There’s something about a beautiful bonsai in flower. If you let your eyes linger for a few moments, you’ll notice how the seemingly perfectly placed flowers enhance the power of the tree rather than overwhelm it. It’s a bougainvillea by Robert Steven. All this photos in this post are from Robert’s facebook gallery.
Always a pleasure
It has been a while since we’ve featured the bonsai of Robert Steven. In addition to being one of the foremost bonsai artists and teachers on this fierce and lovely planet, Robert is also a friend. Not in the ordinary sense of buddies you hang out with, but in the sense of someone you’ve gotten to know and respect over a long period of doing business together (we sell his books and his Bonsai Aesthetics tools and wire, and he provides free bonsai critiques and other material that we feature on this post). Beyond mutual benefit, genuine trust and loyalty has developed. This doesn’t always happen in long term business relations, but it’s always a pleasure when it does.
Another Bougainvillea with just enough flowers. In this case it’s a full cascade with a somewhat unusual sweep that starts on one side of the pot and finishes on the other.
Ficus (?) root-on-rock style on a penjing tray. Aside from the power and beauty of this tree clinging to a rock with almost no soil in sight, there’s the added interest of the way its two trunks are connected by that strong trunk/root in the center.
Another planting on a penjing tray. This one offers a whole scene with trees, rocks, land, grass and water. Though it looks like it might be fairly easy to create this type of scene, an ample dose of expertise goes into making one that creates such a natural sense of scale, dynamic balance and tranquility (forgive me for the somewhat pedantic dynamic balance; what I mean to say is that though the scene is quite tranquil, it isn’t exactly static; there’s a subtle sense of movement that invites your eye to freely move from one side to the other and back again… oh well…).
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9 Comments
The purple bits – they aren’t flowers but just brightly coloured leaves – the flowers are really small, pale and quite plain, so the purple leaves attract the insects. there is a name for these leaves – someone might add it. Have to agree with you though Wayne, less work better than more.
Marcus;I believe the “purple leaves”are called bracts.
Love the cascade.Very artistic display of the bonsai,pot and stand.
Who says literati have to go up? That is a beautiful cascade example.
Bracts ? I have never heart about this ? They are not flowers ? I thought they are..
BTW, I will be at the coming Crespi Cup in Italy on 22 – 23rd September, hope to meet some friends there…
Hi Robert,
Yes, they are bracts (colorful leaves) rather than flowers, even though I mindlessly called them flowers. If you examine a bougainvillea in full color you can see the small flowers and you can also see that the colorful bracts are leaf shaped.
My question is; does anyone know of any other plant besides bougainvillea that products colorful bracts?
Hey Wayne,
Yes, Dogwoods (Cornus species) also produce bracts.
One of the most famous plants that has brightly colored bracts is the Poinsettia that is often seen at Christmas.
Thanks for the info, guys…
Thanks Jim and Cory,
Forgot all about those old Dogwoods.
Poinsettia too.
-w