New Roshi Tool Special & New Shohin Bonsai Course

Colorful fall highlights at Morten Albek’s Shohin bonsai garden NEW ONLINE BONSAI COURSE Morten Albek of Shohin Bonsai Europe and Oscar Jonker at Bonsai Empire have teamed up to create a Brand New Online Shohin Bonsai Course. I am familiar with both of these gentlemen (Stone Lantern published and edited Morten’s Shohin Bonsai, Majesty in Miniature – sorry, out of print – and I’ve been borrowing great photos from Oscar for a long time), so if my two cents are still worth anything, I’m betting it’s a winner You’ll need some good tools if you’re going to take the course NEW ROSHI TOOL SPECIAL 30% … Continue reading New Roshi Tool Special & New Shohin Bonsai Course

Magnificent Cliff Bonsai & Bjorn’s Advanced Bonsai Course

Here’s a challenge for you. Take a look at this Cliff Bonsai photo and the next couple (but don’t scroll all the way down) and see if you can figure out just how big they are. I borrowed this and the other photos in this post from Bonsai Empire. The artist/mastercraftsman is Daisuke Nakajima. Here’s what Oscar (Bonsai Empire) wrote about these Cliff Bonsai… “Trees clinging to a steep cliff, roots entangled in solid rock and beautifully detailed miniature buildings – welcome to the mysterious world of “Cliff Bonsai”. Japanese artist Daisuke Nakajima created these four stunning miniature landscapes, and agreed to share his creations with us. … Continue reading Magnificent Cliff Bonsai & Bjorn’s Advanced Bonsai Course

American Larch Season

I found this photo in an article about larch at Bonsai Empire. No artist or owner is given. It’s most likely a European larch (Larix decidua), though I can’t say for sure. Here’s a quote from the article… “The larch is a popular Bonsai species, since trunks grow thicker quite quickly and the tree displays stunning seasonal colors. Two common species exist, the Larix decidua (European Larch) and the Larix kaempferi (Japanese Larch).” Whoops! I think our hard working and normally knowledgeable friend Oscar (Mr Bonsai Empire) suffered a momentary lapse and forgot our American larch (Larix laricina)*, one of the very best species for … Continue reading American Larch Season

Great Bonsai Photos Make a Real Difference

Close up of Chinese quince that belongs to Luis Vallejo. Here’s the original caption… “Pseudocydonia sinensis (Thouin), Masahiko Kimura Nursery, Japan, in the Luis Vallejo bonsai collection since 2009” There’s a photo of the whole magnificent tree at the bottom of this post We featured a few Luis Vallejo bonsai yesterday and now it’s his bonsai again today. This time with some of the best quality bonsai photographs we’ve seen yet. A friend sent me a link to them last night from Pinterest (via Empire Bonsai). Continued below… SPECIAL ENDS WEDNESDAY GREEN T BASIC MODEL HYDRAULIC LIFT TURNTABLE details below… This little gem … Continue reading Great Bonsai Photos Make a Real Difference

Shopping for Bonsai in Japan

I’ve always had a soft spot for three fingered Shohin bonsai (bonsai that are easily held with three fingers). Particularly ones from Japan, where most of the good ones seem to show up… at least in photos. This one looks like a Shimpaku juniper. It’s from Bonsái Pavía, as are all the photos in this post. Today must be my lucky day. Not only did I discover a new bonsai company (new to us at least), I also discover a never before used theme for Bonsai Bark… shopping for bonsai in Japan. The new company is Bonsái Pavía in Madrid, Spain. They’re the ones doing … Continue reading Shopping for Bonsai in Japan

Backyard Bonsai – #15

Bonsai with Koi. This shot is from Kunio Kobayashi’s Shunkaen Bonsai Museum in Tokyo. The concrete display poles are made to look like tree trunks. All but one of the photos in this post are borrowed from Bonsai Empire. Yesterday we featured Kunio Kobayashi’s bonsai, so why not keep going on the same track (more or less… just the first two photos are from his Shunkaen Bonsai Museum)? This post originally appeared in November, 2015. This is the fifthteenth post in our long-standing Backyard Bonsai series. However, if memory serves, this is the first time that we’ve shown commercial gardens … Continue reading Backyard Bonsai – #15

A Powerful Colorado Blue Spruce Bonsai & Its Story of Age & Hardship

This gnarled old Colorado Blue Spruce (Picea pungens) won the prize for the Finest All American composition at the 5th U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition. It belongs to Jason Eider. I borrowed the photos shown here from Oscar of Bonsai Empire. Moving along with our leisurely journey through the 5th U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition’s prize winning bonsai. Continued below…. A quick reminder about our 20% to 30% off Site Wide Sale 20% to 30% off includes everything* we offer including our vast selection of Bonsai Tools The powerful old shari with its marks of age and abuse. I almost walked by … Continue reading A Powerful Colorado Blue Spruce Bonsai & Its Story of Age & Hardship

A Magnificent Monster & Bjorn’s Online Bonsai Course

The magnificent monster was sent to us by Oscar at Bonsai Empire. It’s part of a package about Bjorn Bjorholm’s upcoming online intermediate bonsai course. This post is not so much about this tree above (or the others shown here) as it is about an upcoming online bonsai course by Bjorn Bjorholm. However, I will assume a connection… that Bjorn at some point had a hand and scissors in them all. He has been fortunate in that regard; his six plus years of apprenticeship under the famous Bonsai master Keiichi Fujikawa afforded countless opportunities to advance his hard earned skills … Continue reading A Magnificent Monster & Bjorn’s Online Bonsai Course

Old Bonsai & Ancient Trees

This magnificent Juniper bonsai is said to be 800 years old, which makes it a very old bonsai. But not the oldest bonsai we know of and nowhere near the oldest living tree in the world. It resides at Kunio Kobayashi’s Shunka-en Bonsai Museum in Tokyo. I borrowed the photo from Bonsai Empire. Old Tjikko. This lonely Norway spruce (Picea abies) is said to be 9,500 years old. But the trunk you see in this photo is only a few hundred years old. The tree above is called Old Tjikko. It originally gained fame as the world’s oldest tree, but … Continue reading Old Bonsai & Ancient Trees

Satsuki Bonsai – A Passion for Variety & Beauty

This wildly colorful Satsuki Azalea is from a Flowering Bonsai Gallery in Bonsai Today issue 65 (image courtesy of Bonsai Focus). If you take a close look at the flowers, you’ll see that there are a number of different shades and patterns. A mark of human passion for beauty and endless variation. There are few things as delightful as Satsuki azalea bonsai in full bloom. Especially in person. Lacking that, next best are high quality photos of Satsuki azalea in full bloom. Especially during the darkest and coldest days of winter. We borrowed this stunning (some might say gaudy) Satsuki … Continue reading Satsuki Bonsai – A Passion for Variety & Beauty