Slow Down & Stop Thinking So Much

Michael Hagedorn reworked this collected Sierra juniper (grafted with shimpaku) in a half-day refinement session at the Weyerhaeuser collection in Federal Way, Washington, way back in 2009. The before photo is below. It’s Labor Day here in the U.S. A day when we celebrate working by not working (that’s not really the whole story, but it makes for a good line). Anyway, in the spirit of not working, I thought we’d dig back into the archives and regale you with yet another rerun. But it’s not just any old rerun. It’s a rerun with a message that goes well beyond … Continue reading Slow Down & Stop Thinking So Much

360 Degree Bonsai (Second Try)

This front view of a root-over-rock Trident maple is one of a whole series of views you can enjoy on the Northern Ireland Bonsai Society website. We had some problems with links to the version of this when we posted it yesterday. My guess is that the degree mark in 360° Bonsai is the issue, so we change the title to 360 Degree Bonsai. We won’t know if it works until we actually post it, so please don’t panic if you see what looks like the same post twice. Back in pioneering days of this blog, we posted an image … Continue reading 360 Degree Bonsai (Second Try)

360 Degree Bonsai

This front view of a root-over-rock Trident maple is one of a whole series of views you can enjoy on the Northern Ireland Bonsai Society website. Back in pioneering days of this blog, we posted an image of a Satsuki azalea that was taken from a site that showed it in a way that seemed unique at the time; 360 degrees of spinning bonsai splendor. We couldn’t and still can’t show that here (WordPress is pretty basic), so we showed a couple still shots, offered a link (unfortunately no longer live) and moved on. Four and one half years later, … Continue reading 360 Degree Bonsai

A Steady Stream of Good Bonsai to Choose From…

A little ‘after’ effect from a David Benavente ‘before and after’ on facebook. My only comment is that we don’t normally feature lead trees with an unfinished ‘wrapped in rafia’ look, but this little tree is so sweet, so why not? I just spent approximately 3 hours trying to decide on a post for today. Facebook, blogs, websites the whole e-catastrophe. Given that there’s a steady stream of good bonsai to choose from, sooner or later you have to surrender and just pick something. In this case, it’s David Benavente. He’s an old favorite and one of the very best. … Continue reading A Steady Stream of Good Bonsai to Choose From…

Some Question Marks

Judging by the background, this photo is from the 2013 BCI convention in China. Robert Steven sent us a bunch of great photos from this convention which we featured a while back (here, here and here). Maybe this is one that we missed. Anyway, I like the voluptuous, free-wheeling, unmanicured look. This photos and the others shown here are from Bonsai Phong. Lately we’ve been inundated with facebook friend requests from Vietnam. By the hundreds. This is in keeping with this statement by Robert Steven (from an earlier Bark post): “The interest in bonsai in Vietnam is amazing and unbelievable. … Continue reading Some Question Marks

In Search of the Perfect Nebari #9

Grotesque is in the eye of the beholder. Every now and then, and only in Japan, you see a nebari like this (pancake nebari is an apt name). Aside from its somewhat strange quality, a couple things jump out about this one. First it’s is a clear example of a fused nebari (except for around the edges, all the exposed roots have fused together), and second is how thin the trunk is in relation to the size of the nebari. This photo and the others in this post were all taken at Fuyo-en by Bonsai in Japan. Back in the … Continue reading In Search of the Perfect Nebari #9

Eccentric Bonsai Revisited

Strange as this magnificent old tree is, it all works together to with a perfect blend of eccentricity and balance. But the nebari? That takes some getting use to. (This photo and the others in this post are from Peter Tea Bonsai.) Don’t worry, soon we’ll be back to working up never-seen-before posts. Meanwhile, it’s still mid-summer and we’re still borrowing from the past. This one originally appeared December 2011. A good place to start resurrecting Way back in 2009 and early 2010 we ran a series of posts that we called Eccentric Bonsai (here’s the last one). Maybe it’s … Continue reading Eccentric Bonsai Revisited

Revisiting Redwood Bonsai

Off to a very good start. Though the branching is young and has a ways to go, the trunk, with its power and character, bodes well for the future of this tree. You can find it along with other quality bonsai at Bonsai Smiths. Don’t worry, soon we’ll be coming up with new material. Meanwhile, we’re still digging into our archives. I picked this post (from Sept 2011) because I’m currently reading a book about Redwoods (and other things, but not bonsai) titled Trees in Paradise. It’s by Jared Farmer (published by W. W. Norton) but it’s an advanced copy, … Continue reading Revisiting Redwood Bonsai

NEW Bonsai Books

Finally. Volume 2 of Bonsai Aesthetics is here and it turns out that it is well worth the wait. Volume 1 covers the main rules of bonsai design while volume 2 digs into what makes the difference between an ordinary bonsai and those selected for Japan’s famous Kokufu-ten exhibiton. What is it about these bonsai trees that cause such intense feelings when we see them? The author, Francois Jeker is an accomplished bonsai artist, author, teacher and deadwood carving master. Big Summer Book Sale. Strike while the iron is hot. We are currently running a 20% to 25% off sale … Continue reading NEW Bonsai Books

Bonsai Paradise

I think this magnificent convoluted beast belongs to Yusuf Sirait; at least it appears on his facebook page. It’s a Pemphis acidula (Santigi). Yet another mid-summer vacation resurrection (from January 2012). The original was a little wordy so I’ve chopped it down just a bit. Bonsai paradise I wonder just how common naturally contorted wild bonsai stock are on the islands of Indonesia. Based on what you see online and elsewhere, it’s easy to get the impression that they are quite abundant and easily accessible, though, I doubt that’s really the case. In fact, photos from Robert Steven’s Mission of … Continue reading Bonsai Paradise