Lakeside with Lingering Snow, our second in a series of plantings from Toshio Kawamoto’s Saikei classic. The trees are the same (cryptomeria) as in our last post from the book (creating a deep ravine planting), the pot is almost the same and the landscape is similar, though this one is softer. The focal point, the [...]
Contest entry number eight by Jonathan Pessin. There’s something going on with this little juniper, though I’m not sure where’s it’s headed. Cascade? In any case, it’s potential will have a hard time developing in such a small pot. Most of the best shohin are grown in larger pots (or even in the ground) and [...]
The gnarled, cracked deadwood tells this old olive’s story. It’s by Carlos Brandão of Portugal. Height: 7″ (18 cm). Yixing pot. Courtesy of The Art of Bonsai Project. Just back from vacation… There’s almost nothing better than landing in that familiar place we call home after that little break we call vacation. Until you go [...]
On the road again This is our second post from the road. This time it’s The Central California Coast with it’s gnarly wind-shaped Monterey cypresses. We’ll have more on those later after Amy and I have time to sort through hundred of photos. Meanwhile, here’s a few of Gyozan Nakano’s pots that I prepared before we [...]
This gnarly old Japanese white pine (P. parviflora) is from a Japanese gallery that originally appeared in Bonsai Today issue 85. It looks a bit like something you might find on Point Lobos (more about that below). Artist unknown (to us, at least). Somewhere on the Monterey Peninsula in search of sun and trees of [...]
You pick ‘em This post shows a Satsuki azalea in twelve digitally colored* pots. Is one color better than the others? Are there several that work? Do they all work? One question that might come up is: what color are the flowers? Would your choice (or choices) be different if the flowers were white? Pink? [...]
This planting from Toshio Kawamoto’s Saikei classic (see previous post) is quite similar to the planting on the cover (below): same trees (cryptomeria), same (or nearly the same) pot and somewhat similar rocky ravine separating two tree and moss covered areas. The man difference is that this one shows a deep ravine. The rocks that [...]
I found this old out-of-print classic in Green Apple Books in San Franscisco for ten dollars (minus my family discount – see disclaimer below). It was in near perfect condition after more than forty years (copyright 1967, Kodansha International). The original price was $6.95 (hardcover no less). BTW: Green Apple is one of the best [...]
