Cuttings

Old Bonsai & Ancient Trees

This magnificent Juniper bonsai is said to be 800 years old, which makes it a very old bonsai. But not the oldest bonsai we know of and nowhere near the oldest living tree in the world. It resides at Kunio Kobayashi’s Shunka-en Bonsai Museum in Tokyo. We borrowed the photo from Bonsai Empire. Getting another late start and the sun is shining (you’d be surprised how few sunny days we have here in Vermont) so time to get outside. All this is an excuse for recycling this post from March of last year. The tree below is called Old Tjikko. … Continue reading Old Bonsai & Ancient Trees

Old World Bonsai Plaza

This Shohin Trident maple is one of a large group of bonsai displayed on a plaza in Treviso, Italy. Getting a deplorably late start this morning, so we’ll take a quick journey back three years to a unusual post about some Bonsai on an Italian plaza. I have no idea if it was a one-off situation or they’re still displaying bonsai there to this day.  I think this the first time we’ve featured bonsai on a plaza. In Italy, or for that matter, anywhere. The displays belong to Barbazza Bonsai. The city is Treviso. You can visit Barbazza on facebook … Continue reading Old World Bonsai Plaza

Nice Tree, Spectacular Pot & Other Small Bonsai Wonders

Nice tree. Spectacular pot. This shot is from the just completed World Bonsai Convention. I cropped the original (see below) to eliminate some background noise. Staying with the World Bonsai Convention theme, though this time it’s all Shohin (small trees). I can’t read the name of the person who took these photos, but here’s your link. SALE ENDS TOMORROW NIGHT ROSHI TOOLS 30% OFF plus an extra 10% off orders 100.00 or more Sale includes all of our large selection of Roshi Tools including Roshi Tools sets and kits sale ends tomorrow, Wednesday at 11:59pm EDT   Judging by the … Continue reading Nice Tree, Spectacular Pot & Other Small Bonsai Wonders

More Great Bonsai Shots from the WBC

Cork bark pine with lightning bolt. I cropped this photo to eliminate background noise while emphasizing the tree and scroll. The original photo (below) and the rest of the photos in this post were taken by Boon Manakitivipartat at the just completed World Bonsai Convention. The last few days we’ve been featuring shots from the World Bonsai Convention, which ended yesterday. There’s no good reason not to continue… after all some of the very best bonsai in the world were there. All the photos in this post were taken by Boon Manakitivipart, an influential American bonsai artist and teacher who … Continue reading More Great Bonsai Shots from the WBC

A Goldmine of Great Bonsai

Cascading Shimpaku juniper with copious deadwood and floating foliage clouds. This could only be described as an exceptionally powerful and distinctive bonsai, even if you take issue with such well-manicured foliage. The photo was taken by Enrique Castano. I cropped it a little to eliminate background noise There’s an online goldmine of great photos from the World Bonsai Convention, so we’ll just keep digging in that vein. The photos in this post are by Enrique Castano WATERING SALE ENDS TONIGHT 20% off Watering Cans, Nozzles & Wands sale ends tonight, Sunday at 11:59pm EDT This powerful tree must be a … Continue reading A Goldmine of Great Bonsai

20,000 Visitors & Hundreds of Breathtaking Bonsai

Lush foliage and an unusual design. This Japanese maple features branches that are almost down to the surface of soil. So low that foliage covers part of the nebari and lower trunk – something you don’t see that often. Conversely, the way so much of the mid and upper trunk is exposed is also a bit unusual (with no effort made to cover the unsightly black scar). The impression we’re left with is a trunk and branches designed to show off the foliage. Much the way flowering bonsai are often designed to show off the flowers. Thank you Bill Valavanis … Continue reading 20,000 Visitors & Hundreds of Breathtaking Bonsai

“Some of the incredible trees you witness upon entering…”

Hot off the press. This swirling, whirling dervish of a tree would be hard not to notice, even at the World Bonsai Convention where the competition is just a little stiff. Some people have all the luck. These photos were taking at the World Bonsai Convention (happening as we speak) by Mark Field. Here’s Mark’s brief comment… “Some of the incredible trees you witness upon entering the show!” Okay Mark, now you’ve got our attention… ROSHI TOOLS NOW 30% OFF 25% 30% off Roshi Bonsai Tools plus an extra 10% off orders 100.00 or more Sale includes all of our … Continue reading “Some of the incredible trees you witness upon entering…”

World Bonsai Convention, Kimura & Green T Turntables

Massive Mugo pine resting comfortably on a Green T professional bonsai turntable. The prize winning tree belongs to Paolo Riboli. The turntable could belong to you. I just heard from Marco Invernizzi, a long time student of world famous bonsai master Masahiko Kimura (aka The Magician) – and someone we have featured here on Bonsai Bark many times over the years – who informed us that he was at Kimura’s place last week where Green T turntables are used every day by Master Kimura and his apprentices (past and present) . Green T is also an official sponsor of the … Continue reading World Bonsai Convention, Kimura & Green T Turntables

Boon & His Bonsai Friends

This Satsuki azalea’s trunk reminds me of some of Antoni Gaudi’s sculptural architecture that graces the great city of Barcelona. Though in truth, the tree resides in Boon Manakitivipart’s impressive bonsai collection in the great city of Alameda, California (birthplace of yours truly, btw). The last week of April and first week of May are peak digging and transplanting season around here, so to save some time, it’s back to our archives. This one is from October, 2010 (with some revisions today). Boon Manakitivipart is one of North America’s most influential bonsai artists and teachers. Several of his students have … Continue reading Boon & His Bonsai Friends

Spring Bonsai Power

Norway spruce spring power is Mauro Stemberger’s title for this series of photos. What caught me about this tree is how natural it looks. As in the case of most of the best bonsai, you know that it has been styled, but styled in a way that you might call just so. Or just enough. Welcome to another Bonsai Europe post (six of our last ten posts have featured European bonsai). It’s not that we don’t appreciate what’s going on in the rest of the world… it’s just that from where we sit it seems like the center of Bonsai … Continue reading Spring Bonsai Power