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 whatever you want. But do it! You’ve nothing to lose and plenty to gain.

Rules etc are here
Good Luck!

Speaking of Bonsai Today…
…. all back issues of Bonsai Today are now 50% off (that’s half price for the math challenged).

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 publisher
This book shows the entire process from start to finish how to make your very own custom kakejiku, or Japanese scroll. With pictures, graphs and simple to read instructions… using techniques learned in Japan (you can make) these Japanese scrolls that can be used to frame art prints, photographs, Japanese calligraphy, or Sumi… Perfect for any home or office.

Morten Albek relaxing at home with a simple bonsai display that includes a wall scroll. This photo is one that didn’t make it into Morten’s Shohin book (on special at Stone Lantern and full of useful information about bonsai display). It’s somewhat unique as it shows a scroll in an informal setting. Most appear in more formal tokonamas (especially in Japan).

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 we’ve sold thousands of each, we overdid it when it came to printing (our over the top enthusiasm is your good fortune).

We actually didn’t publish this one, but thanks to Lew Buller’s kindness, we now own it. Which means we can offer to you at a small fraction of the original price ($9.95 down from $39.95). It’s the only English language saikei book in print, and is especially suited to people who are looking for inspirational ideas.

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 week
Our warehouse will be closed for vacation this week (July 5th – 9th). We will accept orders all week, but they will not be charged or shipped (on a first-come-first-serve basis) until next week (July 12th – 16th).

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 here are but a small part of the total that Felix took (we’ll show more in future posts). Our thanks to Felix for his generosity in sharing these. And for his tireless activity in propagating and cultivating the art of bonsai here in the U.S. and beyond.

A prize winning black pine at Takasago-an with it’s famous pot wrapped in insulating cloth for protection. Too bad we can’t see it, though you must admit, with or without the pot showing, the tree is spectacular.

The National Bonsai Foundation
The National Bonsai Foundation are the people make sure that the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum continues to thrive. You may have noticed that we’ve been regularly promoting the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum on this blog. Part of this stems from the fact that I am on the Board of Directors of the Foundation, but really, that’s only a small part. The primary reason is because I love the Museum and want to share that passion with as many people as possible.

Felix Laughlin with Mrs. Saburo Kato at Mansei-en. Visit Morten Albek’s Shohin Europe for an interview with Mr. Kato (deceased) and some great photos.

Two Important Bonsai Books
Mr. Saburo Kato was the foremost Bonsai Master of his generation and also the author of one of the best bonsai books around: Forest, Rock Planting & Ezo Spruce Bonsai. Morten Albek is the author of the Shohin Bonsai, Majesty in Miniature, an excellent book on small bonsai.

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.

Here’s a somewhat blurry photo of the whole display. From here don’t think the two pieces on the right have much juice (they are better close-up, see below), though from a display point of view (with shohin, group display is often the name of the game) they provide a counter point to the stronger elements on the left.

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 even criticism.

Beyond convention
I like good traditional (often Japanese inspired) bonsai. At the same time, I keep an eye out for trees that clearly aren’t in that mold, but are nevertheless compelling, or at least interesting.  Like the jumbled profusion of colorful leaves in a bonsai pot that you see in the photo above. The contrivance of the trunk leaning on just-stuck-there-for-that-purpose rock, the unnaturally white deadwood that looks a bit like an alien growth clinging to the trunk, and the chaotic hippyesque mess of foliage, take this tree so far out of the traditional realm, that it’s hard for me to see it as a bonsai. Still, is there something audaciously daring about this tree, that’s worth our consideration? Or is it just a mess of colorful leaves and not much else?

Here a young Texas scarlet quince. It’s not exactly eccentric, but it is another example of what Jacque Graulus is up to. It’s from his website’s gallery. It looks a bit like a forty dollar commercial bonsai. Especially with it’s rock, patch of moss and cheap Chinese pot. Still, there’s something I like about it. Quince flowers (among the most beautiful on earth) don’t hurt, and I like the pot (cheap, if it works, is good), but is there something else too? Any thoughts?

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 (or worse). If you rootprune heavily, the risk goes up. If you want to play it safe, fall transplant only those trees that need light to moderate root pruning.

Doing some light rootpruning. From Robert Callaham’s Satsuki Azaleas, for Bonsai and Azalea Enthusiasts (Stone Lantern Publishing).

When?
Fall transplanting season is coming up. When depends mostly upon where you live. There are other considerations too, like the type of tree, the health of the tree, your experience and confidence, how much you need to prune off the roots and more.

A rule of thumb
Six weeks before you might expect an early hard frost, is a pretty good rule of thumb for fall transplanting. However, you can’t be too literal about this. Prolonged late hot spells need to be considered (here in northern Vermont, where summers are more often than not quite mild, this usually is not a problem) as does how much you need to rootprune and the type of tree.

If the soil is old and compacted you need to remove it all (there are exceptions, but this usually applies). A hard steam of water and roots tools are the best way to get it all off. Because the roots are so compacted, you’ll need to do some serious rootpruning. Unless you are an old pro, you might be better off saving this for spring transplanting. From Bonsai Today issue 17 (out of print).

The type of tree matters
Deciduous trees need special consideration as you don’t want to rootprune when they have a full canopy of leaves. Conifers, especially junipers, and broad leaf evergreens are usually safest for fall transplanting, though there are variables here too. If you need more information, try to talk to someone knowledgeable who lives in your area.

Don’t forget aftercare
After transplanting, your margin of error goes down, especially with watering. Stay posted for something on aftercare.

Our Green Workshops are designed to help relative beginners with basic bonsai principles and practices. On last one was on watering.

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 around.

This little masterpice looks like a Chinzan Azalea. But that’s just a guess. Suthin’s Royal Bonsai site doesn’t say.

Has concave cutters (and a winning smile), will travel
I just spoke with Dara, Suthin’s wife, who keeps things together when Suthin travels (in fact… but that’s another story). Suthin is in Milwaukee right now with Kentucky next in line. You can inquire about workshops, demos or private lesson at 781-344-6358 or royalbonsai@comcast.net. You can also make an appointment to visit Royal Bonsai.

I’m pretty sure this is a Willowleaf ficus. I’ll even go farther and guess that the original stock came from Jim Smith of Vero Beach (Dura Stone). Maybe someone out there knows and can set the record straight.

This one is so easy to identify that I won’t even say (you can comment). Whether or not it qualifies as a shohin, size wise, your guess is as good as mine (maybe better).

What does Kusamono mean?
In his book Bonsai, Kusamono, Suiseki, Willi Benz says “Kusa = grass and Mono = object.” He goes on to say “If a Kusamono-Bonsai is the main object of a display, we use the term Kusamono. But if a Kusamono-Bonsai is used as an accent or complementary plant, we say it is a Shitakusa.”

Expanding the definition over time
Mr. Benz goes on to say that over time, small flowering plants have also been used as kusamono. Now many people say that any herbaceous plant in a bonsai container is a kusamono. I think this is the way most of us use the term.

A tokonoma (display alcove) in the home of Daizo Iwasaki, that features a summer display of a bonsai, a flowering companion plant (shitakusa), a scroll and another object that looks like a large vase. The photo is by Morten Albek and appears in his book, Majesty in Miniature, Shohin Bonsai, Unlocking the Secrets of Small Trees.

Are kusamono bonsai?
Whether we call it simply a kusamono or a kusamono-bonsai (like Wille Benz), is a matter of choice, though the latter does imply that you include kusamono as bonsai. Beyond that, I’m sure the answer depends upon who you talk to.

In this kusamono, a stone doubles as the pot. The stand is pearwood. The photo (cropped here) appears in Willi Benz’s, Bonsai, Kusamono, Suiseki. From the collection of Willi Benz.