Nick’s Natives

A famous tree by a famous bonsai artist. There’s a lot to like here, including the bark-deadwood contrast, the shift from the lower trunk’s subtler motion to the sudden S-shape at the top, the golden fall color, the pot, the moss. Even the sweet little companion. Two North American natives This post qualifies as another in our series of species specific offerings and a tribute to an artist as well. The tree is our native North American Larch (aka Tamarack, Larix laricina). The artist is another native, Larch Master Nick Lenz (aka Rarch Master Renz). BTW: I’m usually reluctant to … Continue reading Nick’s Natives

So You Think Winter Is Over?

Icy larches from my back yard this morning (May 11). 25 degree Fahrenheit (-4 celsius) last night here in the lovely, underpopulated (now you know why) Northeast Kingdom, Vermont. I left a mist on all night to protect these newly dug and newly sprouted larches. It worked, the ice has melted (it’s sunny and around 50 now) and all is well. Photos by Amy Palmer. An ugly little Eastern white cedar (Cham thyoides) made beautiful by icing. Eastern white cedars (not to be confused with Northern white cedars ‘Thuja occidentalis’ which are abundant around here) don’t do very well here, … Continue reading So You Think Winter Is Over?

Coming Soon: Field Grown Bonsai Stock

One little man made hill that serves as landscaping and as a growing bed for future bonsai. Coming soon I’ve started digging some of my field grown stuff and putting them in plastic containers. Soon we’ll start photographing and putting some up for sale. Larches and some others More than half of what I’ve been growing are larches that have been collected here in northern Vermont. All have been pruned some. Some has been wired and a few have even been carved. Most are not bonsai pot ready, but all have good potential. Stone Lantern When they are ready, I’ll … Continue reading Coming Soon: Field Grown Bonsai Stock

In Praise of the American Larch #2: Good Taper Isn’t that Easy to Come By

You can find this in-training collected Larch in Bonsai from the Wild by Larch Master Nick Lenz (Stone Lantern Publishing). Good tapers on larches are hard to come by. This exceptionally strong taper is the result of what Nick calls a ‘swamp layer.’ For details see the chapter on larches in Bonsai from the Wild (THE book on collecting). Planting two trunks together that diverge as they ascend is a good way to create the appearance of taper. This image is from an article by Nick Lenz entitled Larch with Taper, that appears in The Bonsai Journal. Check out our … Continue reading In Praise of the American Larch #2: Good Taper Isn’t that Easy to Come By

In Praise of the American Larch: aka the Tamarack

Nick Lenz calls this rugged heavily scarred old larch a ‘super hack back job’ (performed with a chainsaw). It’s noteworthy for its excellent taper and nebari (among other things), things that doesn’t come naturally with most larches. I guess you could say that the Halloween carving is also noteworthy. The photo is from Nick’s book, Bonsai from the Wild (Stone Lantern Publishing). Round these parts it’s a Tamarack Here in Vermont we are right on the southern edge of the Larix laricina’s range. Most bonsai enthusiasts (and many others) refer to it as the American larch, but around here almost … Continue reading In Praise of the American Larch: aka the Tamarack

Be a Fearless Bonsai Warrior

This American larch (Larix laricina) was sent to us by John Romano. It was selected as 1 of 100 in JAL World Bonsai Photo contest 2004. It was purchased as raw collected stock from American larch hero Nick Lenz. John Romano has been devoted to teaching bonsai for the past ten years and has developed Kaikou School of Bonsai (a two year program at at New England Bonsai). Kaikou is a somewhat archaic Japanese term that means ‘unexpected encounter’ or ‘crossing paths’. Your turn Our Fearless Bonsai Warrior program is about you and your bonsai. In other words, I want … Continue reading Be a Fearless Bonsai Warrior

Have You Thought About Field Growing?

Have you tried field growing? You don’t need a lot of space to experiment with a small number of plants and the results will easily exceed expectations that have been conditioned by container growing. One of the reasons the Japanese have so many well developed bonsai is field growing. In the west, we tend to grow bonsai stock in containers. In Japan, most stock is field grown; you’ve no doubt noticed the strikingly powerful Japanese Black Pines in the two photos above (from Morten Albek’s Shohin Bonsai). Though I don’t know how old those massive trunks are, my best guess … Continue reading Have You Thought About Field Growing?