This radically eccentric California juniper was donated to the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum by Harry Hirao (Mr. California Juniper). It is only a small part of a wonderful collection of world class bonsai that you’ll find at the Museum. A visit every bonsai enthusiast (especially those of us in north America) would do well to consider.
Did Harry play a practical joke?
The taper is all wrong and the trunk forms a crazy upside down U shape. Did Harry play a practical joke on the National Museum?
Or, I am pulling your leg?
…you could do a lot worse than this one
It’s worth the trip, even if you don’t live in (or near) southern California. For more information visit the Golden State Bonsai Federation website.
Pioneer state
California, perhaps more than anywhere else outside of Asia (no offense meant to anyone or anywhere else) has been out front in developing the art of bonsai. No doubt a number of factors are responsible, not the least of which is a strong Japanese American community and a growing season that lasts almost forever, with enough sun and heat in one year to last us a lifetime here in Vermont.
The GSBF
Another factor that goes hand in hand with the ones mentioned above is the Golden State Bonsai Federation. It’s been around for a long time (fill us in if you know how long) and does a great job tying together California’s large robust bonsai community.
Continue reading ‘If You Only Visit One Bonsai Convention This Year…’
Here’s another shot of the man and the tree. Both are very impressive in their own way, though neither provided much mystery, at least for those of you who responded. BTW: here’s where we borrowed this photo and the photo that appears in contest #4.
The winner…
… is John Callaway. John wasn’t the only one to get it right, but he was the first one to get it right.
The man…
…is Mr. California Juniper, Harry Hirao.
The tree…
…is (appropriately) a California juniper. The botanical name is Juniperus californica.
And the source…
…is Kofu Review; Kofu Bonsai Kai. Check it out, it’s a great site.
Continue reading ‘Contest #4: Winner, Answer, Link & More’
This Scot’s pine (Pinus sylvestris) by Walter Pall is from the cover of Bonsai Today issue 104. It was presented by Walter as an example of a naturalistic bonsai.
“… too many of these bonsai look like they are made of plastic…”
The whole quote, which was written by Walter Pall, and appears in Bonsai Today issue 104, goes like this: “I have seen that the trend in styling is toward more and more refinement, which often takes away all the naturalness. I find that too many of these bonsai look like they are made of plastic and are not real.”
You be the judge
To my eyes, Walter Pall’s Scot’s pine is a wonderful bonsai. That’s why we chose it for the cover of Bonsai Today. But we’ve also featured some much more stylized and refined trees for covers; trees that we like. Are these trees overly refined and plastic looking?
Continue reading ‘The Great Debate part 2: You Be the Judge’
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