Monthly Archives: January 2010

A Great Tree & A Very Interesting Conversation

Juniper by Isao Omachi that just appeared on our facebook page. Though you can tell it’s a juniper, no specifics were given except that four of Mr. Omachi’s trees have been accepted in Kokufu-ten (universally recognized as the premier bonsai exhibition in the world). In Isao Omachi’s san’s own words “On January 25th 2010(Kokufu-ten judgement [...]

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A Borrowed Bougainvillea Bonsai: Bracts and All

Bougainvillea. Borrowed from Andolfo Bonsai Studio. Two things stand out; the flowers (actually they are bracts, the little white things are the flowers) and the trunk. You might also notice the how small the pot is relative to the tree. If the purpose of this tree is to show off its colors, then you’d have [...]

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Excuse Me While I Wipe the Egg Off My Face

Here’s a little note that I just received from Bill Valavanis I was just looking at your new tool and am wondering something. A few years ago in Japan I got a new tool which looks exactly like yours, but it’s for air layering. It has two sets of parallel blades, I can’t tell if [...]

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Just Arrived! New Bark Stripping Jin Tool

Here it is, our brand new Bark Stripping Jin Tool. It has two settings, one for thin branches and one for thicker branches, but you can adjust it easily to any size up to almost 2″ (5cm). In the photo below the blades are 1 & 1/2″ (4cm) apart in the center and you can [...]

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An Unusual California Juniper Gallery by Ernie Kuo

California juniper by Ernie Kuo. This tree was collected by Sam Uyeno in 1985 and later purchased by Mr. Kuo. Height 31″ (79cm). Chinese pot. Photo from Bonsai Today issue 84. A little buzz about Ernie Kuo’s bonsai Ernie Kuo’s trees are impressively dramatic; real eye poppers. Yet, he has his detractors. Some bonsai people [...]

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$100 Contest: The Final Three

This Cape honeysuckle (Tecomaria capensis), submitted by Ken T. (that’s all he wrote) has some promising potential. I like the gnarly knob on the right that makes the tree unique and tells a little story. Still, I can see a few things that might improve it. 1. I think soil line could be just a [...]

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Apex, Canopy, Crown: Whatcha Got?

This Zelkova serrata (sometimes called Greybark elm and sometimes called just Zelkova) is a classic broom style bonsai. Often when you think of broom style, you think of Zelkova (and vise versa). However, neither broom style nor zelkova are what inspired this post (see below). Photo from Bonsai Today issue 26. You asked for it [...]

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An Excellent New Book & Big Book Sale

This luminous cover shot gives you a pretty good idea of the quality of A Natural History of Conifers. And quality is just the right word. Quality photos, quality drawings, quality text and an abiding love for trees and nature, coupled with a unique and learned point of view is what I’ve found so far. [...]

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There’s Something About Junipers

Shore Juniper (J. procumbens) by master bonsai innovator, Masahiko Kimura. I like this one. It combines the sculptural look that has been favored by some Japanese bonsai artists (especially in the 90s) with a more wild, rugged natural look that is in favor in much of the world bonsai community. Not that bonsai is so [...]

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Junipers: Don’t Pinch Too Much!

Even if you’re one of those curmudgeons who complains about the overly sculpted look of some Japanese bonsai, you’ve got to admit that this powerhouse Shimpaku approaches perfection. That trunk draws your eye like few trunks anywhere, with its single living vein, mysterious hollow at its base and the spidery fingers and hole at the [...]

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