Messages from Our National Bonsai Treasure

John Naka’s famous Pomegranate (Punica granatum) has been in training since 1963. It was donated to the North American Collection at the U.S. National Bonsai & Penjing Museum by Alice Naka in 1990. There’s something about a quality bonsai displayed with a beautiful scroll. Our thanks to Alexander Voorhies for this and the other photos shown here. Our friends at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum invite you, as a fellow lover and supporter of bonsai, to sign up for Museum Messages today. Once you join the mailing list, we hope you will see and appreciate all the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum has … Continue reading Messages from Our National Bonsai Treasure

It’s About the Flowers (& More than Just the Flowers)

Haruyosi is at it again. This time it’s a flowering Crab apple (Malus prunifolia) with a perfect little yellow pot. All the images in this post were borrowed from Haruyosi’s facebook photos. We can’t go too long without coming back to Haruyosi’s exquisite little trees. Once again it’s the delicate flowers that caught the eye. Crab apple and quince this time. Two of the very best when it comes to flowering trees and shrubs. However, when we’re talking about accomplished bonsai artists, it’s always about more than just the flowers. There’s the simple beauty of the little trees themselves (with … Continue reading It’s About the Flowers (& More than Just the Flowers)

Bonsai in Brooklyn

Cork bark Chinese elm in full fall brilliance at the Brooklyn Botanic Garden. You don’t see that many good Chinese elm bonsai. At least I don’t. I like this one a lot; its color, the heavy trunk with its corky bark, the handsome Tokoname pot. This photo and the others in this post are from the bonsai collection on the Brooklyn Botanic Gardens website. I think the quality of the Brooklyn Botanic bonsai collection has been improving for a while now. Still not a world class collection, but getting there. Speaking of world-class collections, I think the U.S. lags a … Continue reading Bonsai in Brooklyn

Is All Forgiven? Well… Not Quite

Is all forgiven when a bonsai flowers? In this case, after the brilliant white dazzle (with soft touches of pink and yellow), there’s the strong trunk with a nice flaring base. But still, my eye keeps going back to the scar and the messy little stuff underneath it, and the somewhat clunky pot. Is it just me? From Jose Pañeda’s Photos – mis bonsáis. Those magical few days… I remember the first time I saw a what I thought was a so-so bonsai displaying gorgeous flowers. It was in Bonsai Today (long before I became the publisher) and the photo … Continue reading Is All Forgiven? Well… Not Quite