Artist’s rendition of what a nebari might look like using this technique. If you are a very quick study or an old bonsai maven (or both) you probably figured out how to use this technique using just the three images in the previous post. However, if you need more detail (can’t hurt), here’s a big hunk of the rest of the original images, which appeared in Bonsai Today issue 8.
Can you figure out what’s going on here? If you are an experienced bonsai enthusiast, you may get it at a glance, especially if you’ve seen Bonsai Today issue 8 (long out of print). If what’s going on is not so evident, take a look at the drawing below and see if that helps.
This majestic old pomegranate (Punica granatum) was styled by John Naka. After John died, his wife Alice donated it to the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum in Washington DC. You can view it and a host of other masterpieces first hand if you’re up for the journey; a trip well worth the trouble, especially if you’ve never experienced the power of a large world class bonsai first hand. No matter how good the photographer, or how expensive the camera, a photo will never capture the full dramatic force of a living bonsai. I’ve been a fan of the National Bonsai … Continue reading A trip well worth the trouble
This Goldflame Japanese Spirea (Spiraea japonica ‘Goldflame’) was originally dug from a garden in the UK. It was styled by Harry Harrington. You can view it and numerous other noteworthy bonsai at bonsai4me.com. One reason we’ve been featuring field growing so much is that the US government restrictions make importing quality stock from Asia somewhere between difficult and impossible (Europe is a whole other story – it’s easy for them to import Asian stock – which helps explain some of the differences between European and North American bonsai). This means that if we are going to develop quality bonsai stock … Continue reading bonsai4me.com on Field Growing
Green Dream is an excellent, well-balanced (6-6-6) slow release pellet fertilizer. Most people underfeed their bonsai. This may be because they want them to stay small, so they don’t feed much, if at all. What you end up with if you don’t feed enough, may or may not be small, but it WILL be unhealthy. Small is achieved primarily by pruning – both top and roots. True, you may not want to pump your bonsai up with artificially high concentrations of NPK and other nutrients, but you do want you bonsai to be at the peak of health, and regular … Continue reading Feed Your Bonsai!
In the expert hands of Michael Hagedorn, this collected Rocky Mountain Juniper (Juniperus scopulorum) in transformed into two noteworthy bonsai. A remarkable transformation of a Rocky Mountain Juniper …actually, two Rocky Mountain Junipers. When I first posted this (just a couple minutes ago) I was convinced that Michael made two bonsai from the collected tree in the box above. It turns out that there were two distinct trunks and root systems, but Michael says that one of them is unused. Still, it looks to me like he ends up with two different trees. Take a look (you have click on … Continue reading Two Junipers for the Price of One?
Not too long ago we featured a photo of this magnificent old white pine in a post about the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum. Yesterday I got an email from the President of the National Bonsai Foundation, Felix Laughlin, who suggested that we post the whole story on this famous old tree. Take a look and be sure to get back to us if you know of another bonsai with a more interesting history.
This Satsuki azalea (Rhododendron indicum) was originally field grown (it’s from Bonsai Today issue 40). Field growing is common for azaleas; some start as landscape plants and are later dug up for bonsai, while others are grown as bonsai stock from the beginning. In our last field growing post we mention planting directly into native soil without digging in amendments when you plant. A friend of my points out that she has no native soil; her house and yard were built on fill. In our usage of native soil, we mean whatever soil is already there; in other words, my … Continue reading Field Growing 4: Native Soil
Norway spruce (Picea abies) by Francois Jeker. From his book Bonsai Aesthetics. You can learn a lot by studying photos of what other people have done. Especially if artist is very accomplished and you have before and after shots. Fortunately, one of our favorite European artists, Francois Jeker features just that on his website. Check it out, you won’t be disappointed.
Bill Valavanis, one of North America’s preeminent bonsai artists, teachers and publishers, lost his house to a fire this January. In addition to the hardship and loss suffered by Bill and his family, valuable antique bonsai books and other irreplaceable materials were lost. Fortunately, Bill’s nursery, which is next to his house, was undamaged. From conversations I’ve had with Bill, I’d say that his always energetic and passionate enthusiasm was also undamaged.