Cutting Corners & Other Transplanting Tips

A freshly transplanted Black pine. The photo is from our Masters’ Series Pine book. Fall transplanting It’s fall transplanting season here in the north country. One advantage to transplanting in the fall is that the tree is fully recovered when the spring season starts, so no top-growth time is lost. The reason this works is that roots experience strong growth in the fall, long after the top has shut down. So by the time the tree wakes up in the spring, the roots are fully recovered. Top pruning in the fall It can be a good idea to top prune … Continue reading Cutting Corners & Other Transplanting Tips

Paying a Visit to an Old Friend

There’s something about a beautiful bonsai in flower. If you let your eyes linger for a few moments, you’ll notice how the seemingly perfectly placed flowers enhance the power of the tree rather than overwhelm it. It’s a bougainvillea by Robert Steven. All this photos in this post are from Robert’s facebook gallery. Always a pleasure It has been a while since we’ve featured the bonsai of Robert Steven. In addition to being one of the foremost bonsai artists and teachers on this fierce and lovely planet, Robert is also a friend. Not in the ordinary sense of buddies you … Continue reading Paying a Visit to an Old Friend

Pinch! Don’t Pinch! Part 2

This isn’t the first time we’ve featured this famous bonsai that originally appeared on the cover of Bonsai Today 63 and later in our Juniper book. I think it’s appropriate here for a couple reasons: it’s by Shinji Suzuki, Michael Hagedorn’s bonsai sensei (Michael provided the fuel for this post and our previous post) and it’s a needle type juniper, which provides a contrast to scale type junipers when it comes to controlling new growth. We can assume that Mr. Suzuki trimmed rather than pinched in creating such a profusion of dense foliage pads. Continuing where we left off Rather … Continue reading Pinch! Don’t Pinch! Part 2

Pinch! Don’t Pinch!

Was this tree pinched? Shimpaku juniper by Kunio Kobayashi from Bonsai Today issue 28. Never pinch junipers! I’ve been ripping off valuable tidbits from Michael Hagedorn’s Crataegus Bonsai for a long time (always attributed and linked of course). Micheal is a noted American bonsai artist, teacher and author and a voice for a common sense approach to bonsai. Michael’s latest post is titled ‘Never Pinch Junipers.’ In his own words… Basically, we don’t pinch junipers. We cut new long extensions with scissors…and I know that will raise some eyebrows. I think the idea of pinching junipers with fingers started long … Continue reading Pinch! Don’t Pinch!

Deadwood, More Deadwood & A Beautiful Weekend

Deadwood! Two weeks ago we featured a couple of Serge Clemence’ bonsai in a post on deadwood. I guess the reason I didn’t include this Mugo pine in that post is because Serge has so many trees with powerful deadwood. Still…. More deadwood! I found this powerful tree on Bonsai Tonight. It’s from the Redwood Empire Bonsai Society‘s 29th annual show that took place in Santa Rosa CA recently. When you see a tree like this and others in the show, it’s hard not to be struck by just how far north American bonsai has come in few short … Continue reading Deadwood, More Deadwood & A Beautiful Weekend

A Fine (and Great) New Book

Fine Bonsai, Art and Nature is now available at Stone Lantern. One of the most astounding books… This morning Andy Rutledge sent me his well considered and well written review of one of the most astounding books I’ve ever seen. So rather than subjecting you to my same old prose once again, let’s try a fresh voice for a change (note, you can see Andy’s entire review on his Bonsai Journal … you might also enjoy visiting a more multifaceted Andy here). Andy Rutledge’s review When my copy of Fine Bonsai arrived I almost dropped it as the delivery man … Continue reading A Fine (and Great) New Book

The Other Cascade: Part 2

After. Semi-cascade Japanese white pine by Kiyoshi Yamagami. From Bonsai Today issue 52 (sorry, out of stock… however we still have about 50 other back issues in print; all 70% off). Near perfect To my eyes, this tree presents a near perfect combination of grace and power. Usually, when you think power in bonsai, you think trunk. In this case, though the trunk is certainly powerful enough (what you can see of it), there’s something about the rest of the tree that can send power induced chills up your spine (okay, maybe not, but I’ll bet if you saw the … Continue reading The Other Cascade: Part 2

The Other Cascade: Before & After

After by Kimura (aka the Magician). This photo is from a chapter in our Masters’ Series Pine Book titled Masahiko Kimura Transforms A Semi-Cascade. The tree is a Japanese white pine (Pinus parviflora). The other cascade Correct me if I’m wrong, but it seem to me that, with the exception of Junipers (especially the ever present Procumbens nana) you don’t see that many semi-cascade bonsai (I just scrolled back through the last couple month of Bonsai Bark and about 10% of the trees featured are semi-cascade; more than I thought I’d find, but still, not that many). Actually, you don’t … Continue reading The Other Cascade: Before & After

Fractured Pot, Tea Time, Widly Expressive Deadwood, Bewildering At A Glance & Chicago (BTW)

There’s a lot to like about this Shimpaku juniper, though it’s not typical to see such dense foliage on a bunjin style bonsai. But in this case, I think the relatively heavy foliage is balanced by the strength of the trunk and the wildly expressive deadwood at the top. The tree belongs to Nicola Kitora Crivelli. It’s from a gallery on Bonsai Empire. Win a ten dollar gift certificate to Stone Lantern (if you come up with the correct answer and you follow the instructions). You will win if you are the first person to come up with the … Continue reading Fractured Pot, Tea Time, Widly Expressive Deadwood, Bewildering At A Glance & Chicago (BTW)

Remedy for an Oversight

This tree would be pretty good without the deadwood on the right. But what a shame to remove it! It tells the tree’s story and has the power to transport you to a rocky cliff high in the Alps, with a clear cold stream wandering through a green meadow far below (sorry, couldn’t help myself). The photo is from Serge Clemence’ bonsai gallery. The remedy I don’t think we’ve ever featured the bonsai of Serge Clemence. To remedy this oversight, here are a couple of his wild and wonderful bonsai for your enjoyment. Stay tuned. There’s more to come. … Continue reading Remedy for an Oversight