Cuttings

Flowering Bonsai

This wildly colorful Satsuki Azalea is from a Flowering Bonsai Gallery in Bonsai Today issue 65. If you take a close look at the flowers, you’ll see that there are a number of different shades and patterns. Mother nature needed a little help from her friends to accomplish this kind of striking variation. For the best information on Satsuki Azaleas in print, check out Robert Callaham’s Satsuki Azaleas for Bonsai and Azalea Enthusiasts. Speaking of Bonsai Today We have finally decided to put up parts of our out-of-stock and now rare Bonsai Today collection of older long gone issues (except … Continue reading Flowering Bonsai

America’s Oldest Bonsai Collection

Two trees from one at The Larz Anderson Collection. I borrowed this image (and the others in this post) from Colin Lewis’ Bonsai Art website in the Larz Anderson section. Here’s what Colin (The Curator of the Collection) has to say about this photo: Known as “Mother and daughter,” these two trees were originally one, until a lower branch, with its own set of roots, became separated from the main trunk in 1969. In Colin’s own words “The Larz Anderson Collection at the Arnold Arboretum of Harvard University in Boston is the oldest collection of bonsai in the United States. … Continue reading America’s Oldest Bonsai Collection

Bon-Tat #2: Over the Top?

A little over the top? Cool body art? Gross? Interesting? Not? Whatever you or I might think, tattoos are everywhere (you know) these days. BTW: I enjoy good body art (on someone else’s body) but I’m not sure about this one (it’s not even a bonsai, but close enough) which turned up on my facebook home page. Are you ready? Exactly one year ago today, we featured our first bon-tat post (I like that one). Auspiciously (suspiciously?) this one just popped up on facebook. Are you ready for yours? When you are and you do it, please send us a … Continue reading Bon-Tat #2: Over the Top?

CBS Bonsai Segment: “If You Do It Right”

Last Sunday CBS ran a segment on bonsai. It was shot in two places: The National Bonsai and Penjing Museum in Washington DC and at Felix Laughlin’s farm in Virginia (three days ago we featured photos by Felix from his recent trip to Japan). “If you do it right… …it will always look better the next year.” This happy truth was uttered by Felix Laughlin (President of the National Bonsai Foundation). You can find this here and a range of other statements (most geared to beginners) and some excellent footage of some great trees (way beyond beginners) and more at … Continue reading CBS Bonsai Segment: “If You Do It Right”

Another Budi, Another Pemphis

Pemphis acidula by Budiman Darmansjah. Here’s Budiman’s reply when I asked him if I could use it: “You can use it as you want. It is Pemphis acidula, grow on limestone rock at seaside. I collected this tree in 2000. Length of trunk is 105 cm.” (105 cm = 41 inches) Doubled down Just yesterday we posted a Pemphis acidula by Budi Sulistyo, a well known Indonesian bonsai artist and author of Tropical Bonsai Gallery. Now we have another Pemphis by another Budi (actually Budiman). Though it may not be quite as eye-popping as yesterday’s, still, it’s a good tree … Continue reading Another Budi, Another Pemphis

Budi’s Stupendous Bonsai

Stupendous is a good start in the search for words to describe this old full cascade Pemphis acidula by Budi Sulistyo. Ahh, to live in the tropics where stuff like this grows everywhere (well, not exactly like this, but still…). I first saw it in facebook in an album entitled My bonsai by Budi. Budi’s book If you’d like to impress your friends, you can buy Budi’s excellent Tropical Bonsai Gallery book, cut out the pictures and frame them, and tell everyone the bonsai are yours and that the reason you don’t have them anymore is they were blown away … Continue reading Budi’s Stupendous Bonsai

Felix Laughlin’s Photos from Japan

Rarely so red. You don’t see too many Junipers in red pots. For that matter you don’t see that many bonsai in red pots. It’s a tough color to work with, especially when it’s this bright. And no, the juniper isn’t dead; it just has a strong case of winter color. It resides at Mr. Daizo Iwasaki’s Takasago-an. A few friends and a camera Not too long ago Felix Laughlin, President of our National Bonsai Foundation (and the second World Bonsai Friendship Federation chairman) packed up his camera and took a trip to Japan with some friends. The photos shown … Continue reading Felix Laughlin’s Photos from Japan

Piece of Cake (Let Them Eat Bonsai?)

This is not a real bonsai! It’s a Cake. Cake pot, cake soil, cake trunk, cake leaves, cake berries. The story behind the cake “I had a birthday recently and my husband ordered the most extraordinary cake.  Sharon Berke, an artist and baker in Boston, Mass., made the cake you see in the picture.  I’m a bonsai novice, but I believe it is meant to be a cotoneaster.  Every bit of the cake was edible, with the exception of the wires used to make the branches.  Even the tray was edible.  It was a great surprise.  Some of your readers … Continue reading Piece of Cake (Let Them Eat Bonsai?)

Bonsai Segment on CBS Sunday Morning

This Sunday, April 18th, 2010 We just received this email from Johann Klodzen, Executive Director, National Bonsai Foundation “As many of you know, Rita Braver, a correspondent for the CBS News Sunday Morning program, has been working on a segment for that show on bonsai and the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum and the bonsai collection of Felix Laughlin, President of the National Bonsai Foundation. We have just learned from Rita that this piece is on the schedule for the upcoming broadcast of that program on Sunday – April 18. Please check your local television listing for the exact time … Continue reading Bonsai Segment on CBS Sunday Morning