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Quick & Easy Azaleas in Bloom

This striking Kyushu azalea (Rhododendron Kiusianum) with its wild almost chaotic trunk is from an Art of Bonsai Project contest held in 2005. It belongs to (or belonged to?) Melvyn Goldstein. The only thing I would take issue with is the pot. Not to say that this isn’t a very nice pot (and very clean and well oiled), it’s just that a shallower glazed oval might be better. BTW: Kyushu are not Satsuki azaleas. Kyushu usually bloom in March or April (depending on where they are) while Satsuki bloom in May (again depending and thus the name Satsuki, which means fifth month).

Not enough sleep around here (and various other complaints that we won’t bother you with), so we’ll dig out a couple photos we’ve already shown and throw in a couple others. The result is a potpourri of azaleas in bloom. It probably would have been more time appropriate to show these earlier in the year, but quick and easy is the order of the day.

 

We’ve shown this delicious small satsuki before, but it’s worth another look. I originally found it on Tae Kukiwon Bonsai.

 

This photo popped up on a site called Smug Mug. It’s attributed to Dupuich (that would be Jonas Dupuich of Bonsai Tonight who takes and posts hundreds of excellent bonsai photos). It also says Bay Island Bonsai, so you might assume that Jonas took the photo at a Bay Island show (it didn’t show up in a quick search of Bonsai Tonight, but I suspect you could find it there with a little effort and patience). Anyway, it’s a magnificent tree with absolutely gorgeous flowers, though we might once again take issue with the pot.

 

I love the flowers and especially the trunk on this one. Nice pot too. I’m not so sure about the crown, which seems a bit too perfectly shaped. Still, it’s a great tree, even though the photo is a little fuzzy (mea culpa for blowing it up). It’s from the Crespi Bonsai Museum’s site.

 

If you live in the States, you’ve no doubt seen our lovely bonsai art stamps. If you don’t and you haven’t, take a look.

 

I’m not complaining, but it’s hard not to notice that the shape of the trunk and whole tree for that matter, are more Shimpaku-like than azalea-like. Not to mention the very Shimpaku-like shari (deadwood on the trunk). These features combined with the brilliant multi-toned flowers, make for a very interesting bonsai. I stumbled upon the photo here.

 

While we’re on the topic, this classic is now on special at Stone Lantern.

As you might surmise from the somewhat wordy captions, this post didn’t turn out quite as quick and easy as we’d hoped. Oh well…

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Stretching a Shimpaku from Kimura’s Bag of Tricks

After. Almost twice as tall (the before photo is below). So tall that there’s barely room in the photo for the top of the tree (that’s a bad joke, but the photo is a little cramped). Shimpaku juniper, height 28″ (71cm). From The Magician, The Bonsai Art of Kimura 2.

For expediences sake
There’s a lot going on here right now, so for expediences sake I’ve decided to resurrect a post from two years ago. It was titled That’s A Stretch, but for the sake of originality, we’ll call it Stretching a Shimpaku from Kimura’s Bag of Tricks this time. BTW: we’re on a bit of a Kimura roll these days. Here’s one we posted just last week and here’s one we posted last month that is similar in some ways to today’s post.

From 15″ to 28″ tall
You’ve seen plenty of bonsai reduced in height, but how many have you seen that are almost doubled in height? Granted, in this case, about half of that increase comes from changing the planting angle, but how about the other half?

How did he do that?
Rebar, bamboo sticks and a little creative genius are a big part of Kimura’s bag of tricks. For a detailed exposition of just how these trick are employed, check out The Magician, The Bonsai Art of Kimura 2.

Before. Not a bad tree, but could be much better. Height 15″ (38 cm).

 

This’ll give you some idea of at least a part of the process. That’s the Master, Masahiko Kimura holding the rebar.

The Magician: is full of magical bonsai transformations…

…and it’s below half price at Stone Lantern (retail 29.95, our low price 11.95).

 

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No Mean Feat

This remarkable Satsuki azalea with its bright profusion of flowers belongs to Teunis Jan Klein. It’s not very often you see a cascade with such a long reach (both vertically and horizontally). What’s more remarkable is the mass of flowers around the tip, which is almost as strong as the crown. That much strength so far from the base is no mean feat. This photo and the other photos in this post are from Hans Van Meer’s blog. It was taken at the 7th Het Westen Bonsai Show in Delft, Netherlands.

All the photos in this post have been borrowed from Hans Van Meer’s bonsai blog. This is not the first time we’ve visited Hans; we lifted an elephant from him almost a year ago.

 

This sweet little tree belongs to Hans. You don’t see that many Lilac bonsai, or pre-bonsai in this case. Either way, it pretty impressive with its vivid blossoms (you can almost smell them), its distinctive gnarled trunk and its overall healthy vigorous look.

 

Another sweet flowering tree by Hans. This one’s a Hawthorn. A close-up that shows more of the trunk’s character and other details would have been nice, but beggars can’t be choosy.

 

Japanese white pine (Pinus parviflora) by Hotsumi Terakawa. Like the other photos in this post, this one is from Hans Van Meer’s blog and like the Satsuki at the top of the page, it was taken at the 7th Het Westen Bonsai Show in Delft, Netherlands. It’s a great tree, though the photo seems to show some discolored needles. Maybe that’s why it wasn’t entered in the competition. Also, is it just me, or is there an issue with the placement of the tree in the pot? Still, it’s a very sweet and unique tree with so many of the features you look for in a quality bonsai, including strong base, good taper and fluid lines. Then there’s the way long the sweep of the crown is complemented by the long sweep of the first branch.

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Almost Incomprehensibly Thick

A picture is worth a thousand words. What better way to lend a little perspective to what turns out to be an almost incomprehensibly massive trunk with almost incomprehensibly thick bark? It’s from a Peter Tea post titled ‘The Return of the King.’ See below for a couple more photos and some info on this classic tree.

Way back in January 2009, we introduced Bonsai Bark with a photo of, believe it or not, bonsai bark (see below). At the time I thought it was a pretty good shot, at least until I saw the photo above. Too late to change it now, but maybe we can consider this a re-introduction of sorts.

Peter Tea’s bonsai blog. I know I’ve raved about Peter’s blog before, but how can we borrow his outstanding photos without raving just a bit more? If you only visit a handful of blogs on your web forays, make sure Peter’s Journey of a Bonsai Apprentice at Aichi-en is one of them.

 

The original photo from our first post a long, long time ago. It’s originally from Bonsai Today 106.

 

The Beast in 1996. It is simply impossible to grasp the magnitude of this tree from this photo. Actually, it’s nearly impossible to grasp the magnitude of any great tree from any photo (though the photo at the top takes a big step in the right direction). Peter’s caption reads “Zuiou” 1996 Kokufu prize winner, Japanese Black Pine.” His unseen label for the photo is ‘The Beast.’


Showing a tree next to a human, or at least part of a human, is another way to gain a little perspective. In this case the shoulder, arm and hand happen to belong to Jonas Dupuich, the mind and eye behind Bonsai Tonight, another bonsai blog worthy of your attention. Especially if you appreciate top shelf, professional level bonsai photos. This photo, which is from Peter Tea’s blog and presumably by Peter, was taken at the 2011 Taikan-ten exhibition. With apologies to Peter and Jonas, I took the liberty of cropping most of Jonas out. Not that I don’t think Jonas’ visage is worthy (here’s the original), it’s just that we made a decision from the very beginning of Bonsai Bark to de-emphasize people so we can better emphasize bonsai.

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An All-Time Favorite

After. Finished for the moment. The challenge was for Masahiko Kimura to style a bunjin (literati) bonsai with only one branch (see below for where he started). Its uniqueness lies in its striking simplicity. It’s a Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora). From a December 2009 post and before that from our Masters’ Series The Magician, the Bonsai Art of Kimura 2 (before that it appeared in Bonsai Today issue 69).

This tree and its story are among our all-time favorites . Though it’s hard to say what Kimura would have done with this tangled-up bunjin had he not been challenged to take it down to just one branch; what he came up with has to be one of the most compelling exercise in simplicity and elegance that we’ve ever seen.

The back story. Not too long ago we featured a ‘mind bending transformation’ by the Magician, Masahiko Kimura (from our Masters’ Series Juniper book). Though the post doesn’t mention it, it’s not a stretch to imagine that Kimura did it because he was challenged by the editors of Kindai Bonsai magazine. In the case of this tree, the challenge is explicitly stated in the both the book (the Magician this time) and our original post (from December 2009).

 

Before. Though still somewhat crude, this bunjin clearly has some potential; especially with its aged, elegant trunk and ample branching to chose from. Had Kimura not been restricted to ending with only one branch, he may have chosen another route. You can see the whole sequence from beginning to end in The Magician.

 

All tangled up. This side view gives us a pretty good idea of what Kimura was up against.

 

It takes four hands to untangle the mess.

NEW MASTERS’ SERIES BOOK SET. Here’s a brand new set of two of our Masters’ Series books. The price is right for these great books, only 29.00 for both (list price is 59.90) . They are also available individually at Stone Lantern.

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Backyard Bonsai 13

A sweet little bonsai workshop surrounded by an attractive display area. This photo and the others in this post are from the Minnesota Bonsai Society website.

The exceptional backyard bonsai display shown here is from the Minnesota Bonsai Society website. Unfortunately, the owner of the backyard is a secret for the moment (no name is provided with the photos), though I doubt it will be a secret much longer. In any case, whoever created it is to be applauded. When it comes to structure (the tables and benches, the sweet little workshop and to some extent the landscaping) it has to be one of the best of the thirteen we’ve featured so far (here’s the last one from 17 months ago).

We have Terry Davis to thank for pointing us to the Minnesota Bonsai Society website (our first visit, btw). He sent a link to his Top Azalea Picks for Bonsai and as one thing leads to another, a pleasant journey through backyard bonsai, bonsai workshops, gallery trees and more ensued. I’m not sure how we missed this excellent site for so long, but now it’s on our radar.

One more thing that is especially pleasing about the Minnesota site; it’s completely up to date! (here’s their 2013 calendar where you might notice that Suthin is coming in September). Surprisingly (or not so surprisingly) it’s not unusual to find society sites woefully behind. Not that I’m complaining, it’s easy to understand how this might happen in organizations run by unpaid volunteers.

 

Bonsai island in the grass.

 

An old Buddha and an old pine.

 

Buddha meditating with a Chinese elm, Shimpaku and Ginkgo (I think I’m right this time).

 

Winter, or at least not summer. With the bare benches, it’s easy to see the quality of the workmanship.

 

This shot gives you a pretty good idea of the extent of the display, though I did crop a little on the right to eliminate an eyesore. Still, pretty impressive.

 

This seems like a good place to remind you that Your Guide to Creating Stands and Benches is back in print.

 

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Walter Pall’s Hedge Cutting Method

The Japanese maple that Walter Pall uses to illustrate his ‘hedge-cutting method.’ This photo was taken four years after Walter started working with this tree. The before photo is below.

Walter Pall’s hedge-cutting method. Our last post presented a radical approach to soil and feeding by Walter Pall, the great bonsai innovator. This post features another of Walter’s radical innovations. This time it’s about pruning broad leaf bonsai.

Before continuing with Walter’s technique, I’ll reintroduce Jim Smith and see if I can bore you with a personal note.

I first learned about hedge shearing bonsai from Jim Smith, a highly respected American Bonsai Artist and grower who works primarily with tropical and sub-tropical bonsai. Because Jim lives in Florida, I figured that hedge shearing was only used in the tropics or sub-tropics, due to rapid rates of growth and recovery.

That was until I began field growing larches here in Vermont and decided that the only way to keep up is to use my sword shears (large one-handed shears with long blades that I originally learned about from Jim) and simply keep cutting back to the desired silhouettes. At least while they’re in the ground. However, until now, I didn’t know about Walter Pall’s hedge-cutting methods, which as it turns out (and as you might expect) are considerably more sophisticated than mine.

What follows are some of Walter’s photos (with his captions in italics) and some remarks (also in italics) that I selected from his hedge-cutting article.

 

Before. “2008-05: The tree arrived in my garden in this state. The previous owner had kept it in Akadama mush and thought that he would automatically improve the tree by pinching. The crown is much too wide and flat and the leaves hide poorly structured branches. Many branches are dead. The Nebari could be much better and the maple is planted too high in its pot.”

“Well, a few decades ago when the first bonsai trees were brought to the West, the purchasers asked how they should care for these trees. The answer was given so that no mistakes could be made. It was assumed that the owners wanted to keep the trees in the state in which they purchased them. The pinching was recommended because it is useful for trees that are ‘finished’ and ready for exhibition or sale. Nobody thought at that time that the Westerners would ever be able to develop bonsai themselves.

In the developmental phase, the goal is clearly to improve the tree. The trunk and the branches must be thickened, pruning wounds must close and the tree is to develop so many new shoots that one has a choice of useful branches. The nebari should also improve significantly. At this stage, the immediate image is secondary to the future beauty. That is why leaves can be large and the tree can look ugly for the longest time. To achieve these goals, the tree needs as much excess energy as possible which it can only obtain through the photosynthetic activity of as many leaves as possible. If exactly those sources of energy are removed too early, then the tree can’t develop. In the worst case, it dies a slow death.”

As you can tell from the sacrifice branches, Walter’s methods involve more than just hedge shearing. “2009-01: A deciduous tree can be much better evaluated without its leaves. It is now apparent that the center tree ought to be much thicker and somewhat higher. The previous owner didn’t achieve much by many years of pinching. It looks rather poorly developed. The pot by Bryan Albright seems over powering.”

“The numerous leaves produce lots of energy in the form of carbohydrates that moves downwards through the branches and is deposited in the branches, the trunk, and finally the roots. The result is that branches and trunk thicken, that the surface roots – the nebari – also thicken, and that the roots grow strongly. At the same time, many new visible and dormant buds develop. The entire system “tree” is strengthened and it has good reserves for any setbacks. A radical cutback is such a setback.

In Central European climate about six to eight weeks after the first flush, in our area from the middle of May to the beginning of June, the tree is then cut back with big sheers to its previous silhouette. It is irrelevant where exactly it is being cut, or if any leaves are cut. This actually ought to occur as a partial leave pruning will allow light and air into the crown of the tree. All other growth inside the silhouette is not touched but strengthened with this method. And the tree is strongly encouraged to bud out again.”

The final photo in Walter’s article. “2013-02: The tree was repotted into a very suitable pot by Walter Venne from Germany. The results of the development thus far are quite presentable. But is is by far not the end of the development. Much has changed in five growth periods, yet the work continues as before. In another five years the tree will be better again. The drawback, however, will be that he tree is not really presentable during much of that time.”

The above comments and photos are just a sampling from Walter Pall’s ground-breaking article on his hedge-cutting method.

The following photos are not by Walter.

Podocarpus macrophylla by Jim Smith. My best guess is that Jim used his own hedge shearing method to develop this tree. Photo is from The Art of Bonsai Project.

 

Our Sword shears work quite well for the hedge cutting method.

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Turning Some Cherished Notions on Their Heads

This Hawthorn in bloom is from Walter Pall’s Bonsai Adventures, as is the article below. The rest of the photos in this post are from Walter’s online gallery.

Walter Pall, world famous bonsai artist and much more… We’ve feature Walter’s bonsai numerous times here on Bark (and in Bonsai Today) and will continue to feature them for as long as we continue posting. I won’t say much more, except that Walter produces quality trees by the hundreds (seemingly at least) and he also sometimes produces worthwhile and even provocative ideas about bonsai. What follows may be his most fascinating and provocative idea yet.

The first few paragraphs of Walter’s article begin just below the photo… (note, Walter uses substrate where most of use soil). I look forward to your comments.

 

This sturdy, barely tamed beast of a tree is a perfect example of Walter’s naturalistic style. From his conifer gallery.

Feeding, Substrate and Watering
Methods of Walter Pall (edited by Victrinia Ridgeway)

“First, I set aside everything that has been written in most bonsai literature about the subject. As technology grants us access to new and more effective methods and products, the way we care for our trees has progressed beyond the boundaries of tradition. It has been a new and modern world for some time, but many have not realized this. Even if some measure of success is achieved with the old methods it can be dangerous if used with modern substrates and practices, or even deadly.

Substrates (soil): Good substrate material must: be of equal particle size, have the ability to absorb water and release it back, have no fine particle organic material, must not decompose easily, be as lightweight as possible when dry, preferably inexpensive and should have an aesthetically pleasing appearance. This would then be: lava, pumice, baked loam, Turface, zeolite, Chabasai (a type of zeolite), coconut pieces, bark pieces, Styrofoam pieces (no joke) and a few more which you can find yourself if you have understood the principles. Please note: Some of these materials may not be available in your area…” (continued after the photo and caption)

Another naturalistic bonsai. Naturalistic doesn’t mean ‘left just the way you found it.’ This and others in Walter’s collection may have spent numerous hours being transformed from raw stock to what you see. But what you see, is a tree that looks like it has barely been touched by human hands.

“Normal akadama is questionable as a good substrate as it inevitably decomposes, especially when exposed to winter frost. It can become deadly loam in the pot, choking the flow of water and air into the soil. This is especially true for trees which are only rarely repotted, like collected conifers and old bonsai in general.

Substrates which are not useful: soil, compost, stones, sand etc. Trees grow in sand and flower soil, of course, but it is not an optimal growing medium for health in bonsai culture.
All substrates can be mixed according to your liking and it makes almost no difference. They can also be recycled and used again, but make certain to sift and clean any recycled materials as needed.

There is no such thing as an ‘ideal bonsai substrate’. There are in fact thousands of ideal substrates. I believe that IT DOES NOT MATTER WHAT YOU USE AND IN WHAT MIXTURE as long as it is a modern substrate…”

This should be enough to stimulate your interest. Here’s the rest.

The clean, elegant lines and simple crown give on this bunjin style pine a more refined look that the two trees just above.

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Book Review for a Unique & Exceptional New Bonsai Book

The following review of Bill Valavanis’ new Classical Bonsai Art is borrowed from Andy Rutledge’s Bonsai Journal. Andy has a knack for digging into books and bringing out nuggets of gold. In this vein (sorry bout that) Andy’s reviews include good and bad (his own words) sections, though the latter doesn’t really apply in this case. If you get a chance, I recommend that you pay Bonsai Journal a visit. You won’t be disappointed.

Classical Bonsai Art, A Half Century of Bonsai Study – The Creations & Passions of William N. Valavanis
Review by Andy Rutledge

 

“Immersing oneself in bonsai study for a half century is a rare and remarkable feat. Such an effort requires and suggests much dedication and the result is bound to leave an indelible mark. Having reached this commendable milestone, bonsai artist and teacher William N. Valavanis is celebrating his anniversary by sharing some of the fruits of his long and productive enthusiasm over the past fifty years.

His latest book, Classical Bonsai Art – A Half Century of Bonsai Study, is not what I expected it to be. Before the book arrived, I imagined it might be a gallery book—dedicated to glorious photos of specimens along with little more than the individual trees’ provenance and display accompaniment information. A coffee table book. And there are glorious photos of specimens in his book. But, of course, Mr. Valavanis is a teacher; his semi-centennial celebration would have to be consistent with that idiom. So this is a book you would expect from a teacher.

It has a fitting subtitle: The Creations and Passions of William N. Valavanis. The book, in part, presents one hundred specimens from the author’s collection and that of his students. Some are presented as highly detailed historical accounts, others in more cursory fashion. In the more detailed accounts the author shares not just the technical development data, but some interesting anecdotes, evolving ideas and opinions, recoveries from damage and more that, among other things, presents a compelling chronicle of the day-to-day plight of a bonsai grower. So despite the often uncommon results, enthusiasts of all levels of experience will be able to identify with the author’s efforts and anecdotes.

maple history

An account of one maple that received a significant remodeling and redevelopment.

elm history

A Seiju elm’s promising beginnings and stunning result.

“Case studies aside, there are other interesting and valuable sections included in the book, which begins, not surprisingly, with some history and classification information. There are also chapters devoted to shohin bonsai and to details on the cultivation and training of maples, narrow-leaf evergreens, and flowering & fruiting bonsai. One especially nice inclusion is a section on selecting containers for bonsai. In it, the author details not just the simple aesthetic considerations, but also seasonal, climate, and quality considerations.

 

style classification

From the classification section of the book, this photo shows the author’s explanation and detailing of one-line and two-line cascade bonsai.

 

a pot/tree-matching exercise

To support the section on container selection, there is a nice tree/pot matching exercise that examines the relative faults and merits of different containers in context.

The Good

“There is much to like here and the book is of good presentational quality on very nice paper. The many case-study photos span decades and while some are clearly quite old, almost all are of excellent quality and clarity. The text is approachable and thoughtfully composed. Enthusiasts who are familiar with the bonsai style classification rules would do well to review what the author has to say on these matters, as he presents some interesting examinations and even contention with certain details. Unlike with most bonsai books, that section of this book warrants study.

Each of the 100 case studies concludes with a formal presentation photo of the subject in its latest state. As the title suggests, this is a book about bonsai art and in keeping with that fact the trees in these final photos are in almost every case presented in proper condition, with proper preparation, and on a stand. Bonsai students should mark this convention, as it is the appropriate way to display bonsai. I was pleased to see the author maintain this standard and must say that I expected nothing less from Mr. Valavanis, as he does have a well-deserved reputation.

I was delighted to find that there is a section showing some nice examples of formal display, adding further dimension to the author’s depiction of bonsai art. Though I must say I would have much preferred straight-on photos rather than the perspectives selected here.”

 

alcove displays

Some fine examples of 3-point formal alcove display.

And of course there are beautiful photos of excellent bonsai specimens, worthy of mention and admiration:”

euro beech

 

hornbeam

 

chrysanthemum

 

quince

 

spindle

For the rest of the review including The Bad (nothing much there except a little nitpicking, in Andy’s own words), visit Andy’s Bonsai Journal.

To order this exceptional book and other quality bonsai books visit Stone Lantern. We also offer two other benchmark bonsai books by Bill Valavanis, Fine Bonsai and the 3rd U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition Album.

Pricing note: yesterday when we offered Classical Bonsai Art on our website, we priced it at 49.00. This was a mistake. It should be 50.00 due to a previous agreement with the author. My apologies for the mistake. Thank you for your understanding.

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