Clipping and Growing

This massive Trident maple most likely started in a field somewhere and was allowed to grow quite tall (the fastest way to thicken the trunk) before it was cut back. This first cut was the beginning of clip and grow styling (see below). The owner/artist of this outstanding bonsai is German Gomez. Most large Trident maples (and some other deciduous trees) are started in the field and developed using the clip and grow technique. The result is usually a heavy trunked tree with gentle curves, often in a more or less S shape. You can see this basic shape in … Continue reading Clipping and Growing

Monsters

Halloween? The show was in October (last year). At first glance you might just see the tree and the cobwebs and miss the hands clutching (persenting?) the sculpted wooden pot. This photo and the one just below are from Robert Steven’s 2014 International Bonsai Art & Culture Biennale. Apropos of nothing… When I moved east from the left coast I was surprised to see what a big deal Halloween is out here. Almost like the Christmas, Hanukkah & other shortest-days-of-the-year-Holidays, only different with garden witches, ghosts and the rest. A full month or more before the actual day. Strange… … Continue reading Monsters

Brilliant Bonsai Color Combinations

You don’t see that many bright yellow pots. The glaze is expensive and hard to come by and the brilliance of the color can be overwhelming. But in this case the little tree holds its own. In fact, it’s hard to imagine a better choice of pots to set off the the richly hued Trident maple leaves. Yesterday one of the trees we featured was by Haruyosi, when reminded me how much I like his seemingly endless collection of Shohin bonsai. This post originally appeared November 2014. I think you could spend a lifetime browsing bonsai images and never find another bonsai … Continue reading Brilliant Bonsai Color Combinations

Savage Bonsai Beauty

One of the many excellent trees at the just completed 2015 Heathrow Bonsai Show. Heathrow is in the U.K (I just read somewhere that many Americans don’t know what the U.K. is. I’m not sure if I should be embarrassed or just resigned; though I’m pretty sure this doesn’t apply any of you). Photo by Ann White All the photos in this post are from the 2015 Heathrow Bonsai Show. Some are by Harry Harrington and some are by Ann White. Neither identify the varieties or the owners. This is par at bonsai shows and based on my experience at … Continue reading Savage Bonsai Beauty

A Perfectly Understated Example of Trunk & Nebari Development

In addition a one of the most perfectly developed crowns you’ll ever see, with its amazing profusion of tiny leaves; this Zelkova provides an excellent example of trunk and surface root (nebari) development. Neither are overstated; providing a welcome relief from overdeveloped trunk taper and nebari that you sometimes see (especially on maples*). But then, you might expect perfection from this tree, it’s from the Grand Master Saburo Kato’s collection (Mr Kato is the author of the famous book, Forest, Rock Planting & Ezo Spruce Bonsai). Off to the big city today (Burlington Vermont) and no time to put together … Continue reading A Perfectly Understated Example of Trunk & Nebari Development

Tireless Bonsai Warrior

There’s so much that could be said about this wildly expressive tree, but I’ll leave that to Robert Steven. Here’s what Robert wrote: “Premna microphylla (small leaves) grafted on Premna serratifolia stump to obtain better foliage proportion and ramification structure… Combining different line characters into one integrated design in bonsai is a big challenge to obtain good harmony….If there is anything “disturbing” you, mean I succeed to evoke you… LOL smile emoticon.” It has been a while since we featured Robert Steven’s bonsai. If you are new to bonsai, you may not know Robert. In addition to being one of … Continue reading Tireless Bonsai Warrior

Dwarf Kingsville & Other Boxwood Bonsai

You can tell this is a genuine Dwarf Kingsville boxwood by the tight tiny leaves. This planting by Boon Manakitivipart was the winner of the Certre Award at the 2010 U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition. Let’s touch back in with boxwoods for a moment (see our post from two days ago). This one originally appeared in September of last year. This post was inspired by an article on boxwoods in Bonsai Mary that sheds some light on the rampant confusion about dwarf boxwoods and particularly, what is and what isn’t a Dwarf Kingsville. Here’s one of the photos from Bonsai … Continue reading Dwarf Kingsville & Other Boxwood Bonsai

More Bonsai-San & Deadwood Wizardry

Nice close up. Based on the reddish bark and what you see of the leaves, I think this might be a Yew (how’s that for hedging? and no pun intended – Yews are often used for hedges). Back to the present. Our last two posts have featured trees from European Bonsai-San shows. The first from the just completed 2015 show and the second from 2013. Now it’s back to 2015 with some shots by Philippe Massard that I stumbled upon yesterday (we featured Phillippe’s Noelanders Trophy XV photos last year and a couple months ago). This is the second time … Continue reading More Bonsai-San & Deadwood Wizardry

That Relaxed, In-Synch Feeling

Aside from being a phenomenal tree and a great pot, there’s a relaxed in-synch feeling, like the pot and tree are old friends. This might have something to do with the color, texture, soft lines and aged look of each. The color and texture of the stand fits right in too, while contrast is provided by its sharp rectangular lines. All together a masterpiece. The artist is François Gau (pot by Greg Ceramics). All three photos in this post are from Parlons Bonsai (I took the liberty to crop all three to bring the trees closer). Yesterday we featured some … Continue reading That Relaxed, In-Synch Feeling

The Sargent

This dynamic tree with its unusual trunk shaped liked the number 3 (this effect is enhanced by the fluid, brush stroke like movement that runs up and down the length of the trunk) belongs to Marcelo Michelotti. He calls it Il Sergente (see below). Yesterday I stumbled upon the bonsai of Marcelo Michelotti, yet another of the talented bonsai artists that seem to be popping up everywhere lately. Marcelo lives and works in Alta Gracia, Argentina. All the photos shown here are from his facebook feed. A lovely confusion of names. Marcelo calls the tree above Il Sergente (the Sargent). … Continue reading The Sargent