Eccentric Bonsai #5: Harry Hirao at the NB&PM

This radically eccentric California juniper was donated to the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum by Harry Hirao (Mr. California Juniper). It is only a small part of a wonderful collection of world class bonsai that you’ll find at the Museum. A visit every bonsai enthusiast (especially those of us in north America) would do well to consider. Did Harry play a practical joke? The taper is all wrong and the trunk forms a crazy upside down U shape. Did Harry play a practical joke on the National Museum? Or, I am pulling your leg?

An Elegant Stand & Touch of Fall Color

This is part of a display from Morten Albek’s Shohin site (Morten is the author of Majesty in Miniature: Shohin Bonsai, Published by Stone Lantern). The cotoneaster’s striking fall color and the elegant stand caught my attention.

Eccentric Bonsai #4: A Very Long Cascade

We found this exceptionally long cascading ficus (at least that’s what we think it is) on the Bonsai South website. Take a look if you get a chance. They have an excellent gallery with a range of powerful tropicals (see below) and a some other worthy trees. It’s not that easy It’s not easy to keep the lower lower reaches healthy on such a long cascading branch. Especially on a tree that basically wants to grow upward. You’ll notice the untrained small branches at the very bottom. Letting those small sacrifice branches grow unimpeded helps draw energy down to the … Continue reading Eccentric Bonsai #4: A Very Long Cascade

500,000 Cuts, All Beat Up & Still Cutting

These well worn Okatsune bypass shears belong to Greg McNally and Tune Faulkner of Fall Brook Tree Farm in Wheelock Vermont. Tune uses hers all year, but most intensively before the holidays when she makes wreaths. She makes thousands of cuts a day when she’s going strong and has been using the same shears for years. We came up with 500,000 cuts, but suspect it could easily be twice that. This photo and the next one are by Amy Palmer. Bonsai and other uses I use my Okatsunes (the 8″ ones, some people prefer the 7″) in my garden and … Continue reading 500,000 Cuts, All Beat Up & Still Cutting

Japanese Bonsai: Small Is Powerful

This powerful kuromatsu (Japanese black pine) won the Culture Minister’s Prize at the 20th Green Festa Kokubunji bonsai fair (has anyone out there heard of this fair?). It is 19″ (48cm) high and about 55 years old. It is owned by Toyoyuki Hamabata from Takamatsu’s Mure town in Shikoku. It appears at Bonsai World, an English language website from Shikoku Japan.

Pruning Deciduous Bonsai #2: Chinese Elm

This is the second in our series on pruning deciduous bonsai. Like the previous one (beech), these illustrations are simple and easy to follow, and could apply to most other deciduous trees with alternate leaves. The illustrations are from Bonsai Today issue 41. A couple small points The branch where it says strong branches that are too long, could also be faulted for being too straight. Where it says branches that curve unnaturally it could say any unsightly branch (eg branches that have reverse taper or the have abrupt jagged angles). Just bear in mind most conventions and rules are … Continue reading Pruning Deciduous Bonsai #2: Chinese Elm