Bonsai Are Leafing Somewhere (Just Not Here) & Just in Case You Missed it, Our New Site Is Up!

Japanese maple in the first flush of spring. This and the other trees shown here belong to Luis Vallejo. His caption for this selection reads… “Algunos arces, brotación” (some maples sprouting). The photos are by Miguel Krause We featured some deciduous trees that belong to Luis Vallejos not too long ago. Now we’ve got more, but this time they are waking up and stretching . They’re all Japanese maples (Acer palmatum). If you’d like to know the varieties, you can visit Luis on facebook VISIT OUR NEW STONE LANTERN WEBSITE Launch Special – Every Item Discounted Plus an Extra 10% … Continue reading Bonsai Are Leafing Somewhere (Just Not Here) & Just in Case You Missed it, Our New Site Is Up!

A Dramatic Juniper with a Slight List to the Left

This dramatic Juniper may be leaning just a tad too far to the left (or is it just me?) Either way, too far left or just right, to my eyes its almost unbalanced feel creates just enough tension to add interest Continuing with Luis Vallejo’s bonsai, here’s one from our archives (Novemeber, 2012). All the photos shown here are from Luis Vallejo’s Museo Bonsai de Alconbendas. I borrowed them from the Bonsai Center Sopelana in Spain’s Basque Country Continued below… THREE NEW SPECIALS 25% OFF BONSAI WIRE FOR 3 OR MORE ROLLS 35% OFF ROSHI BONSAI TOOLS 25% OFF BONSAI … Continue reading A Dramatic Juniper with a Slight List to the Left

Blue Skies & Beautiful Bonsai

There’s a lot to like about a good Stewartia like this, including the fine ramafication (branching). Only years of careful trimming can accomplish this. There’s also the strong nebari that offers a sense of stability and a sign of age on any good Stewartia. And then there’s the beauty of the exfoliating bark with its soft reddish shades. All this makes for a masterpiece bonsai. I cropped the original photo for a closer look (it’s below with the original caption) We can’t stay away from Luis Vallejo’s Bonsai Museum for very long. Though I don’t have time to count, I’d … Continue reading Blue Skies & Beautiful Bonsai

Bonsai Before & After – a Six Week Transformation

Before and after. The tree is a Lawson’s cypress (Chaemacyparis Louïsiana ‘Elwoodii’). Here’s the caption copied directly from Michel Delen, our source for these photos… “Chaemacyparis Louïsiana ‘Elwoodii’ AFTER Grandioos Noelanders Marc.” Continuing with our recent Marc Noelanders posts. And not by coincidence, Marc’s a headliner at the 2019 Mid Atlantic Bonsai Spring Festival (we hope to see you there) – I’m impressed. The date on the before is Feb 8th and the date on the after is March 22nd (6 weeks later). Given just how little time elapsed, it’s an remarkable transformation. All the photos are from Michel Delen’s timeline Continued … Continue reading Bonsai Before & After – a Six Week Transformation

Magnificent Old Larch Bonsai, Before & After

The Guardian of Laments is Giacomo Pappalardo’s name for this magnificent old European larch (Larix decidua) Another before and after and it’s a good one. I have a soft spot for larches, though ours are Tamaracks (Larix laricina) and this one is a European larch (Larix decidua). Not the same tree, but similar, though the similarity ends when you compare a tree like this with the much younger ones I’ve been growing here for the last fifteen years or so (this one was no doubt collected from the wild and shows all the signs of great age). Here’s your link … Continue reading Magnificent Old Larch Bonsai, Before & After

Sheer Bonsai Power – Before & After

We usually start Before and After posts with an appropriate B & A photo (see below). But I couldn’t resist this one. I think it captures the essence of the tree. Or at least its size and sheer power I found this impressive before and after pine on Luis Vallejo’s timeline. The only caption provided is… “Hiroaki Suzuki , Pinus sylvestris, Luis Vallejo Bonsái Garden.” We know Luis from numerous posts here on Bark and we also know a bit about Pinus sylvestris (Scots pine). I’m not familiar with Hiroaki Suzuki, but if you’d like to do a little research, here’s a link for you … Continue reading Sheer Bonsai Power – Before & After

Shadow Shots & Stainless Bonsai Tools

Juniper with shadow. This and the other trees shown here belong to Luis Vallejo It’s time to visit Luis Vallejo, one of our favorites. I was attracted to these photos for their artist value as well as for the trees themselves. The only text Luis provided is… “Preparando exposición. 17/25 Noviembre 2018.” Though I suspect you can get it without translation, here it is just in case… Preparing for exposition, November 17-25. (scroll down for details) NEW SPECIAL ALL STAINLESS TOOLS 40% OFF LIST PRICES SEE BELOW One tree, two shadows. I don’t know what type tree this is, and know even less about the one … Continue reading Shadow Shots & Stainless Bonsai Tools

Magnificent Monster

In addition to its brilliant color, this powerful Trident maple has almost everything you’d want in a bonsai, including a massive trunk, fluid natural looking nebari, good lines, a well-matched pot and healthy green moss. The artist is German Gomez. Continuing with our Maple theme… Leaving for vacation in two days and still have a million things to do, so to save some time we’ll go back in time. The photos shown here first appeared on Bark way back in 2010. OKATSUNE TOOL SPECIAL ENDS TOMORROW NIGHT 25% OFF LIST PRICES ON ALL OF OUR OKATSUNE JAPANESE BONSAI & GARDEN TOOLS Special … Continue reading Magnificent Monster

More Magnificent Maples

Luis Vallejo calls this Yama momji Japanese maple. Yama is mountain and momiji is Japanese maple (Acer palmatum). So you’ll sometimes hear this variety referred to as Mountain maple, which is the original, naturally occurring, non-cultivar Japanese maples. Because of the differences in the leaves, I’m guessing that this was originally several different trees that were planted very close together, rather than a clump style planting. Yesterday we featured three magnificent maples that belong to Luis Vallejo. Turns out they are just the tip of his maple offering. Here’s a few more for your enjoyment. If you’re inclined, there are still more on Luis’s timeline SPECIAL … Continue reading More Magnificent Maples

Three Magnificent Maples

This multi-hued beauty is from Luis Vallejo’s Museo de Bonsai in Alcobendas Spain (near Madrid). It’s hard to distinguish individual leaves (I need new glasses!) but they look like they might be Trident maple. Today we’ve got three magnificent maples, each with leaves ablaze. Even without their fiery leaves all three would be brilliant bonsai. With them, well… you can see for yourself. They’re from Luis Vallejo’s facebook timeline. If you’ve got a moment, there’s plenty more where these came from. Visit Stone Lantern for the BEST PRICES ON BONSAI WIRE – Here’s a closer look at those suspiciously Trident looking leaves. Good look at the … Continue reading Three Magnificent Maples