Bill’s Famous Seigen Japanese Maple in Fall and Spring Color – Setting the Record Straight

This is what the fall color really looks like on Bill Valavanis’ famous Seigen Japanese maple My apologies to Bill Valavanis for a careless mistake in our post from Monday. Not only did I fail to attribute the tree shown here to Bill due a memory failure (coupled with laziness), but I mistook spring color for fall color. To set the record straight, the fall color photo is above and the spring color photo is below. If there’s any good news to come out of my mistake, perhaps it’s the chance to remind you about next year’s 6th U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition. … Continue reading Bill’s Famous Seigen Japanese Maple in Fall and Spring Color – Setting the Record Straight

More Brilliant Bonsai in Full Fall Colour

The leaves on the table provide a nice touch in this photo of Harry Harrington’s English elm (Ulmus minor) in full fall colour*. From Harry’s bonsai4me website Continuing with fall colour*… Yesterday was shades of red. Today’s pallet is a bit more varied. All the trees and the pot below belong to our friend Harry Harrington. NEW SPECIAL Only 5.00 each for bonsai Today back issues ENJOY DETAILED HOW-TO INSTRUCTIONS BY THE OLD MASTERS our selection of back issues getting low and we are no longer replacing them We’ve shown this Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) before, but anything this brilliant is always … Continue reading More Brilliant Bonsai in Full Fall Colour

Brilliant Japanese Maple Bonsai in Full Fall Color with Correction

Japanese maple in full fall color. You might notice the unusual mounded nebari as well as the outstanding movement in the trunks and branches. Our source doesn’t mention the variety or the owner of this brilliant tree THE CORRECTION IS IN A CAPTION BELOW IN RED TYPE apologies to Bill Valavanis It’s peak fall color here in Vermont, though where we live it doesn’t look like a banner year. Mostly it’s the Sugar maples that are a disappointment. I think our long hot and very dry September caused them to give up and drop their leaves early Continued below… KOYO BONSAI TOOL SPECIAL DEEPLY DISCOUNTED … Continue reading Brilliant Japanese Maple Bonsai in Full Fall Color with Correction

Stolen Bonsai

This juniper was reported stolen from Kim’s Bonsai Nursery in Phelan, California. If you live in Southern CA, keep a eye out. I just googled stolen bonsai and was surprise to see how many trees were recovered and return to their rightful owner Many years ago when I was partner at New England Bonsai, theft was ongoing concern. Fortunately, it didn’t happen very often, but it did happen. One day there’s a valuable bonsai sitting in its space on the bench and the next day the space is empty and the felling you are left with is also empty Kim’s Bonsai Nursery. Is … Continue reading Stolen Bonsai

Bonsai of the Day

This dramatically undulating Japanese Maple in its spectacularly vivid full fall foliage splendor (blame it on too much coffee) resides at Showa Memorial Park in Japan. I stumbled upon it and some other mind popping photos on a recent post titled Bonsai of the Day by Oscar at Bonsai Empire. The only connection I can see that ties these photos together is none of them are shot with neutral backgrounds (my usual choice). This and the fact that I like the trees… but that applies to all the photos we post Kilo Bonsai Wire Special 14.95 FOR KILO ROLLS OF WIRE IS TOO GOOD TO … Continue reading Bonsai of the Day

A Good Time to Enjoy Flowering Bonsai

Satsuki azalea displaying a perfect blend of white with a touch of pink and soft green. The flowers dominate right now, but it’s no accident that the color of the pot enhances the deeply grooved trunk and nebari. An earlier shot of the same tree appears below. Continuing with Andres Alvarez Iglesias and his wonderful bonsai, here’s one that appeared here in May, 2011, with a little value added today. We haven’t had a hard frost yet here in northern Vermont, so there’s still a few random blooms in our yard, though the flowers on bonsai are long gone. Still, anytime is a good time … Continue reading A Good Time to Enjoy Flowering Bonsai

“I’m in Love with This Tree” Another Taxus by Andres & Setting the Record Straight

This shot is from a must see video with Andres Alvarez Iglesias and another of his European yews (Taxus baccata). Setting the record straight… Yesterday we featured a famous European yew that belongs to Andres Alvarez Iglesias. Today we’ve got another one by Andres (watch the video!, you can thank me later) and a mea culpa by yours truly This tree was NOT carved by human hands! Yesterday’s yew with apologies to Andres and Mother Nature. What I should have said yesterday is that this tree was NOT carved by human hands*. Given that you see so many yews (and junipers and etc…) that are carved by human hands – usually with … Continue reading “I’m in Love with This Tree” Another Taxus by Andres & Setting the Record Straight

CORRECTION – THIS TREE WAS NOT CARVED BY HUMAN HANDS

Another intricately carved yew. There’s something about yews that just beg to be carved, even though with such hard wood it’s labor intensive. Unless you have nothing but time, power tools are a must. The artist is Andres Alvarez Iglesias. CORRECTION – THIS TREE WAS NOT CARVED BY HUMAN HANDS see our post from October 6th for the full story Here’s Fred Chenal’s Caption that he posted with this tree… “SURPRISE GUEST….. Andres Alvarez Iglesias will be joining us for a special conference on Sunday, October 15th @11:00 am…. “EVOLUTION OF TAXUS BONSAI” …Hasta pronto, a trés bientôt and see you soon!!” As it turns out, October … Continue reading CORRECTION – THIS TREE WAS NOT CARVED BY HUMAN HANDS

Breaking the Bonsai Mold – Japanese Red Pines

For every highly stylized Japanese bonsai, there’s one like this that breaks the mold. It’s a Japanese red pine from Japan’s 80th Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition (2006). Sticking with bonsai from famous Japanese exhibitions, it’s back to Kokufu. Though this time it’s Japanese red pines (Pinus densiflora), instead of the more common Japanese black and white pines. And once again, we found the photos on Michael Bonsai. NEW BONSAI TOOL SPECIAL DEEPLY DISCOUNTED koyo JAPANESE TOOLS 25% TO 40% BELOW LIST PRICES CHOSE FROM OVER 50 DIFFERENT HIGH QUALITY KOYO TOOLS Closer up for a better look at the bark … Continue reading Breaking the Bonsai Mold – Japanese Red Pines

Bonsai Impressions – Texture, Movement & Color

It’s hard not to notice what just how powerful this tree is. Even with the apex slightly nipped and most of the pot missing. It’s a Japanese white pine from the 34th Taikan-ten Bonsai Exhibition. Our last few posts have featured bonsai from Kokufu-ten. Today it’s photos from Taikan-ten via Michael Bonsai on facebook. Taikan-ten takes place once a year in Kyoto and is considered by most people to be the second most important bonsai exhibition in Japan if not in the world (Kokufu is the king of bonsai exhibitions). You might notice that none of the photos shown here are conventional front shots that simply show the … Continue reading Bonsai Impressions – Texture, Movement & Color