A Rugged Old Mugo Pine and a Lovely Japanese Garden

Close up of an old yamadori Mugo pine’s trunk. It belongs to Mariusz Folda. Here’s his caption… “Pinus mugo in training at IBUKI for 16 years.” IBUKI is Mariusz’s Bonsai and Ceramics studio in Bielsko-Biala, Poland There’s a lot to like about this old Mugo pine. Aged bark is always a plus as is deeply fissured, naturally colored deadwood. Perhaps most striking is the way the foliage clings to the trunk and primary branches, creating a low dense canopy that enhances the story of a rugged life at the tree line in a high mountain range (three in a row… don’t tell my high school English teacher). Maybe somewhere in the Alps in this case, … Continue reading A Rugged Old Mugo Pine and a Lovely Japanese Garden

It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere

This perfect little pine belongs to Suthin. His caption reads… “Shohin Japanese black pine ‘sunsho'” We can’t stay away from our old friend Suthin for long… I wonder if I’m the only one who can’t quite grasp how Suthin creates (for lack of a better word) so many great bonsai. A seemingly endless stream of beautiful trees flow from his nursery workshop into an eagerly awaiting world of bonsai lovers (too much coffee?). All the photos show here are from (you guessed it) Suthin’s facebook timeline. Wire Special Ends Today 500 gram (1.1 lb) BONSAI WIRE ONLY 7.95 PER ROLL special ends … Continue reading It’s Five O’Clock Somewhere

Japanese Maple Bonsai with a Natural Look

This rugged, natural looking Japanese maple belongs to Walter Pall, an artist with a longstanding commitment to natural looking bonsai If there’s one thing you could say about Walter Pall (aside from his prodigious skill) it’s that his bonsai never look over styled. They tend toward the natural untouched-by-human-hands look, though in fact, Walter’s hands are deeply involved every step of the way. Continued below… NEW KOYO BONSAI TOOL SPECIAL all Koyo Tools 25% to 40% off list prices Masters Sword Shears one of over 50 different Koyo tools we offer this special ends Nov 14th, at noon EST – A closer look … Continue reading Japanese Maple Bonsai with a Natural Look

A Brilliant New Book!

Houses and Gardens of Kyoto. In this case, you can tell a book by its cover. This is one of the two or three most beautiful Japanese gardens we’ve ever seen. And it’s not just about Japanese gardens. The houses (actually houses and other types of buildings) present some of the most perfect artistry and craftsmanship anywhere and the gardens are every bit as good. Best of all, the photos are original (well, almost all of them) If you’ve spent much time with garden books from Japan, you may have noticed that most of them feature many of the same … Continue reading A Brilliant New Book!

NEW! The Japanese Tea Garden

Marc Keane’s latest addition to the wonderful world of Japanese gardens. Hardcover- 10 1/2″ x 8 1.4″ – 284 pages – 117 color photos & illustrations More than just another Japanese garden book Though it features numerous world class Japanese gardens, this beautiful, richly photographed and illustrated volume is much more than just another Japanese garden book. Marc Peter Keane, renowned author and designer takes you on a guided tour of Japanese tea gardens, from ancient times to the modern day. It’s a journey that looks at how social. religious. aesthetic, and philosophical influences combined over hundreds of years to … Continue reading NEW! The Japanese Tea Garden

Nothing Compares to Shin-Boku

Shin-Boku Nursery from the air. You can’t tell, but almost every one of the plants in this photo are specimen quality Japanese garden trees. Some are ten or fifteen feet tall, others are potential bonsai. All are old and range from excellent to amazing. Doug doesn’t mince his words Here’s what Doug Roth, the publisher and editor of the Journal of Japanese Gardening has to say: “Shin-Boku Nursery is the finest Japanese garden tree nursery in North America.” Ditto! Yesterday I visited Baker Valley Nursery (see below) for the forth or fifth time. Both Shin-Boku and Baker Valley are owned … Continue reading Nothing Compares to Shin-Boku

Portland’s Famous Japanese Garden

This photo shows one key piece of Portland Oregon’s vast and varied Japanese garden. Actually, it’s five distinct gardens combined (see the map/drawing below). Not exactly bonsai, but still… I have a soft spot for Japanese style (and other beautiful) gardens. The same goes for trees in nature. Though neither are bonsai and bonsai is probably why you’re here, still, the connection is obvious (or is it…?). In any case, be sure to visit Portland’s treasure if you are ever in the area. Five gardens in one. This bird’s eye map gives you a pretty good idea of the layout … Continue reading Portland’s Famous Japanese Garden

Backyard Bonsai #5: Wunderbare Gartenkunst

This shot provides a glimpse of one small corner of of Michael Veith’s magical world. His living-in-art approach, is a great way to integrate bonsai, gardening and much of the rest of what makes life interesting. The iceburg’s tip The photos here represent only a small piece of what you’ll find at Michael Veith’s world of bonsai, gardens and art. This shot from a little farther away, places some bonsai in a larger context.

Calendars: Avoid Confusion in 2010

Here’s our 2010 bonsai calendar. Below is our Japanese garden calendar. You can find them at Stone Lantern. Enjoy world class bonsai while you keep track of the date Some of your have been getting your calendars from us for at least ten years, maybe longer. Might as well keep the tradition going; or start a new one. With our bonsai calendar, you’ll stay inspired and you won’t suffer the horrible confusion of not knowing what year it is, let alone what month and day. Ditto world class Japanese gardens

Back Yard Bonsai Displays #4: A Japanese Touch

This shot doesn’t exactly show off François Jeker’s bonsai (if you squint you can see them way in the back), but it does give you a pretty good idea of his artistry when it comes to building and maintaining a Japanese garden. Speaking of François Jeker Though François Jeker is well known for his masterful work with deadwood (see previous and future posts), his interest and skills stretch far beyond. The gardens and bonsai displays featured here attest to his sensibilities and deft touch, as does his benchmark book, Bonsai Aesthetics.