Monthly Archives: October 2009

Eccentric Bonsai #3 & Contest #8

I won’t say where juniper (looks like a shimpaku) bonsai came from, but will say why we choose it as an eccentric bonsai (see below) after an apology for it being slightly out of focus (it was enlarged a tad too much so it would fit our format). The contest: win a $25 gift certificate [...]

Posted in Cuttings, Growing Season | Tagged , , , , , | 4 Comments

Bonsai Tonight and Best in Show

This California juniper was awarded the Best in Show 2009 at the Midori Bonsai Club‘s 40th annual show. It belongs to Peter Tea and comes to us via Bonsai Tonight (a great name for blog that lives up to it). The photo was taken by Jonas Dupuich, Bonsai Tonight’s author. A tree with a story [...]

Posted in Cuttings | Tagged , , , , , , | 3 Comments

Pruning Deciduous Bonsai: Beech

It’s time to start thinking about dormant pruning. This page of simple illustrations shows pruning and pinching basics for beech trees. It’s the first of a series of posts on training deciduous bonsai. The illustrations are from Bonsai Today issue 41. Share

Posted in Styling | Tagged , , , | 4 Comments

Celestial Realm: Nature’s Bonsai

Wang Wusheng’s Celestial Realm provides one of the most powerful and beautiful photographic journeys you can take. And if you want to know where much of the early inspiration for bonsai came from, look no further. Not too blatant We try avoid too much blatant promotional stuff on this blog. Mostly you’ll find bonsai art, [...]

Posted in Bark | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

In Praise of the American Larch: aka the Tamarack

Nick Lenz calls this rugged heavily scarred old larch a ‘super hack back job’ (performed with a chainsaw). It’s noteworthy for its excellent taper and nebari (among other things), things that doesn’t come naturally with most larches. I guess you could say that the Halloween carving is also noteworthy. The photo is from Nick’s book, [...]

Posted in Growing Season | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

Masters’ Gallery: Ginkgo Biloba

This remarkable broom style Ginkgo is from Classic Bonsai of Japan (Nippon Bonsai Association). 50 years old, 33 inches (82cm). Not all that common Ginkgo bonsai are not all that common. This may be because of the problems that the branching presents. Can you think of another type of tree (that is used for bonsai) [...]

Posted in Styling | Tagged , , , , , , | 7 Comments

Revisiting John Romano’s Almost Famous Juniper

Carl Morrow sent us this digitalized revision (and two others, see below) of a juniper that was originally submitted to our ‘Fearless Bonsai Warrior‘ program, by John Romano. This is the second critique of John’s juniper that has been submitted to Bonsai Bark (here’s the other). Carl’s turn with John’s Juniper The photos and text [...]

Posted in Growing Season, Styling | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 1 Comment

Another Fearless Bonsai Warrior

This Juniperus chinensis parsonii, that started as an urban yamadori in 2007 (height 26″), was submitted by Patrick Giacobbe. In addition to this submission, Patrick has contributed to Bonsai Bark with his comments on a bonsai that was submitted by John Romano. Bunjin or not bunjin? The pot and the almost branchless trunk with its [...]

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$100 Unique Bonsai Contest: Four More To Go

This twisty little Japanese white pine was submitted by Randall de Rijk of the Bonsai Society of San Francisco. The pot is by Wendy Heller. I like both the pot and the tree, but perhaps one is a little big for the other. You can still win a $100 gift certificate Six entries so far [...]

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