Rare Out-of-Print Bonsai Todays

We just put this one, along with thirteen other rare out-of-print issues of Bonsai Today, up on our site. That makes twenty eight total. Most have been out of print for years and are quite rare. We only have a few copies of each (anywhere from one to five), so don’t wait. BTW: the wisteria on the cover is a good example of what we discussed in our last post. Where do they come from? We buy back old out-of-print copies of Bonsai Today whenever we get a chance. Then they sit around on our shelves for a few months … Continue reading Rare Out-of-Print Bonsai Todays

It’s About the Flowers

Bonsai Mike’s shohin pyracantha (firethorn). Ordinary bonsai conventions don’t necessarily apply The Japanese (and others) tend to design flowering bonsai to show off the flowers. Other considerations, like taper and branch placement, often take a back seat. So much so that many flowering trees are displayed only when flowering (and fruiting). They pass the rest of their time tucked away in some corner of the nursery. A lot to like Even though it breaks one of the primary conventions of bonsai (the first two branches are next to each other) the bonsai above is so sweet that you could show … Continue reading It’s About the Flowers

Some of the World’s Best Bonsai Are Right Here

Winter display, from the Chinese collection at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum in Washington DC. Trident maple by Quinquan Zhao. A trip well worth taking We’ve been encouraging people to visit our National Bonsai & Penjing Museum for a long time (way back to the days when we published Bonsai Today). We’ll keep doing it until you go visit (if you’ve already been, tell your friends). It’s worth the trip and you can drop by the Smithsonian while you’re at it. Or the Lincoln Memorial. Or… A borrowed shot to whet your appetite The photo above is from the … Continue reading Some of the World’s Best Bonsai Are Right Here

A Very Short Apprenticeship with Mr Fukano

There are few flowers in the world as pure as the quince flower. This one is from Mr. Shigero Fukano’s bonsai nursery (Yorozu-en) in Kawaguchi Japan. This photo, and the next photo are by Michelle Dougherty. Michelle’s most excellent week I just stumbled upon a great post by Michelle at Bunjin Journal. It’s about her one week visit (not what you would call a full apprenticeship, but still…) with Shigero Fukano at his nursery in Japan in February, 2009 . Michelle’s story is both personal and highly informative, but rather than bore you with my take on her take, I’ll … Continue reading A Very Short Apprenticeship with Mr Fukano

Million Dollar Bonsai

If you believe everything you read online, then the price tag on this tree is 1.2 million dollars. Of course that price doesn’t necessarily mean that much, anyone can ask anything for any item. The actual selling price would be more interesting; then we’d know that the tree was worth a certain price to at least one person. The photo is from Bonsai Madness on facebook. The copy says that the tree (I’m guessing it’s a ficus) is more than 200 years old and was cultivated during the Nguyen Dynasty rulers of Vietnam. Our million dollar contest Speaking of millions … Continue reading Million Dollar Bonsai

Now Back (It’s No Secret)

Bonsai Secrets by Peter Chan is back in print, new cover, excellent contents, and all. Perfect for beginning to intermediate enthusiasts Bonsai Secrets covers pretty much all of the ground you would expect in a beginner’s book, as well as some more advanced ground (well, advanced from the beginner’s point of view), like: creating good taper, field-growing techniques, rock planting, displaying and exhibiting, creating jin & shari, air-layering, wabi sabi in bonsai design and more. And the timing is perfect Beginner’s books have been dropping like the oak leaves that cover my front yard. Simon & Schuster is gone, Pocket … Continue reading Now Back (It’s No Secret)

Another Trident: More Fall Color

This monster Trident maple has it all; massive trunk, fluid natural looking nebari (some maple nebari seem overdone), good lines, perfect pot, healthy green moss, everything (you might question the placement in the pot). The artist is German Gomez. They’re popping up everywhere A few days ago we featured a very impressive but unattributed tree that we found on facebook. Turns out that it belongs to German Gomez, of Medi Bonsai in Valencia, Spain (thanks to Pedro Paes), as does the tree featured here. When I first visited German’s website I was amazed that I hadn’t heard of him. But … Continue reading Another Trident: More Fall Color

Bonsai the Natural Way and the Hand of Man

My best guess is that this powerful old tree is a needle juniper (Juniperus rigida), though I can’t be sure. Whatever it is, it seems to posses an extraordinary number of separate live veins and a massive amount of deadwood to boot. It’s from Gyozan Nakano, Sakai: A 35 Year Anthology (not available in English). Nature and the hand of man Though the tree above is quite powerful and leagues above most bonsai, still, you might fine the busyness around its base (and other places) a little distracting. I’m not sure I’d do anything about it, as attempts to improve … Continue reading Bonsai the Natural Way and the Hand of Man

Rules of Bonsai?

Though I don’t think this has much to do with ‘rules of bonsai,’ I like a well done bonsai drawing and this one qualifies. I found it here. The post is titled ‘?5º Workshop Bonsai Morro Velho.’ Rules or guidelines? I agree with Brent Walston when he says rules is probably the worst word (below). I would scrap it and just use guidelines. Anyway whatever word you like, I thought you might find this useful, or interesting, maybe even interesting enough to provoke a comment and start a discussion. I found it on Bonsai Chat Room. It was posted by … Continue reading Rules of Bonsai?

The Attribution Question

This is a wonderful tree and the presentation is quite good (though it is difficult to make out the companion plant and some of the details on the main tree). I think it might be a hornbeam. It’s from Bonsaimania on facebook. All it says is: La foto de este bonsái pertenece al álbum de Jordi Escaler (The photo belongs to Jordi Escaler’s album). Do you think this tree belongs to Jordi? When I tried to follow the link provided, ‘content unavailable’ came up. When I searched Jordi Escaler bonsai, I struck out. Attribution would be good, no? Facebook and … Continue reading The Attribution Question