Weekly Wire: Back On His Feet, Nature’s Deadwood & Keeping Things Up to Date

Remember Isao Omachi? Isao’s house and bonsai nursery were swept away in the tsunami. That’s the tough news. The good news is that hundreds, maybe thousands of people in our international bonsai community donated to help Isao and his family get back on thier feet. As a result of this effort (and Isao’s and his family’s determination) Isao is back doing what he loves. This is our good fortune; Isao is one of the featured bonsai artists at the Mid Atlantic Bonsai Societies 2012 Spring Festival. This sweet colorful bonsai is from Isao facebook page. It looks like a Japanese … Continue reading Weekly Wire: Back On His Feet, Nature’s Deadwood & Keeping Things Up to Date

Voila!

Much Better! Here’s the tree that is featured in our last post, in focus this time. It was sent by Ferry Freriks, who BTW submitted the first tree to our Unique Bonsai Contest. Ferry has done his research and here’s what he came up with: Hello Mr. Schoech, I tried to post a comment on the post of the Taiwanese tree, but after submitting it, the site told me it was “Too spammy”. So instead I’m sending it by e-mail. Here’s the full size picture of this tree: http://sidiao.myweb.hinet.net/2004htm/p13.htm ;-) According to the website (http://sidiao.myweb.hinet.net, the personal website of one … Continue reading Voila!

Unique Bonsai Contest: Entry #1 – Honeysuckle

This little Boxleaf honeysuckle (Lonicera nitida) belongs to Ferry Freriks of the Netherlands. Though it has room for improvement, still it’s a decent example of what you can do with a well chosen nursery plant, a few tools and a little time (four years in this case). The pot, in Ferry’s words, is “cheap Chinese.” A better pot This tree is on it’s way to becoming a worthy shohin bonsai. One of the surest ways to speed up that process is to put it in a better pot. Something just over half as deep would make the strong little trunk … Continue reading Unique Bonsai Contest: Entry #1 – Honeysuckle

Enjoy Life! Enter Our $100 Unique Bonsai Contest

I found this little gem on the giardinipiscine website while I was looking for something else (that’s one of the wonders of the web). It looks like an azalea of some sort, but it’s the size (or lack of it), not its ID, that gives it juice. A bonsai in hand… … might be worth a $100 gift certificate from Stone Lantern. It doesn’t have to be small… … but, small enough to be held up by the fingers of one hand. The winner won’t necessarily be the smallest tree, but rather the tree that we feel is the most … Continue reading Enjoy Life! Enter Our $100 Unique Bonsai Contest

Masters’ Gallery #3: World Bonsai Contest

As you can see, this tree by Zhuang Weijun is the Grand Winner of the World Bonsai Friendship Federation‘s 2009 Bonsai Photo Contest. I was very taken with this tree as well as the runner ups, and several of these entrants. As far as ascertaining the types of trees and other pertinent information (with the exception of the artist’s names and countries), maybe you’ll have better luck than I.

Get Out Your Camera! AoB Awards Coming Up

This Red escallonia (Escallonia rubra ‘Woodside’) by Mike Page is from the Bonsai Today/Art of Bonsai 2006 photo contest. If you are interested, you can find the winning photos in Bonsai Today issue 106. Don’t be shy Stone Lantern and Bonsai Bark are delighted to announce that we one of the sponsors of The Art of Bonsai Project’s annual photo contest. The contest provides an excellent opportunity for you to delve into preparing and photographing your bonsai. Two practices that will open your eyes in ways that may surprise you. Really, don’t be shy and don’t think your trees have … Continue reading Get Out Your Camera! AoB Awards Coming Up