Natural Bonsai Winner

Mark Arpag’s American larch won the All American Bonsai award at the 6th U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition. The rough hewn pot and stand (looks like a piece of wood), along with the wild ground cover, provide the perfect complement to the natural feel of the tree. I cropped Oscar Jonker’s photo for closer look at the tree. The original photo is below Just one tree today in our series on the prize winning bonsai at the 6th U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition. It’s a American larch (Larix laricina) and its natural untamed look strikes me as the right choice for this species. This might be because … Continue reading Natural Bonsai Winner

Larches are Coming to Rochester – Green T Bonsai Turntables too!

ORDER YOUR OWN GREEN T TURNTABLE NOW OR PICK ONE UP AT THE 6TH U.S. NATIONAL BONSAI EXPOSITION CANADIANS – If you want to avoid shipping costs order yours online before Saturday Morning and we’ll hold it for you We’ll also remove the shipping charge when we process your order But be sure to put Rochester in the comments when you check out Free Shipping for Green Ts in the Continental U.S. We will also be offering 2 slightly used Green T Basics at the Exhibition for only 295.00 (regular discounted price is 345.00) StoneLantern.com Contrary to what you may have heard, … Continue reading Larches are Coming to Rochester – Green T Bonsai Turntables too!

So You Think Winter Is Over?

Icy larches from my back yard this morning (May 11). 25 degree Fahrenheit (-4 celsius) last night here in the lovely, underpopulated (now you know why) Northeast Kingdom, Vermont. I left a mist on all night to protect these newly dug and newly sprouted larches. It worked, the ice has melted (it’s sunny and around 50 now) and all is well. Photos by Amy Palmer. An ugly little Eastern white cedar (Cham thyoides) made beautiful by icing. Eastern white cedars (not to be confused with Northern white cedars ‘Thuja occidentalis’ which are abundant around here) don’t do very well here, … Continue reading So You Think Winter Is Over?

Coming Soon: Field Grown Bonsai Stock

One little man made hill that serves as landscaping and as a growing bed for future bonsai. Coming soon I’ve started digging some of my field grown stuff and putting them in plastic containers. Soon we’ll start photographing and putting some up for sale. Larches and some others More than half of what I’ve been growing are larches that have been collected here in northern Vermont. All have been pruned some. Some has been wired and a few have even been carved. Most are not bonsai pot ready, but all have good potential. Stone Lantern When they are ready, I’ll … Continue reading Coming Soon: Field Grown Bonsai Stock

In Praise of the American Larch #2: Good Taper Isn’t that Easy to Come By

You can find this in-training collected Larch in Bonsai from the Wild by Larch Master Nick Lenz (Stone Lantern Publishing). Good tapers on larches are hard to come by. This exceptionally strong taper is the result of what Nick calls a ‘swamp layer.’ For details see the chapter on larches in Bonsai from the Wild (THE book on collecting). Planting two trunks together that diverge as they ascend is a good way to create the appearance of taper. This image is from an article by Nick Lenz entitled Larch with Taper, that appears in The Bonsai Journal. Check out our … Continue reading In Praise of the American Larch #2: Good Taper Isn’t that Easy to Come By

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, Bonsai from the Wild (Stone Lantern Publishing). Round these parts it’s a Tamarack Here in Vermont we are right on the southern edge of the Larix laricina’s range. Most bonsai enthusiasts (and many others) refer to it as the American larch, but around here almost … Continue reading In Praise of the American Larch: aka the Tamarack

Be a Fearless Bonsai Warrior

This American larch (Larix laricina) was sent to us by John Romano. It was selected as 1 of 100 in JAL World Bonsai Photo contest 2004. It was purchased as raw collected stock from American larch hero Nick Lenz. John Romano has been devoted to teaching bonsai for the past ten years and has developed Kaikou School of Bonsai (a two year program at at New England Bonsai). Kaikou is a somewhat archaic Japanese term that means ‘unexpected encounter’ or ‘crossing paths’. Your turn Our Fearless Bonsai Warrior program is about you and your bonsai. In other words, I want … Continue reading Be a Fearless Bonsai Warrior

Field Growing #9: Fall Transplanting #2

Time to go back into the ground I moved this crabapple into this Tokoname pot in the spring. I wanted to photograph it covered in fresh little red apples, but the birds ate them the morning I planned on shooting. It’s not really ready for bonsai anyway; the nebari needs more time, the scar needs to heal and more branching needs to develop, so I’m going to stick it back into the ground in a couple weeks (I’ll post a photo). As an aside, I just noticed how the companion plant’s pot (by Wendy Heller) mirrors the color and texture … Continue reading Field Growing #9: Fall Transplanting #2

The Great Debate part 3: More from Walter

A naturalistic Norway spruce (Picea abies) by Walter Pall (from Bonsai Today issue 106). This tree was awarded third place overall in the Bonsai Today/Art of Bonsai 2006 photo contest. Walter also won first and second place in the overall category. The Naturalistic Bonsai Movement? In the expanding galaxy of accomplished Western bonsai artists, Walter Pall’s bonsai skills and dedication to teaching and promoting the art of bonsai make him one of the brightest stars. Walter is also one of the most prominent proponents of what could be called the Naturalistic Bonsai Movement (or something like that). In our last … Continue reading The Great Debate part 3: More from Walter