This Satsuki azalea (Rhododendron indicum “Shi-o”) resides at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum. It was donated by Mr. Tomio Kato. The photo appears in Timeless Trees by Peter & Mary Bloomer. It’s time for the annual Art Blooms: Satsuki Azalea Bonsai exhibit at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum. May 23 – June 17. Be there and enjoy a feast of delightful color and form.
A while back we featured Reiner Goebel’s bonsai in one of our Bonsai from Nursery Stock posts. Now he’s made the cut for our Backyard Bonsai Displays. Though no one’s backyard (so far at least) is as impressive as Wolfgang Putz‘, still, for those of us with more modest aspirations, Reiner deserve a look.
This shot presents a glimpse of a small piece of the Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection. David De Groot is the resident bonsai artist (curator) of this impressive collection. A while back I put up a couple posts (here and here) on the Weyerhaeser Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection. At the time I spoke with David De Groot, the collection’s curator. David told me that the bright spot to the (temporary) closing of the collection, is that he will have more uninterrupted time working on the trees. This has got to be good for the collection as David is an accomplished bonsai … Continue reading David De Groot: Bonsai Artist, Author & Teacher
This ariel shot shows part of Wolfgang Putz’s back yard bonsai display. Clearly this is a labor of love. For a close up of part of the display, continue reading. Or, you can visit Wolfgang’s website and peruse his remarkable gallery as well as more shots of his back yard.
I could watch and listen to Ben Oki for a long time. In this one, you get to watch the old master wiring, and, as a bonus, hear a story about John Naka; another old master. FYI: John Naka was considered the dean of American bonsai. He died in 2004. Bonsai Today issue 93 features a special on Mr. Naka and you can enjoy his sketches in The John Naka Sketch Book (The National Bonsai Foundation). Two other noteworthy Naka books are: Bonsai Techniques one and two (Bonsai Institute of California).
This banyan style dwarf Snow rose serissa (Serissa foetida microphylla) was styled by David Fukumoto of Fuku Bonsai in Hawaii. The pot is a Tokoname from Japan. Living in the tropics really helps when it comes to growing aerial roots. Shohin are small bonsai. When compared to large bonsai, Shohin cost less, take less less time to develop, take less space, are easier to move (especially as your back ages), and are less apt to be overwatered. From the back cover of Morten Albek’s Shohin Bonsai (except for the part about your aging back), written almost two years ago by … Continue reading Back Savers: Sohin & Mame Bonsai
This is a collection of images that someone put together. I recognized several trees, including at least one Kimura (The Magician), one Morten Albek (author of Shohin Bonsai), and one Wolfgang Putz. Overall the quality is very good, though a few fairly ordinary trees found their way in.
If you haven’t seen the Magician wielding a chainsaw, check this out. It’s from a 2007 bonsai convention at Mistral Bonsai in the Spanish province of Tarragona (I was there, but that’s another story). Kimura’s assistant is Salvatore Liporace, a well know Italian bonsai artist and author of several Bonsai Today articles. When Masahiko Kimura introduced his custom made chainsaw into the bonsai world, it created a buzz that was heard first in the Japanese bonsai community and then throughout the world (well, world bonsai community).
Okay. You can lower your eyebrow. All I did was type in ‘bonsai branching’ on Google. I’ve thought about taking the tatoo plunge, but, like most thoughts, it doesn’t go anywhere. How about you? Anyone got a bon-tat out there? BTW: to see more of the host…
The two bonsai in this post, including this remarkable Korean Yew (Taxus cuspidata), are from Weyerhaeuser’s Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection. The photos were sent to us by David De Groot, the collection’s curator. This famous Chinese elm (Ulmus parivflora) planting is by Qingquan Zhao, reknowned penjing artist, teacher and author of Penjing: Worlds of Wonderment.