Honeysuckle Bonsai – Before & After (& One Small Bonus)

This massive old Honeysuckle belongs to our friend Andy Rutledge. Here’s what Andy has to say about it, “The photo is not particularly well done, but I tried to make a decent backdrop. It’s just after a bit of new-growth pinching this afternoon. It’s a Lonicera (don’t know the species). It was collected by my teacher Nick Lenz a while back. Been in my care since 2010. It’s coming along.” Continued below… Two Brand New Bonsai Wire Sales 25% off 2+ rolls of 500 gram Bonsai Aesthetics Wire 25% off 2+ rolls of U.S. manufactured Copper Wire* plus an extra … Continue reading Honeysuckle Bonsai – Before & After (& One Small Bonus)

Francesco Santini, Seven Years Later

I found this gnarly old European yew (Taxus Baccata) on Francesco Santini’s website. We’ve been featuring yews a lot these days. They make excellent bonsai and there are countless old specimens in temperate zone gardens (and in the wild) in Europe, North American and elsewhere (not all are T baccata however, as there are several other species scattered around the world). It’s been a long time. Way back in February of 2010 we featured a couple trees that belong to Francesco Santini. Now, seven years on, he’s still at it and so are we. This time however, we’ll double down … Continue reading Francesco Santini, Seven Years Later

Fairy Tale Bonsai

This wild and wooly Honeysuckle belongs to Walter Pall. Here’s his caption: “Tatarian honeysuckle, Lonicera tatarica, collected in Norway in 2010.. This species is quite interesting and very rare as bonsai. It throws hundreds of shoots in early spring. But after wiring most of them die – in my garden at least. Anyway, slowly but gradually the tree starts to look decent. This may be classified as Fairy Tale Style.” We usually go for a more finished look, but these rough lightly-styled collected trees are too good to pass up. They are from Walter Pall’s Bonsai Adventures. I’ll just mention … Continue reading Fairy Tale Bonsai

Nick’s Bonsai & FREE ITEMS Last Day

I know many of you have already seen this somewhat unruly apple, but many of you haven’t. Either way, it’s a very distinctive bonsai, and it’s flowering no less! You can find it on the back cover of Nick Lenz’ landmark book on collecting, Bonsai from the Wild. Larch master Lenz It seems like high time to return to our old friend Larch Master Nick Lenz. Especially since we just received some new photos of some of Nick’s trees from Candy Shirey, who is now their proud owner. This isn’t the first time we’ve featured bonsai of Nick’s that now … Continue reading Nick’s Bonsai & FREE ITEMS Last Day

We Have a Winner!

Ferry Freriks’ stout-trunked little Honeysuckle takes the grand prize in a down to the wire contest for a $100 gift certificate from Stone Lantern. Congrats Ferry! Oh so close Altogether 41 people (including me) submitted their choices. The total count for the first three finishers (see below for photos of the other two) were: Ferry’s Honeysuckle 84. John Romano’s Erodium 80. Brian and Jill’s (no last name) Serissa 80. Next time When I started this contest it didn’t occur that it would be so close. Next time I’ll divide the prize among the first three finishers. Meanwhile, John and Brian … Continue reading We Have a Winner!