The following is a series of questions posed to Bob Dietz, a longtime member of the Pittsburgh Bonsai Society, recognized for many years as the primary resource for club members seeking bonsai supplies. This interview was conducted by the current Pittsburgh Bonsai Society President, Ian Evans.

1) What is your earliest memory of encountering the art and practice of bonsai?

My earliest memory of interest in bonsai was seeing the bonsai collection at Phipps Conservatory in the 1980s or 1990s.

2) What was the first bonsai you acquired, when did you get it, and what was the outcome?

My first bonsai was a Procumbens nana juniper, which I purchased at a bonsai class held at Pikes Peak Nursery. Unfortunately, it died due to improper care.

3) When did you go from casual enjoyment of bonsai to your more serious and dedicated pursuit?

I became more serious about bonsai after meeting Keith Scott, the bonsai curator at Phipps Conservatory. I was invited to attend training sessions, initially held at Swissvale Library, then at Keith’s home, and eventually through one-on-one mentorship with Keith.

4) When did you join the Pittsburgh Bonsai Society, and what elected and volunteer positions have you held?

I joined the society in the 1990s. Over the years, I served as treasurer, vice president, and president for multiple terms . I also purchased Mizukui Bonsai from Evelyn Christie, a longtime member of the society. By acquiring the business, I was able to maintain a local source for bonsai supplies, continuing an important tradition within our society.

5) What has been your favorite part of being a member of PBS?

The camaraderie and mentorship, especially my time learning from Keith Scott and other experienced members. It’s been incredibly rewarding to be part of a group so dedicated to growing and sharing knowledge.

6) I’m sure you have some funny or even terrifying bonsai anecdotes. Please share one with us.

One of my best memories was after I spent an afternoon wiring a broom-style tree. I placed it on my workbench, only to see my golden retriever grab it and proceed to run around the yard, throwing it in the air and treating it like a ball. The dog had a happy life and eventually passed of old age—maybe.

7) What is one technique, idea, or conceptualization of bonsai that you wish everyone knew more about, or could do more effectively?

I would like to see bonsai trees treated more as individual species rather than all being grouped together for care. Each species has unique needs in terms of watering, light, temperature, soil, and other factors.

8) What is your favorite species to work on?

Currently, I enjoy working on bald cypress. I have bald cypress trees collected from swamps in North Carolina, others that are container-grown from Mississippi, and some that I’m growing in the ground.

9) What’s the last scope of work you completed? What kind of tree, age, what did you do to it, etc.?

Last summer, I went to Columbia, South Carolina, to work with John Geanangle and learn as much as possible about bald cypress. I brought one of my own bald cypress trees and worked on several others to develop the flat-top style. You can check out John’s videos on bald cypress on YouTube.

10) What are you looking forward to?

With more free time now, I’m looking forward to enjoying a smaller collection of trees, especially since Dan Yob has acquired Bonsai in the Burgh, which will allow me to focus more on my personal collection.