Great Bonsai, Great Photos

We’ve featured this tree before, but now I can’t find it (read, just back from vacation, too much to do and don’t want to be bothered). It looks kinda Ilex like, but neither my guessing skills nor my memory are up to much. Anyway, it’s a great little tree (if you can take your eyes off the pot long enough to see it… which is not to say that I don’t like the pot, because I really like it and I also think it’s a daring choice for the tree). This photo and all the photos in this post are … Continue reading Great Bonsai, Great Photos

A Nice Pot, a Little Soil…

Succulent with flowers. Such brilliant colors are hard to argue with. All the companion plantings shown here are succulents that belong to Eraydin Erdogan, a bonsai potter living in Turkey (the pots are his creations). The great thing about succulents is that anybody can grow them. All you need is a nice pot, a little soil and a juicy little plant or two. No green thumb or amazing sense of aesthetics necessary. You can even forget to water (up to a point at least). The following three paragraphs are from earlier Bonsai Bark posts (from 2011 and from 2009). If … Continue reading A Nice Pot, a Little Soil…

Good Companions

Sumptuous succulents, perfect pot. Planting by Wolfgang Putz. Pot by Dan Barton. From Wolfgang’s website. Good companions. We’ve featured Wolfgang Putz several times (mostly his bonsai) and ditto with Dan Barton (mostly his pots). Now we’ve got them in one place; Wolfgang’s website; specifically the section on Companion plantings. Looks like an altogether auspicious collaboration. Hosta “Golden Tiara” – FUNKIE by Wolfgang Putz. Slightly split pot by Dan Barton. All the companions in this post are by Wolfgang and all the pots are by Dan. Pleione limprichtii – TIBETORCHIDEE Sempervivum spec. – HAUSWURZ Sempervivum arachnoideum – … Continue reading Good Companions

Bonsai Art

The day has barely started and I’m already running out of superlatives. I guess ‘spectacular’ will do in this case. It’s a Korean hornbeam (Carpinus turczaninowii) by Ian Stewartson. The photo is from Bonsai Art’s website. Bonsai Art magazine is very well named. As bonsai magazines go, it is as well-done, beautiful and professional as they come (taking nothing nothing away from International Bonsai Magazine and several other good ones). The problem, for most of us at least, is that it’s in German. But really, the photos and overall presentation are so good that maybe the language isn’t as important … Continue reading Bonsai Art

A Cozy Companion

I’m not sure if I’ve ever seen a potted companion sitting on the soil surface of a larger bonsai. I found the photo on facebook (unattributed, which seems to be a norm). I think the companion is a Mondo grass. Is the tree a Serissa? Just a quickie this time I’m still trying to catch up between vacations, so we’ll have to settle for a one tree post. Next time we’ll give you a little more to sink your teeth into.

Small Is Beautiful

Caught in the act of flowering. This ubiquitous little hawthorn belongs to Morten Albek, shohin bonsai artist, author and teacher. The display appeared during a visit to Denmark by Tomohiro Masumi. Tomohiro Masumi, Morten Albek & Shohin bonsai Rather than bore you with my take on things, I’ll just post a few photos I think you might appreciate. If you want more (photos and information), you can visit Morten’s facebook post on Tomohiro Masumi’s visit to Denmark, or you can go directly to Morten’s website. If you’d like to dig deeper, you can also visit Tomohiro’s website. And then there’s … Continue reading Small Is Beautiful

Companions for Lonely Bonsai

I borrowed this intriguing display from Bonsai Art magazine’s website (I guess you can tell). I like the tree a lot, but it’s the companion that really caught my eye. Companions, accents, shitakusa, kusamono… whatever you call them One thing I like about companion plants is that good ones can have dual functions: you can team them with bonsai to create dynamic displays, or, if they are good enough, they can be displayed alone. This mystery plant from our mystery book easily stands alone. One companion plant keeps three bonsai and a suiseki company in this circular shohin display. … Continue reading Companions for Lonely Bonsai

Bonsai Rebar & Other Wonders

Have you ever used rebar to shape a bonsai? Every time I see it done, I get inspired, but still haven’t tried it. Mario Komsta calls this photo ‘sylvestris fever,’ so I guess it must be a Scot’s pine. Mario Komsta All the photos in this post are from Mario Komsta’s photos on facebook. Some of them are unique and most are quite compelling. Here’s a few to whet your appetite. There are plenty more where these came from. Encore! We’ve featured Mario a couple time on Bonsai Bark and also in Bonsai Today magazine (issues 102 and 105, and … Continue reading Bonsai Rebar & Other Wonders

Another Use for Bonsai Pots

I lifted this from Bonsai Smiths’ gallery. I like the planting and I especially like the pot. I wonder who made it (I assume one of the Smiths did the planting). Kusamono or Shitakusa? Willi knows best In his book Bonsai, Kusamono, Suiseki, Willi Benz says “Kusa = grass and Mono = object.” He goes on to say “If a Kusamono-Bonsai is the main object of a display, we use the term Kusamono. But if a Kusamono-Bonsai is used as an accent or complementary plant, we say it is a Shitakusa.” This one is from one of our mystery Japanese … Continue reading Another Use for Bonsai Pots

Accent Plants!

Ajuga, fern, sedum. Artist and potter unknown. Bonsai Tonight and the Bay Area Bonsai Associates’ 28th annual show I found these sweet little accents on Bonsai Tonight. They are from the Bay Area Bonsai Associates’ 28th annual show. Unfortunately, no artist’s or potter’s names are listed. Can anyone out there offer any help? I like this earthy, uniquely shaped hand made pot. Anybody know who made it and who did the planting?