Bonsai Island

I’ll take this to be an European olive, even though it looks a lot like a Florida buttonwood. No matter, it’s a very unusual and compelling tree; so compelling that it won Kuni Kobayashi’s Grand Prize in the 2008 Concurso Nacional de Alcobendas MMBA (see below for info on this year’s exhibition). Island bonsai school All the trees shown here are from Antoni Payeras’ Escuela de Bonsái (Bonsai School) gallery. Antonio, and his Escuela reside on Menorca (Minorca), one of the Balearic Islands in the Mediterranean. I like two small holes in the deadwood. Not that there aren’t other … Continue reading Bonsai Island

Putz Pines

The rugged and somewhat worn look of the pot mirrors the well-aged bark and overall rugged feel of this European black pine (Pinus nigra Austriaca). All the photos in this post are from Wolfgang Putz’ Bonsaigalerie (a click well worth making). The time is ripe This isn’t the first time we’ve featured the bonsai of Wolfgang Putz, but it’s the first time since our original backyard bonsai feature (way back in 2009) that we’ve dedicated a whole post to Wolfgang’s trees. So the time is ripe. Yamadori pine Based on what you can see here and other trees in his … Continue reading Putz Pines

Bunjin! For Love of Bonsai, A Little Counter Point, Yankee Bonsai Artists & What Is It About the Eel River?

Remember this? A little counter point to the searing heat many of us have been experiencing. Photo is from Rosemarie Voelker’s facebook photos. The caption reads: Vincente Rodriguez Lopez, Spain February 2012 snow. FREE Green Dream bonsai fertilizer while our warehouse is closed for vacation. Our warehouse will be closed for six more days. Orders received this week will be shipped on a first-come, first-served basis starting next Monday the 20th. As a reward for your patience, all orders received by noon Sunday (U.S. Eastern Daylight Time) the 19th will receive one FREE 8oz bag of Green Dream bonsai … Continue reading Bunjin! For Love of Bonsai, A Little Counter Point, Yankee Bonsai Artists & What Is It About the Eel River?

Time for Some Serious Bonsai Training

Tamarisk (Tamarix) from Ryan Neil’s International Bonsai Mirai gallery. Aside from the fact that this is an exceptional bonsai, there is much that can be said and learned about Tamarix; as an invasive foreigner and a worthy subject for bonsai. The excellent description on Bonsai Mirai is well worth a look, as is what Wikipedia has to say about this intriguing plant. Go west middle aged man (woman) and anyone else While we’re on the subject, check out Ryan’s Defining Concept Courses. If you’re the ambitious type and you can create the time, you could head out to Portland and … Continue reading Time for Some Serious Bonsai Training

Elevating the Art of Bonsai Ceramics

Horst Heinzlreiter, ceramic artist All the pots shown here are by Horst Heinzlreiter. They are lifted from his facebook photos. There are nine shown here in no particular order and with no reference to size or anything else, other than my taste and a little certain degree of randomness. You can find most (maybe all) of these pots along with more information (including size and price on some) on Horst’s website. I need another adjective I won’t bother you with any more comments this time; the pots speak for themselves and my adjective supply is a little over-used anyway. Same … Continue reading Elevating the Art of Bonsai Ceramics

Antes y Despues (Before & After)

Before & after (antes y depues) Shimpaku juniper by Salvador de los Reyes. You can find all the photos in this post on facebook and on Salvador’s blog. The bonsai of Salvador de los Reyes Thanks to facebook I recently discovered the bonsai of Salvador de los Reyes. I count this as good fortune, especially given that Salvador doesn’t just post on facebook, he also has an excellent bonsai blog (not too many bonsai artists are also successful bloggers). The upside There are at least four things you might like about what Salvador de los Reyes is doing: 1. his … Continue reading Antes y Despues (Before & After)

Kannst du bonsai auf Deutsch sagen?

Bonsai and half-man. Udo Fischer‘s Trident maple was the winner of the 2009 Noelander’s Trophy. I prefer bonsai photos without posed people; there are other shots of this tree without Udo, but this was only one I could find that captured the beauty of the tree. So, apologies to Udo’s left-out left side. One thing just led to another I didn’t set out to create a post about German (and Austrian) bonsai. In fact, the first photo I put up was a photo from a Bill Valavanis’ Japan tour (stay posted). From there, somehow we got to German speaking bonsai … Continue reading Kannst du bonsai auf Deutsch sagen?

An Embarrassing Possibility, Wiring All the Way Out to the Tips, Bill’s Japan Bonsai Tours & The Moss Myth

Akamatsu (aka Japanese red pine). I’m usually loath to lead off with an unattributed tree, but just couldn’t resist this one. It turned up here. No word on who the artist is (this often seems to be the nature of the facebook beast), though I think I’ve seen it before (I wonder if we’ve already featured it on this blog; always a somewhat embarrassing possibility). Want to improve the quality of your bonsai? Try wiring all the way out to the tips of the smallest branches. You’ll be astounded by the results. Now in stock. Our largest shipment ever … Continue reading An Embarrassing Possibility, Wiring All the Way Out to the Tips, Bill’s Japan Bonsai Tours & The Moss Myth

Finally… Winners!

Tree number one (Matthew Logan’s comments… Ferry’s is too long for this spot; you can find it at the bottom of the post): Eric Wigert- Buttonwood, housed at his nursery, used as the tree on his business cards. Tree was collected in 2002. Carving work done by Lui Rayon. 48” tall 6” nebari. Tokoname Pot. Displayed at Epcot in 2005. Nice tree to look at in person. http://wigertsbonsai.com/. In the gallery 27th tree. Be careful what you promise I don’t always know how to handle apologies. It’s simple when ignorance or unkindness cause harm, but a little murkier when I … Continue reading Finally… Winners!

Bonsai Tonight Visits Picasso

Dan Robinson, famous bonsai innovator and owner of Elandan Gardens, gives 1,500 as the year of origin for this wild Ponderosa pine. Photo by Jonas Dupuich of Bonsai Tonight. The Picasso of Bonsai According to Will Hiltz, the author and publisher of Gnarly Branches, Ancient Trees, it was Frank Okimura who first referred to Dan Robinson as the Picasso of Bonsai. I think these photos and the photos in Gnarly Branches make a pretty good case for that name. Another title that fits is Dan is Bonsai Pioneer (also from Gnarly Branches, Ancient Trees). The natural in naturalistic The notion … Continue reading Bonsai Tonight Visits Picasso