Styling

Another Great Bonsai Winner

American Bonsai Society Award winner. Another Colorado Blue Spruce (Picea Pungens). This one belongs to Todd Schlafer. Though it has several noteworthy features, one that might catch your eye is the piece of ‘trunk’ lying across the surface of the soil. I wonder if it was the original trunk that fell over and rooted long ago and that what is now the trunk started its life as a branch. This is of course speculation. What isn’t speculation is the tree’s age, as expressed by the bark and it’s rugged natural beauty. Continuing our journey through the winners of the 5th … Continue reading Another Great Bonsai Winner

A Regal Bonsai & a Simple Wonder of Subtle Complexity

Finest Tropical Bonsai & Finest Accent Plant. The tree is a Tiger bark Ficus (Ficus microcarpa) by Hoe Chuah. I’ve cropped this lead photo to show just the tree (a photo showing Soon Chuah’s companion is just below and a photo of the tree with the companion is below that). The first three photos in this post are from Bonsai Empire. A family that does bonsai (and companions) together, wins together. Hoe and Soon Chuah were double winners at the 5th U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition. Hoe’s Ficus is a strong and perfectly well-balanced, even regal bonsai, and Soon’s companion is … Continue reading A Regal Bonsai & a Simple Wonder of Subtle Complexity

A Prize Winning Bonsai & a Superstar Bonsai Teacher

Boon Manakitivipart’s Itoigawa Sargent Juniper that won the Finest Medium Size Bonsai award at the 5th U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition. Here’s a tree you couldn’t miss. It stood as a lone bonsai at the edge of the suiseki section. A magnetizing presence, visible from a distance. A prime spot for a prime tree. The more I look at this tree, the more I like it. But rather than go into specifics (we’ll leave that to you), I’ll just relate a quick story…. While I was admiring this tree, Boon, the artist himself, walked by. I said something like ‘great tree, … Continue reading A Prize Winning Bonsai & a Superstar Bonsai Teacher

A Powerful Colorado Blue Spruce Bonsai & Its Story of Age & Hardship

This gnarled old Colorado Blue Spruce (Picea pungens) won the prize for the Finest All American composition at the 5th U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition. It belongs to Jason Eider. I borrowed the photos shown here from Oscar of Bonsai Empire. Moving along with our leisurely journey through the 5th U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition’s prize winning bonsai. Continued below…. A quick reminder about our 20% to 30% off Site Wide Sale 20% to 30% off includes everything* we offer including our vast selection of Bonsai Tools   The powerful old shari with its marks of age and abuse. I almost walked by … Continue reading A Powerful Colorado Blue Spruce Bonsai & Its Story of Age & Hardship

A Dynamic Masterpiece by a Great Bonsai Artist

Finest Japanese Bonsai display. Colorado Blue Spruce (Picea pungens) by Suthin Sukolosovisit. I’m not sure what makes this rugged rock root-on-rock planting a Japanese Bonsai display. I am sure however, that it is a magnificent bonsai by one of our greatest bonsai artists. But then, those of us who have been paying attention, have come to expect masterpieces like this from Suthin.* I borrowed this photo from Oscar at Bonsai Empire.** Today I’d like to show you the winner of the prize for the Finest Japanese Bonsai display at the just completed 5th U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition. It belongs to … Continue reading A Dynamic Masterpiece by a Great Bonsai Artist

Handle with Care & Only When Sober

I’m not sure how Nacho Marin did this. Carefully I suppose. His caption reads: “Ceiba Stick, drunk, choricia…. 65 cm (25.5″)” BTW, drunk refers to drunken stick (palo borracho*) a common name for Ceiba, and not, you can assume, to Nacho’s condition while working on the tree. I don’t know anything about Ceiba speciosa (aka Chorisia or Silk floss tree) beyond what I just read on Wikipedia. And though you might wonder why anyone would bother to bonsai such a difficult tree, there’s always the challenge that some humans seem to thrive on and perhaps there’s an interest in novelty … Continue reading Handle with Care & Only When Sober

The Best Bonsai Tell Stories

The smaller trunk was blown over in storm and saved when it landed on a tiny rock island. Fortunately, just enough of the roots are intact and a surviving branch has grown up to become the new crown. One of several stories told by this remarkable planting. The artist is Nacho Marin, a frequent presence here on Bark. The best bonsai tell stories. Usually it’s about hostile environments and hardships, though you could have a robust and stately tree that speaks of a more gentle climate and easy living. In the case of the tree above, you can see tough … Continue reading The Best Bonsai Tell Stories

Harry Harrington’s Spectacular Bonsai

I’m pretty sure I’ve never seen a privet bonsai quite this spectacular. It belongs to Harry Harrington. We’ve featured it a couple times over the years, but this latest iteration takes it to another level. Here’s Harry’s caption… “So at last, here it is……..taken last night under lights, my Common Privet bonsai (Ligustrum ovalifolium), height 19″/48cm. In a handmade bonsai pot designed and built by Swedish potter Thor Holvila” Harry Harrington’s bonsai4me has long been one of our default websites when it comes to researching a wide range of bonsai and useful bonsai information. Harry also posts a steady stream … Continue reading Harry Harrington’s Spectacular Bonsai

Black Pine Bonsai – Before & After (Seriously)

A Japanese black pine after some serious trimming. If you look at the photo just below, you might notice that there has also been some serious needle reduction. The tree and the photos in this post belong to Boon Manakitivipart (aka Bonsai Boon). The first two photos shown here provide a simple before and after on a Japanese black pine. As you can see it’s a remarkable tree. I was especially taken with the deeply striated bark and the way it flows into the nebari. Another thing that struck me about this tree is just how far American bonsai has … Continue reading Black Pine Bonsai – Before & After (Seriously)

A Snake, A Monster & A Well-Groomed Black Pine Bonsai

This has to be one of the most unique Japanese black pines anywhere. I can’t help but think of a monster with two gnarled feet lurching along. Now, if you can put that image out of your mind, you might enjoy the ancient bark and wonderfully confusing movement of the trunks. All three Japanese black pine bonsai shown here belong to Fumio Ideue, owner of Ideue Kikkoen Bonsai Garden in Shikoku, Japan. We borrowed most of this post from a post titled King of Bonsai that originally appeared here in December, 2013. Snake. Looks like this was taken in the … Continue reading A Snake, A Monster & A Well-Groomed Black Pine Bonsai