A Dramatic Juniper with a Slight List to the Left

This dramatic Juniper may be leaning just a tad too far to the left (or is it just me?) Either way, too far left or just right, to my eyes its almost unbalanced feel creates just enough tension to add interest Continuing with Luis Vallejo’s bonsai, here’s one from our archives (Novemeber, 2012). All the photos shown here are from Luis Vallejo’s Museo Bonsai de Alconbendas. I borrowed them from the Bonsai Center Sopelana in Spain’s Basque Country Continued below… THREE NEW SPECIALS 25% OFF BONSAI WIRE FOR 3 OR MORE ROLLS 35% OFF ROSHI BONSAI TOOLS 25% OFF BONSAI … Continue reading A Dramatic Juniper with a Slight List to the Left

Bonsai Deadwood, Too Much or Just Right?

This unusual full cascade Juniper will no doubt put off some of our anti-deadwood folks, but to my eyes, it’s an expressive and dynamic tree. Cascade shots are normally taken from a point that shows the tree cascading down one side of the pot, but in this case the pot is hidden by the tree, which creates a whole different effect. Still busy putting finishing touches on our soon to be New Website, so we’ll take a short cut and dip back into our archives… All the photos shown here were taken by Andres Bicocca at the 2017 European Bonsai … Continue reading Bonsai Deadwood, Too Much or Just Right?

Bonsai, Babies & Roshi Tools

Three photos of the same tree at different times. I think it’s probably the same baby too. No identification of the tree is given, but it looks a lot like a Japanese beech I try to focus on bonsai and stay away from babies and kittens (here on Bark at least), but for some reason I couldn’t pass this one up (it helps that the tree is magnificent). The babies and the photos below were posted by Matthijs Hartjes, a Bonsai Bark first timer ROSHI TOOL SPECIAL ENDS TOMORROW NIGHT 30% OFF see below – Japanese maple for sure, but no variety is given … Continue reading Bonsai, Babies & Roshi Tools

The Beast of Bare-Boned Bonsai

Japanese beech forest on a curved slab. From Bonsai Today issue 24. Artist unknown. Japanese beech (Fagus crenata), with their striking white bark, strong trunks (often with excellent nebari) and beautiful smallish leaves, are a favorite of many bonsai artists, especially in Japan. Unfortunately, they aren’t that easy to find her in North America and our native beech (Fagus grandifolia), though a sweet and prolific tree is too rangy and large-leafed to make for very good bonsai (the European beech, Fagus sylvatica, which you can find, is a much better bet). All the trees in this post are Japanese beech … Continue reading The Beast of Bare-Boned Bonsai

Getting It Right This Time

Is it just me, or does this spectacular tree feel like it’s just barely clinging to the pot? My eye keeps returning the highest point on the right where the trunk and soil meet and questioning whether it will hold. I guess that tension is one of the many things that distinguishes this remarkable bonsai. Getting things right the first time is better, but… Two days ago I posted some trees I found at Bonsai Center Sopelana and titled the post ‘Bonsai from the Basque Country.’ Had I paid more attention I would have noticed that the trees are from … Continue reading Getting It Right This Time

Bonsai from the Basque Country

Rather than focus on the more obvious features on this magnificent two headed pine, it might be interesting to take a look at the low foliage that reaches down and touches in front of the base of the trunk. Though you might be tempted to remove it and show better show the base of the trunk and the line to the right, still, I think it serves to help bring the eye back to the tree’s balance point, rather than jumping back and forth between the two very strong competing halves of the tree. Another way of approaching this is, … Continue reading Bonsai from the Basque Country

Bonsai for You

Close up of a Tamarix bonsai by Harry Harrington (bonsai4me.com). This tree started as a taperless stump (see below). Four pretty good reasons I can think of at least four reasons why I enjoy visiting Harry Harrington’s bonsai4me.com. First, his style is distinctive; I’m pretty sure I could pick Harry’s trees out of selection of random bonsai. Second, Harry uses a wider range of species for bonsai than almost anyone and many of these are seldom seen in quality bonsai galleries (Spirea, Downy birch, Fuchsia, Tamarix, Little leaf linden…). Third, Harry’s choice of pots is excellent (all of the pots … Continue reading Bonsai for You

Fall Color: Writ Small

Trident maple from the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum, North American Collection in Washington DC. Donated by Brussel Martin. You can tell by the color It’s most definitely fall here in Vermont (you can tell by the color and the swoonable luminous sunny days). But even though our fall color is renowned, we’re not the only place with such good fortune. Washington DC, Japan, Germany, pretty much everywhere there are distinct seasons have their own psychedelic displays. This time it’s a Japanese wax tree (Rhus succedanea) in Japan. The photo is from Bonsai Today issue 26. Fall color in Germany. … Continue reading Fall Color: Writ Small

Pruning Deciduous Bonsai: Beech

It’s time to start thinking about dormant pruning. This page of simple illustrations shows pruning and pinching basics for beech trees. It’s the first of a series of posts on training deciduous bonsai. The illustrations are from Bonsai Today issue 41.