Morten Albek

The Art & Science of Watering

This drawing is from our Masters’ Series book; Junipers, Growing & Styling Juniper Bonsai. Continuing with our mid-summer archival borrowing program, here’s a post that originally appeared way back in 2009. A perfect complement to this post is a post about summer misting (hamisu) by Michael Hagedorn. The more you know about watering, the better. Without timely, intelligent watering, any plant in a container is at risk. The more you know about watering, the better. But first, a quick word from our sponsor: Check out our big Summer Book Sale at Stone Lantern. 20% to 25% off of our already … Continue reading The Art & Science of Watering

You Can Win Our $1,000 Bonsai from Scratch Contest!

A close up of a large nursery stock plant that was transformed into a shohin (small bonsai) by Morten Albek (author of Majesty in Miniature, Shohin Bonsai), from Bonsai Today issue 107. Why you can win No one has entered yet. We’ve had a couple threats, but no one has sent us any photos of the raw stock yet. The contest is wide open. One suggestion Do what Morten Albek did. He took a relatively large nursery plant and cut it way down to make a small bonsai. That’s just one idea, but it’s a good one. Another suggestion Do … Continue reading You Can Win Our $1,000 Bonsai from Scratch Contest!

Make Your Own Scroll

New book. How to Make Handmade Wall Scrolls by Jonathan Maples. A good scroll can go a long way… … in enhancing any bonsai display. Though most of us have developed some bonsai appreciation and some skills (rudimentary, at least), few of us have bothered to learn much about bonsai display; both the various pieces (mostly stands, scrolls, companion plants & suiseki) and the overall aesthetics of a display. Your chance How to Make Handmade Wall Scrolls will afford you the opportunity to learn about an important display feature, and beyond that, how-to instructions for making your own. From the … Continue reading Make Your Own Scroll

More Mammouth Book Discounts

Morten Albek’s classic book on small bonsai is marked down from $24.95 to only $9.95. This is the only book on Shohin bonsai in English and is both beautifully photographed and thorough going in its coverage of the ins and out of styling and growing small and miniature bonsai. As we’ve already stated, we can’t do this with most books… … just the ones we published. We pay way too much for books by other publishers to reduce them this much. However, with our own books, we can do what we want; they were paid for eons ago, and though … Continue reading More Mammouth Book Discounts

Tool Sale Ends Tomorrow: Books Up Next

Right now and until tomorrow (Monday, July 5th) around 9am Eastern Daylight Time, all tools are 35% to 45% off. This sale will be replaced by a book sale (also 35% to 45% off). Speaking of books, the photo above is from Morten Albek’s Shohin Bonsai. Happy 4th but don’t forget to water! Today is July 4th. For some of you, it’s just another Sunday, but it’s Independence Day here in the States. For those of you celebrating, enjoy the sun, the grill, the beer, family and friends (or whatever you choose), but don’t forget to water! Warehouse closed this … Continue reading Tool Sale Ends Tomorrow: Books Up Next

Felix Laughlin’s Photos from Japan

Rarely so red. You don’t see too many Junipers in red pots. For that matter you don’t see that many bonsai in red pots. It’s a tough color to work with, especially when it’s this bright. And no, the juniper isn’t dead; it just has a strong case of winter color. It resides at Mr. Daizo Iwasaki’s Takasago-an. A few friends and a camera Not too long ago Felix Laughlin, President of our National Bonsai Foundation (and the second World Bonsai Friendship Federation chairman) packed up his camera and took a trip to Japan with some friends. The photos shown … Continue reading Felix Laughlin’s Photos from Japan

An Elegant Stand & Touch of Fall Color

This is part of a display from Morten Albek’s Shohin site (Morten is the author of Majesty in Miniature: Shohin Bonsai, Published by Stone Lantern). The cotoneaster’s striking fall color and the elegant stand caught my attention.

In Whose Eye? Eccentric Bonsai

This strange, jumbled profusion of colorful leaves in a bonsai pot is from Morten Albek’s Shohin-Bonsai Europe website. It’s a Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) by Jacques Graulus of Belgium. BTW: Morten Albek is the author of Majesty in Miniature: Shohin Bonsai (Stone Lantern Publishing). No harm intended This is our first post on eccentric bonsai. Our intention is to explore and expand our bonsai horizons. Hopefully our observations are not too aggressive or offensive. However, it’s my view that anyone who is daring enough to put a photo of their bonsai on the web, should be prepared for evaluation and … Continue reading In Whose Eye? Eccentric Bonsai

Green Workshop: Fall Transplanting Pros & Cons

Time to repot. Morten Albek intentionally broke the pot to show this Cork bark Japanese black pine’s dense root mass. From Morten’s book, Shohin Bonsai (Stone Lantern Publishing). Why transplant in the fall? If you transplant in the fall your trees can take full advantage of the next growing season. If you transplant in the spring (that’s when most people do it), by the time the tree recovers, you’ve lost part of the growing season. Why not transplant in the fall? If you have an early winter and your bonsai haven’t fully recovered from transplanting, then you risk serious damage … Continue reading Green Workshop: Fall Transplanting Pros & Cons

Back Savers #4: Suthin’s Shohin

Suthin Sukosolvisit shows some serious stuff (sorry) with this powerful shohin (small bonsai) display. This type multi-tree display is the way shohin bonsai typically appear in judged shows. Check out Morten Albek’s Shohin Bonsai to see the rules (written and unwritten) for shohin display. Suthiin Sukosolvisit I’ve long been a fan of Suthin’s. Not just because of his shohin (though he is best known for those), but because he shows mastery across a range of bonsai sizes and styles. Still, shohin is what this post is about, and when it comes to shohin, Suthin is one of the best artists … Continue reading Back Savers #4: Suthin’s Shohin