritual that gets each day started in a positive way. “I end my day out here also. My wife is very patient,” he says about wife, Amy, who doesn’t help with the bonsai, but does tend the annuals and the veggies in a raised bed.

Watering is a daily “must-do” task. In the heat of summer, some shallow pots require water twice a day. “I have a good friend that lives nearby who comes and waters if I’m out of town.”

“The mistake many beginners make is loving their bonsai specimens too much,” Jesse says. “You need to be patient and wait for the plant to get healthy before you start to really work on it. You need to realize if you are a “nurturer” or not to be successful. Can you take care of a dog or a child?”

Winter protection is a common place for things to go wrong with beginners. Jesse overwinters his larger, evergreen specimens outdoors on the ground in a protected space away from drying winter winds. The deciduous specimens overwinter inside the garage. Both types are watered as needed.

Although the art and craft of bonsai originated in Japan, still following most of the same principles, today, there are distinct differences in American styling compared to Japanese styling. “Japanese styling is more formal, with subtle finesse,” says Jesse. “American styling is more bold, rugged…no rules,” Jesse notes. A prime example is the work of Dan Robinson, whose controversial methods shocked bonsai enthusiasts back in the 1970s. Road Trip Garden-Elandan Gardens (garden-lou.com)

Although Jesse doesn’t have one particular favorite among his collection, a few specimens stand out as sentimental favorites, like the dawn redwood (metasequoia glyptostroboides) grove, where each tree represents a family member.

Jesse had the benefit of many teachers, including his current teacher Tyler Sherrod, who apprenticed in Japan and visits Jesse and his study group three times a year. Much of his learning journey started with books and is self-taught. Experimenting is essential to learning, but study groups and local bonsai clubs are great resources for enthusiasts of every level.

Speaking of local clubs and resources, the Bonsai Society of Greater Saint Louis is hosting “Bonsai Central” at the Gateway Convention Center in Collinsville, Illinois, on May 3-5th, 2024. For more information, check out;

Bonsai Central – Convention in Saint Louis – Convention in Saint Louis (bonsai-central.com).

Public viewing will be Saturday, May 4^th starting at 11 am.