This Japanese Stewartia (S. pseudocamellia) from Bonsai Today issue 68, is a study in color, harmony and balance. Its stands as a reminder of an earlier day in the evolution of bonsai, before chainsaws. Even before wire. Great pot too. This is another post in our or series of species specific bonsai, or genus specific [...]
This one is an olive. And it is by Andres Bicocca. Who is from Argentina and isn’t from Uruguay. BTW: the way the foliage mass clings to the trunk, makes for a unusual looking bonsai. Though it has a wild, ‘work in process’ look, there’s something compelling about it with its strong nebari and well [...]
Though it has the raw look of yet to be refined tree, still, there’s a lot to like about this bonsai. Its massive nebari ads great strength, character and balance and the hollow in the trunk (sabamiki) provides a further touch of character and age that sets it apart from more ordinary bonsai. It belongs [...]
Mystified? If you are not familiar with the technique shown here, you just might be. All the photos in this post are from Bonsai Today issue 39. Keeping some roots undisturbed The technique shown here is particularly good if you want to replenish the soil while leaving some of the roots undisturbed. Doing this lessens [...]
Do you like this nebari, or is it a bit much? If you just look at the bottom photo, does the nebari seem to strong for the trunk? That’s the way it strikes me, but when I look at the whole tree, it works just fine. The image is a whole page from Bonsai Today [...]
Though this is not the right the time of year for root grafting for most of us, here’s a simple technique to file away for when early spring rolls around. This illustration is from Bonsai Today 45. Previous posts on nebari are: An Ingenious Technique parts one and two and In Search of the Perfect [...]
Two for One: Splitting Roots This is a great technique for reducing big clunky roots and spreading surface roots to create balance. All you need is a sharp chisel, your fingers and a stone to hold the roots apart until they set. The photos are from our Masters’ Series Pine book. Share
One of the secrets to achieving fused surface roots like on this Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) is planing (not to be confused with planning, which also helps). Share
This post is a continuation of In Search of the Perfect Nebari - part four. From the bottom…. …and the top. After combing out and pruning the roots, there are still a few things to do before potting. Share
Bottoms up! This somewhat intriguing shot is from Bonsai Today, issue 64. This post, and another to follow soon, explore how Mr. Harumi Miau arrived at this point. Before. Japanese maple (Acer plamatum) with some unsolicited bonus design tips. Share
The idea is to promote and expand the bonsai universe by offering pithy commentary and occasional barking on its art, science and culture; with an emphasis on how-to projects.