Bonsai tree tools

Putting the Art in the Art of Bonsai

Magical realism? Or putting the art in the art of bonsai? Or both? I’m trying not to indulge in too much hyperbole… still, this tree expresses something completely unique*… or at the very least, a break with conventional design. And it and it’s pot are to my eye at least, simply beautiful All three trees shown here are from Hong Kong Bonsai Pots on fb. No names or attribution are provided, but I couldn’t resist anyway. Especially the one above (with closeups just below) TWO NEW SPECIALS 25% – 30% OFF bonsai & other bookS 20% OFF BONSAI CLOTHING Specials apply to … Continue reading Putting the Art in the Art of Bonsai

For Every Highly Stylized Bonsai, There’s One that Breaks the Mold

For every highly stylized Japanese bonsai, there’s one like this that breaks the mold. It’s a Japanese red pine from Japan’s 80th Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition (2006) Yesterday we featured several trees from this year’s Kokufu Exhibition, including a couple Japanese pines (Black and White). Today we’ve got some Japanese Red pines (Pinus densiflora) from the 2006 Kokufu Exhibition. All the photos are courtesy of Michael Bonsai NEW INCREASED SITE WIDE SALE 25% OFF all orders 25.00 or more INCLUDING ITEMS ALREADY DISCOUNTED PLUS AN EXTRA 10% OFF ROSHI TOOLS & TOOL KITS Discounts Are Applied at Checkout STONELANTERN.COM   Closer up … Continue reading For Every Highly Stylized Bonsai, There’s One that Breaks the Mold

A Muscular Monster, Before and After

I found this Picea abies (Norway spruce, aka European spruce) before and after at Mandala Bonsai Ilona. Though it would be great to know just how large this tree is, nothing more than just the type tree and before and after is offered on the timeline This magnificent, muscular monster (sorry!) is from Mandala Bonsai Ilona’s timeline. In this case, the before and after process mostly involves bringing an already well established bonsai back into shape. With one new design element added; the first branch is now a jin (the bark was stripped and the resulting dead branch is left on the tree as an intentional feature). Otherwise, … Continue reading A Muscular Monster, Before and After

FOUR GREAT SPECIALS End Sunday Night – Bonsai Books, Koyo Tools, Okatsune Tools & Tie Pots

BONSAI BOOKS, KOYO BONSAI TOOLS, OKATSUNE BONSAI TOOLS & TIE POT SPECIALS ALL END SUNDAY, JANUARY 6TH AT 11:59PM JAPANESE TOOL SPECIALS End Sunday, Jan 6th at 11:59pm EST 25% OFF KOYO BONSAI TOOLS 25% OFF OKATSUNE BONSAI & GARDEN TOOLS EXTRA 10% OFF ORDERS 150.00 OR MORE – DISCOUNTS ARE APPLIED AT CHECKOUT   25% OFF BONSAI BOOK SPECIAL Ends Sunday Jan 6th at 11:59pm EST EXTRA 10% OFF ORDERS 150.00 OR MORE –DISCOUNTS ARE APPLIED AT CHECKOUT – TIE POT SPECIAL ALSO ENDS SUNDAY NIGHT GROW YOUR OWN WITH THE ULTIMATE TRAINING POT SPECIAL PRICE 18.00 ONLY 16.00 … Continue reading FOUR GREAT SPECIALS End Sunday Night – Bonsai Books, Koyo Tools, Okatsune Tools & Tie Pots

One Famous Bonsai Artist, One Tree & One T-Shirt

I love this tree with its gently flushed little apples (crabapples), its muscular trunk, subtle movement, gradual taper and well-aged bark. I even love its handlebar branches.* Today it’s The Venerable** Walter Pall, famous bonsai artist, entertainer and entrepreneur. We’ll keep it short and sweet with just one tree and one photo of the man himself (the tree is worth a whole post to itself and needless to say, the same goes for Walter) STONE LANTERN’S SPECIALS END TOMORROW NIGHT see below – Walter in his American Bonsai T-shirt *Thanks to joakimthoresen **If you’re really good at something and you live long enough, you might become … Continue reading One Famous Bonsai Artist, One Tree & One T-Shirt

Bonsai on a Man Made Rock from Scratch

Before and after planting on a man made ‘rock’ by Marc Noelanders. No mention is made of the type tree or what the rock is made of. Still, the result is impressive and the photographic progression with the shaping of the rock is an added plus We’ve shown a number of bonsai on synthetic rocks over the years. Mostly by Kimura, a pioneer in this medium (and other bonsai media as well). But this time it’s Marc Noelanders, a Western bonsai pioneer. What you  often see with this type planting is the finished product, but  this time we get a peek into … Continue reading Bonsai on a Man Made Rock from Scratch

More Bonsai Stories

I like the natural, almost untouched feeling of this tree. Here’s what Michael Hagedorn wrote about it…. “Foemina Juniper styled in the manner of a needle juniper, taking two yearly trims with a good cleaning out of detritus from the pad interiors. Old tree from California, begun decades ago by Shig Miya.” Continuing with yesterday’s ‘Bonsai Stories,‘ we’ve got a few more of Michael Hagedorn’s trees and their short stories. You can follow Michael on facebook or, for more in depth stories on most of his trees, you can visit his website/blog Two New Specials at Stone Lantern see below Unlike the tree above, this sign … Continue reading More Bonsai Stories

Pots, Pines & Other Small Bonsai

Haruyosi Shohin pine with a twist Continuing with yesterday’s small bonsai theme… Today it’s our old friend Haruyosi, a highly accomplished and prolific small bonsai and small pot artist. None of today’s photos have been shown here before. If you want more, you can enjoy a wealth of great photos on  Haruyosi’s fb site and here on Bonsai Bark as well ONLY TWO MORE DAYS 40% OFF ALL BOOKS 40% OFF ROSHI BONSAI TOOLS SEE BELOW – No identification is provided, but this one looks like a Crabapple   You can see clearly that this is a two needle pine. Both Japanese black pines … Continue reading Pots, Pines & Other Small Bonsai

Two Potentilla Bonsai & Two Brand New Books

Would you ever guess that these two little gems are Potentilla? Both are sweet in their own way, and so’s the photo; the muted painterly background, the contrasting pot colors and contrasting dead and live wood on both trees. I don’t know what the little companion is, but I like it too. I found it on Roman Stresow’s timeline. His caption is Just two Potentilla When I saw the photo above and then read that the trees were Potentilla (aka Cinquefoil), I felt a little tug of excitement. Not only were both little trees unique, but they’re Potentilla, a type tree I have … Continue reading Two Potentilla Bonsai & Two Brand New Books

A High Degree of Bonsai Skill, Artistic Vision & No Lack of Deadwood at the Recent European Bonsai-San Show

Close up of the intricate deadwood on a Sabina juniper (Juniperus sabina) that belongs to Xavier Massanet. You can see the whole tree below Finally, some good photos from the recent European Bonsai-San Show! Salvatore Liporace was kind enough to post them on his timeline under the heading European Bonsai Show Saulieu Awards 2018!!!. No mention is made of which tree won which award, but Salvatore did bother to put up the names of the owners and the names of the trees, a real plus in our sometimes sketchy online universe, where these valuable pieces of information are often overlooked By the way, Salatore Liporace is one of Europe’s most … Continue reading A High Degree of Bonsai Skill, Artistic Vision & No Lack of Deadwood at the Recent European Bonsai-San Show