Bonsai Globetrotting, Make Your Own Rock, A Wild & Wonderful Hornbeam, The World’s Most Amazing Garden

This powerful pine with its lush, full (almost yellow on my screen) canopy that’s shaped more like something you’d see on a deciduous tree (or a roof on an abstract pagoda), makes little attempt to appear like a pine in nature. Still, naturalistic or not, it’s hard to deny how the power of its trunk and the lush beauty of its canopy complement each other. I found it here on facebook. It looks like it’s part of a Japanese bonsai nursery, but I couldn’t find any verification. Dan Robinson’s wild and wonderful Hornbeam resides at the Pacific Rim Bonsai … Continue reading Bonsai Globetrotting, Make Your Own Rock, A Wild & Wonderful Hornbeam, The World’s Most Amazing Garden

Only 15 Months til the Artisans Cup

Next year’s big event What better time to talk about next year’s biggest North American bonsai event than when we’re still feeling the buzz from this year’s biggest bonsai event? It’s the Artisans Cup in Portland Oregon, and you’ve got fifteen months to plan, pack your bags and show up. Your links are here for the website and here for the blog. The images in this post are from the Artisans Cup website.

Real Cedar Bonsai & A Good Neighbor

Jim Gremel had a Blue Atlas Cedar (Cedrus atlantica – one of the handful of true Cedars) at the 2012 U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition that looked a lot like this one. Deer Meadow Bonsai & the 3rd U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition Some of the trees that were offered for sale at the 3rd National were every bit as good as some of the trees in the display area. One of my favorite vendors at the show was Jim Gremel (Deer Meadow Bonsai). Not only did Jim go to the trouble of coming all the way from Northern California, but he … Continue reading Real Cedar Bonsai & A Good Neighbor

National Bonsai Exhibition Video

3rd U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition video by BonsaiInBuffalo.com Bill Valanvanis just posted an excellent new video by BonsaiInBuffalo.com. You can purchase the DVD at International Bonsai. You can also view it on YouTube. Bon appetit! I captured a few shots from the video to give you a small taste and perhaps whet your appetite for more. Jim Doyle’s Eastern White Cedar. That’s Bill on the left. Yasuo Mitsuya, one of the three judges, is the gentleman in the center toward the back. Marty Schmallenberg’s Elm. Vendor’s area. Stone Lantern is the red and blue … Continue reading National Bonsai Exhibition Video

El Tim Goes Wild

Every now and then you see a perfect wild uncontrived bonsai. A bonsai that isn’t a bonsai at all. No humans necessary (well, almost… in this case, there is the photographer). Photo borrowed from El Tim Bonsai. The caption reads: El Tim Bonsai with Alejandro Sartori. El Tim The photos in this post are from El Tim’s facebook page. In El Tim’s own words (translated and possibly butchered by me): El Tim is an idea, a way to understand Bonsai. A group of people with one goal, dedicated to the effort and necessary constancy to reach a greater understanding and … Continue reading El Tim Goes Wild

What Happens When an Artist Tries His Hand at Bonsai?

You can see this bonsai and other examples of Pierre Leloup’s art on his facebook page and on his website. The luck of the draw Pierre Leloup and Sangi Drolet were my immediate neighbors in the vendors section of the 3rd U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition. As it turned out, they saved my life (in the not too literal sense). Not only did they help me load up at the end of the show (I was by myself and brought way too much stuff), but they fed me, offered me water when I was dry, and cheered me up during those … Continue reading What Happens When an Artist Tries His Hand at Bonsai?

Bonsai Winners, Part Three

The Finest Evergreen Bonsai. San Jose Juniper by Anthony Alario of Providence, Rhode Island. Round three This is our third and final posting of the winners of the 3rd U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition which was held just over two weeks ago. We’ll give it rest after this, until the book comes out later this year. Night and day and just a tad To repeat myself from the last post; “the photos from the 3rd U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition are professional and well done. However, the difference between seeing the splendid power of top quality bonsai up close and personal, and … Continue reading Bonsai Winners, Part Three

More Bonsai Winners

Winner of the Yoshimura Award. It’s a Nikko Satsuki Azalea by Robert Blankfield of Rochester, New York. Round two This is our second posting of the winners of the 3rd U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition which was held two weeks ago. We still have some to show, so stand by for a third posting. Night and day The photos from the 3rd U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition are professional and well done. However, the difference between seeing the splendid power of top quality bonsai up close and personal, and photos of those same top quality bonsai are, to borrow a common phrase, … Continue reading More Bonsai Winners

The 3rd U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition: The Official Results Are In

The National Award for the Finest Bonsai Masterpiece. Japanese Black Pine, by Scott Elser of Portland, Oregon. For the whole scoop and photos of all ten winners, Bill Valavanis has posted the winners and his comments on the Internet Bonsai Club. The three images shown in this blog have been lifted from Bill’s post. Stay posted here for more on the winners soon. Deciduous Award for the Finest Deciduous Bonsai. Japanese Maple by Suthin Sukolosovisit of Stoughton, Massachusetts. Ho Yoku Award for the Finest Western Display. Japanese Maple by Joseph Noga of Winterville, North Carolina.

Defoliating, Repotting & Other Tricks

Trident Maple (Kaede) at the Kokufu-ten in 1972. It now lives in Washington D.C. at the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum. The photo is from Capital Bonsai. Back to square one I’m still trying to get back to square one after the 3rd U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition, so I won’t say too much except that I’ve recently come across two excellent posts about Trident maples. The first is at Capital Bonsai and shows the repotting of a famous old Trident that now resides at the U.S. National Bonsai and Penjing Museum, and the second, which is about defoliation (and more), … Continue reading Defoliating, Repotting & Other Tricks