A Perfect Example of What Great Ramification Looks Like & a Series of Excellent How-to Illustrations

You have your own eyes so there’s no need for me to say much. Except that this photo appeared here on Bark last spring in a post titled The One Percent (.001 percent would be more accurate). It’s a Japanese beech (Fagus crenata) that received the coveted Kokufu prize at the 88th Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition (the oldest and most prestigious bonsai exhibition in the world). Aside from its overall magnificence, this tree provides a perfect example of what great ramification looks like (made even more obvious by the bright rusty-red leaf buds). The photo is from the World Bonsai Friendship Federation. … Continue reading A Perfect Example of What Great Ramification Looks Like & a Series of Excellent How-to Illustrations

Mister Windswept Bonsai

Robert Steven’s simulation of the tree pictured below. If you search windswept bonsai, you’ll most likely notice that almost all of the best windswept trees belong to Robert Steven. You could even say that Robert Steven is Mr. Windswept Bonsai. Both as an artist and as an authority on the subject. But then, you could say that about other types of bonsai as well (check out some previous critiques by Robert if you want some evidence). So, given this fact, here’s Mr. Windswept Bonsai himself with another of his illuminating critiques. This one is of unspecified variety of tree that … Continue reading Mister Windswept Bonsai

Red Hot but Very Cool Summer Bonsai Book Sale

Set of five bonsai classics. Retail 144.75. Previously 79.00. Now only 59.00 for the set. Discounted discount prices We’ve been lowering book prices for a while now. Now we’re taking a big leap and lowering some of them way below our previous low prices. A drop in the bucket We’re only showing some of your great discounts here. If you get a chance, peruse our bonsai books on our website for even more. Our peruse our entire website for deep discounts on other items as well. Set of our two most popular books. Retail 59.90. Now only 29.95 for the … Continue reading Red Hot but Very Cool Summer Bonsai Book Sale

Growing Better Roots & Trunks

In addition a one of the most perfectly developed crowns you’ll ever see, with its amazing profusion of tiny leaves; this Trident maple (I must’ve been drunk, any fool can see that this is a Zelkova) provides one of the best examples of trunk and surface root (nebari) development you’ll see anywhere. Neither are overstated; providing a welcome relief from overdeveloped trunk taper and nebari that you sometimes see in Trident maples. But then, you might expect perfection from this tree, it’s from the Grand Master Saburo Kato’s collection (Kato-sama’s most excellent book, Forest, Rock Plantings and Ezo Spruce Bonsai … Continue reading Growing Better Roots & Trunks

Million Dollar (Plus!) Bonsai in Perspective

I just received this photo from Bill Valavanis. It’s that Million Dollar Japanese white pine we featured a few days ago. Now you can get a little perspective (size-wise at least). Bill’s remarks Here are Bill Valavanis‘ remarks that he sent along with the photo. Hi Wayne, I’ve just returned home from Japan and saw your post on my friend’s bonsai, the Million Dollar specimen. The million dollar bonsai WAS actually sold and at the current exchange rate on the sale day was $1,282,000. The tree is a grafted Miyajima Japanese five-needle pine which has not been on display since … Continue reading Million Dollar (Plus!) Bonsai in Perspective

Million Dollar Bonsai

This magnificent White pine was sold at the 11th Asia-Pacific Bonsai and Suiseki Convention & Exhibition in at Takamatsu, Kagawa, Japan, earlier this month. As you can see, the asking price was 100,000,000 yen (that’s close to 1.3 million dollars). I don’t know what the actual sales price was. Photo borrowed from Bonsai Tonight. $1,000,000 for a bonsai? I’ve heard of million dollar bonsai before, but don’t know if I’ve ever seen one (in person or in a photo). We don’t really know what this one sold for, but still, an asking price of 1.3 million dollars is a little … Continue reading Million Dollar Bonsai

Two Very Good Reasons

Shopping at Stone Lantern is a good way to keep Bonsai Bark coming & a very good way to save money! Koyo Heavy Duty Bonsai Shears (list 29.00) are now deeply discounted at 17.95 Over 100 Bonsai Tools deeply discounted at Stone Lantern Shohin Bonsai (list 24.95) is now deeply discounted at 9.95 Over 50 Bonsai Books deeply discounted at Stone Lantern Okatsune World-Class Garden & Bonsai Pruning Shears come in 2 sizes: 7″ size (list 66.50) now deeply discounted at 47.80 8″ size (list 79.90) now deeply discounted at 59.00 Quality Gardening Tools deeply discounted at Stone Lantern Japanese … Continue reading Two Very Good Reasons

Visual Balance – Robert Steven Critique

Robert Steven’s simulation of a Pemphis acidula that was submitted for critique by Hamman Harris. The original is below. Bow and arrow Once you get beyond the fact that the bark and shape and even the foliage (at a glance) on this Pemphis look so much like the common Juniper pro-nana (that made-yesterday little bonsai imposter that flooded our Holiday malls last century), you might notice that there’s an unmistakable bow and arrow effect going on here. True, the bow has been softened considerably by Robert in his simulation, but the arrow remains. Perhaps Robert left it the way it … Continue reading Visual Balance – Robert Steven Critique

There’s Something About Shohin

Itoigawa juniper by Michael Hagedorn. Michael is one of our favorite American bonsai artists. If you haven’t visited his site (Crataegus Bonsai) this is as good a time as any. BTW: Michael is the author of Post-Dated – The Schooling of an Irreverent Bonsai Monk a fascinating read, bonsai or otherwise. The advantages of Shohin (small) Bonsai On the back of our Stone Lantern book Majesty in Miniature; Shohin Bonsai (by Morten Albek) it says “When compared to large bonsai, Shohin cost less, take less time to develop, take less space, are easier to move, and are less apt to … Continue reading There’s Something About Shohin

Mixed Maple Forest

This playful mixed Japanese bonsai forest is by Juan José Bueno Gil. Rare indeed You don’t see too many mixed bonsai forests, and my guess is that you’ve never seen one with this many varieties (above). They may all be the same species for sure (Acer palmatum), but they aren’t all the same. How many varieties can you count? We’ve shown this mixed forest in Bonsai Bark before. It’s one of my favorites (though it would be nice if the photo were larger). It’s from Saburo Kato’s Forest, Rock Planting & Ezo Spruce Bonsai (published by The National Bonsai Foundation … Continue reading Mixed Maple Forest