This wildly expressive Wisteria reminds me of exploding 4th of July fireworks. The photo is from Bill Valavanis‘ Classical Bonsai Art (out of print). The tree belongs to Robert Blankfield, who originally styled it at a workshop with Bill.
This post is resurrected from Independence Day, 2013, with a few additions and subtractions.
Tomorrow is Independence Day here in the USA. To help you celebrate, why not enjoy a sampling of home grown bonsai?
But first, because many of our readers are not U.S. citizens and because some U.S. folks don’t know much about history anyway, a quick American history lesson follows.
Two hundred and forty years ago, a bunch of unruly, but very smart male landowners declared independence from their British overlords – who had among other things, made it difficult to import bonsai from Asia – formed a rag-tag army and after much suffering on all sides, sent the Redcoats back to their often dreary island. Now everyone has kissed and made up, women and most people who don’t own land can vote and it’s still difficult to import bonsai from Asia.
Picasso's (aka Dan Robinson's) now famous wild and wonderful Hinoki. It's from Will Hiltz' most excellent book, Gnarly Branches, Ancient Trees, about Dan's life and work. BTW, it's back in print and available at Stone Lantern (by agreement with the publisher, sales do not apply to this book)
As long as we’re talking about sales, all of our current sales end this coming Wednesday at 11:59pm EDT. Including our 25% off Book Sale
This Hinoki is a contrast in types with the one just above. World-class Hinoki aren't very common, but this muscle-bound powerhouse by Suthin Sukosolvisit certainly rates
Michael Hagedorn (author of the now famous book, Post-Dated) reworked this magnificent collected Sierra juniper (grafted with Shimpaku) in a half-day refinement session at the Pacific Bonsai Museum, way back in 2009.
While we're in the Northwest, we might as well stay there long enough to feature a Ryan Neil bonsai. It's a collected Lodgepole pine.
This one's a Nia buxifolia that belongs to Michael Sullivan of Florida. It won the Finest Tropical Bonsai at the 2012 U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition.
Nick 'Larch Master' Lenz has collected and styled so many great Larches that it's easy to overlook the fact that he also has collected and styled so many great trees that aren't larches. This distinctive humpbacked apple is a pretty good example of one of those other trees. It's from Nick's Bonsai from the Wild (now out of print).
Time for an immigrant. This worthy old Korean yew (Taxus cuspidata, usually called Japanese yew) was donated to the Pacific Bonsai Museum by Mr. Su Hyung Yoo of Korea. It's one of 248 fine bonsai that are featured in the 3rd U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition Album and in my opinion, one of the best.
This rare beauty is the other immigrant. It’s a Nyohozan Satsuki Azalea that belongs to The Kennett Collection. It originally belonged to Kunio Kobayashi of Japan, one of the world's most renowned bonsai artists. Like many of the other trees in this post, it's featured in the 3rd U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition Album. It has also been featured here on Bark several times.
This sweet California native is the tree that graced the cover of the very last issue of Bonsai Today (issue 108). It's a Sierra juniper that belongs to Boon Manakitivipart one of North America’s most influential bonsai artists and teachers.
Speaking of Bonsai Today magazine, our 30% off back issue sale ends this coming Wednesday at 11:59pm EDT.
Sheer power displayed by another California native. This photo of a now famous California juniper (Juniperus californica) is originally from a chapter by Ernie Kuo in our Masters’ Series Juniper Bonsai book that’s titled ‘Two Studies.’
Our Masters Series Juniper Book is currently available at Stone Lantern for only 17.20 (list price 29.95, our discounted price 22.95 which comes to 17.20 with our 25% off book sale).
We've also got some tropicals here in the U.S. This colorful full bloom Bougainvillea belongs to Rick Jeffery. The photo was taken at the Epcot International Flower & Garden Festival.
the following sales end at 11:59pm, Wednesday, July 6th
25% off Bonsai Books
(25% off Japanese Garden Book too)
30% off Bonsai Today back issues
40% off 100 gram Bonsai Aesthetics Wire
20% off Haws Watering Cans
FREE Shipping on U.S. orders 100.00 or more
reduced shipping rates for all orders
overseas and domestic