Towering Tamarack Bonsai

This towering Tamarack is too tall for the photo, so the top and a tiny piece of the bottom of the pot are missing (you can see almost all of it below). It belongs to Suthin Sukosolvisit. Tamarack is a local name for the American larch (Larix laricina). Suthin identifies it only as ‘larch,’ a genus of trees that numbers about twelve species; so Tamarack is a guess based on geography. Suthin Sukosolvisit is selling part of his personal bonsai collection (see the Tsukomo cypress below). This is a great opportunity to own a masterpiece bonsai by one of our … Continue reading Towering Tamarack Bonsai

Critiquing a Surrealistic Bonsai

After. Robert Steven’s simulation of a photo submitted by Wayan (see below). Here’s another Robert Steven critique from our archives (July, 2011). I picked this one for a couple good reasons: first the tree is uniquely challenging, with it’s mammoth, mountain-like trunk, and second, there’s a great discussion about it with the original. I invite you to take a look. What a difference a pot makes. Though Robert doesn’t mention it in his critique (below), introducing a shallow pot, rather than the original clunky and rather unattractive pot, instantly transforms the whole tree. Nothing outside the box, just a simple … Continue reading Critiquing a Surrealistic Bonsai

Another Outstanding Bonsai Critique by Robert Steven

Robert Steven’s simulation of a Pemphis acidula that was submitted by Nurul Fajri (the original photo is below). Would you like Robert Steven, renowned bonsai artist, teacher and author to critique one of your bonsai? For free? Just email me a photo and we’ll take it from there. We first featured the critique shown here back in November, 2013. The tree is so exceptional that it’s worth another look. When I opened my email from Robert Steven and glanced at the before photo (below), I thought it was the after photo. But only for a moment. It’s the pot that … Continue reading Another Outstanding Bonsai Critique by Robert Steven

Garden of Tropical Bonsai Delights

Three major components come together in this colorful root-over-rock bonsai. A flowering tree (Malpighia pendiculata), a pot that some of us would die for (hand painted Chinese?) and an extraordinarily craggy rock. This bonsai and the others in this post are by Gede Merta. This isn’t the first time that we’ve featured Gede Merta’s bonsai. Nor will it be the last. If you don’t know Gede Merta, then welcome to his garden of tropical bonsai delights. If you already know Gede Merta, then welcome once again… Do you see it? The Valentine heart? Normally we wouldn’t point that out, … Continue reading Garden of Tropical Bonsai Delights

Bonsai from the Wild

This famous American larch by Nick Lenz gives you a pretty good idea of why larches are valued for their yellow-golden fall foliage. The photo is from Nick’s book, Bonsai from the Wild, as are all the photos in this post. One more day on the road and one more post lifted from our archives (2009 in this case), though with serious editing and the addition of one photo and more text. Here in northern Vermont the common name for the American larch is Tamarack, though it has several other names along its entire coast to coast North American range, … Continue reading Bonsai from the Wild

“The Most Complete & Understandable Bonsai…”

This has got to be one of the most magnificent Chinese hackberry (Celtis sinensis) bonsai anywhere. Though the distinctive split trunk needs no comment, you might also notice the highly developed ramification (fine branching). The tree was donated to the Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection (now the Pacific Bonsai Museum) by Ben Oki. I know we just posted this last August, but I’m enjoying the tail end of a short vacation so rather than go to the trouble to work up a new post, it seems like a good time to remind you about Dave DeGroot’s Principles of Bonsai Design. BTW, … Continue reading “The Most Complete & Understandable Bonsai…”

Flowering Bonsai & some other Good News

This is the first and only Fuchsia bonsai we’ve shown. Until now, that is (see below). It’s from a post we did two years ago. We originally found it at Aus Bonsai. Tropical and semi-tropical flowering plants are common and abundant, though not all are suitable for bonsai. This has a lot to do with leaf size, as many have leaves that are too large for bonsai (you can reduce leaf size to some degree, but in most cases it’s best to start out with plants that have small leaves and short internodes). Two good warm climate flowering plants that … Continue reading Flowering Bonsai & some other Good News

Two Masterpiece Bonsai Forests & an Inspired Imitation

This famous masterpiece Hinoki forest is by Masahiko Kimura and is one of his favorites. The photo is by Morten Albek (author of Shohin Bonsai). It appears in The Magician: The Bonsai Art of Kimura 2. Though comparisons are often odious (and unfair, especially when it’s with Kimura), still, older trees make for more interesting forests. In this case, Kimura’s hinokis (above and at the bottom) are not only mature, but also expertly styled; each one in accord with its size and position in the forest. Another distinctive feature on the Kimura forest above is the use of deadwood. It … Continue reading Two Masterpiece Bonsai Forests & an Inspired Imitation

Bonsai Microsculptures

A perfect yamadori bunjin with deadwood and a snake like living vein. Sweet pot too. This and the other photos shown here are from Ken To’s website. This post is borrowed from our archives (Sept 2013). It wasn’t the first time we’ve featured Ken To’s beautifully detailed little wire bonsai sculptures and won’t be the last. We have caught a little grief about posting these cause they aren’t real bonsai. But that’s just silly. Rather than going to the trouble of actually thinking and writing, here’s some text that I lifted from Katie Hosmer at My Modern Met. “To’s microsculptures … Continue reading Bonsai Microsculptures

Nipping & Snapping at Noelanders – Part 2

This one has that wild, almost untouched look, that takes you straight to a rocky ledge off in the mountains somewhere. I don’t know what it is but I like it and its pot. This photo and the others shown here (and in yesterday’s post) were taken by Graham Potter at last weekend’s Noelanders Trophy. Yesterday I wrote “There’s a long discussion on facebook about Noelanders Trophy and some ‘haters’ (an overused word that some people use just because someone else expresses a dislike or a contrary opinion), but I’ve decided that this is a part one post, so we’ll … Continue reading Nipping & Snapping at Noelanders – Part 2