A Dramatic Before & After Bonsai

An impressive Sierra juniper(Juniperus occidentalis) transformation by Valentín Cruz. It was originally dug by Ned Lycett Before we start, we’ve got an update on yesterday’s post, thanks to Bill Valvanis (see below). Here we go again with another exceptional before and after bonsai. I found it on the artist’s timeline. His name is Valentín Cruz and a couple hours ago I had no idea he existed. My guess is you didn’t either, but if you spend some time looking him up you most likely won’t forget him. By the way Valentín’s bonsai teacher is Jim Gremel, an artist we’ve featured several times over the years. Roshi Tool Special … Continue reading A Dramatic Before & After Bonsai

Is There a Best View for this Exceptional Japanese Maple?

One possible front view of a freshly leafing Japanese maple. But this is not just any Japanese maple; it’s an exceptional one and it’s in an exceptional (and probably very expensive) pot. I borrowed this photo and the others shown here from Michael Bonsai. Michael doesn’t mention the artist or owner, but we’ll give him a pass as he is a very good source for professional quality photos of excellent Japanese bonsai. If you’re a bonsai enthusiast, spring starts when buds begin to swell. Here in northern Vermont, trees in the ground aren’t quite there yet, but my trees that are just out of winter storage certainly … Continue reading Is There a Best View for this Exceptional Japanese Maple?

Bonsai Close Up

Harry Harrington’s dramatic closeup of a Trident maple root-over-rock by Ian Cuppleditch. Sticking with Harry Harrington. But this time it’s photos he took of other people’s bonsai at the Expo Bonsai UK 2018 Show. Here’s what Harry had to say about them… “After many hours of editing my favourite images from yesterday’s Expo Bonsai UK 2018 Show in Harlington, London, England. The show had an incredibly high standard of trees and I was lucky to get some great photos!” We’re featuring some of Harry’s closeups here. If you’d like to see photos of the entire trees, you can visit Harry’s bonsai4me website Note: If you’re wondering why we’ve put … Continue reading Bonsai Close Up

Bonsai Up Close – Fertilizer Special Ends Tonight

Harry Harrington’s dramatic closeup of a Trident maple root-over-rock by Ian Cuppleditch. Sticking with Harry Harrington. But this time it’s photos he took of other people’s bonsai at the Expo Bonsai UK 2018 Show. Here’s what Harry had to say about them… “After many hours of editing my favourite images from yesterday’s Expo Bonsai UK 2018 Show in Harlington, London, England. The show had an incredibly high standard of trees and I was lucky to get some great photos!” We’re featuring some of Harry’s closeups here. If you’d like to see photos of the entire trees, you can visit Harry’s bonsai4me website FERTILIZER SPECIAL ENDS TONIGHT 30% … Continue reading Bonsai Up Close – Fertilizer Special Ends Tonight

Before & After Bonsai – A Remarkable 7 Year Transformation

Before and after of one Harry Harrington’s famous privets. Here’s Harry’s caption… “For completion, the large Privet bonsai defoliated, wood-hardened and re-styled last month, now back in leaf and ready to live out its days with its new owner near Birmingham (U.K.). Seen here in 2010 after I was given the tree when it was just a big lump of wood collected from a hedge, and now, 7 years later. Ligustrum ovalifolium/Privet bonsai, Height 16″/39cm, Trunk diameter 7″/17cm, Pot by Victor Harris of Erin Pottery” Slow start this morning so we’ll resort to one from our archives (July of last year) … Continue reading Before & After Bonsai – A Remarkable 7 Year Transformation

A Bonsai Artist on a Mission

This rugged beauty with its luminous fall foliage is a Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia). Like most of the photos shown here, it’s from Harry Harrington’s bonsai4me website It has been a while since we visited our friend Harry Harrington, a bonsai artist on a mission to style ten thousand bonsai in one lifetime (or so it seems). In addition to being one of the most prolific and visible bonsai artists we know (Harry’s timeline and his website provide ample evidence on both counts), Harry often specializes in bonsai that come from humble origins… Continued below… SPECIAL ENDS TONIGHT HIGH IMPACT PLASTIC BONSAI POTS 25% OFF LIST PRICES ENDS … Continue reading A Bonsai Artist on a Mission

Bonsai Before & After – Foundations & Inspirations

English field elm, after & before by Harry Harrington. Here’s Harry’s caption… “… before and after images of my Ulmus minor/English Field Elm Bonsai. The ‘before’ image was taken in 2006, a couple of years after I had collected the tree and while I was still grafting in a few roots at the base. Height 27″/66cm, trunkbase 9″/22cm in diameter. Collected in August 2004. Pot by Victor Harris of Erin Pottery.” It has been a while since we visited our friend Harry Harrington. You can enjoy Harry’s ongoing bonsai endeavors on facebook and you can can visit his extensive bonsai4me website. Better still, … Continue reading Bonsai Before & After – Foundations & Inspirations

A Masterful Example of how Energy Can Be Redirected

This powerful old cascading Japanese Black Pine (Pinus thunbergii) is a masterful example of how energy can be directed downward in a tree that naturally wants to grow upward. The photo is from Bonsai Today Master Series; Pines. A late start today, so it’s time for a journey into our past. This post was one of our very firsts (Feb 2009 with an added azalea photo from a later post), but like so much with bonsai, is still 100% pertinent today… and tomorrow, and so forth. Whenever you prune, trim or pinch, you are redirecting energy. If you remove a … Continue reading A Masterful Example of how Energy Can Be Redirected

Bonsai Inspirations 1 Is Here!

We just received a limited number of Bonsai Inspirations 1 from our friend Harry Harrington, a well known and highly regarded English bonsai artist. We will almost certainly run out before the Holidays, so now is the time. Bonsai Inspirations 1 by Harry Harrington Our list price is 34.95 Now on introductory Special for Only 29.95 Harry Harrington’s Bonsai Inspirations 1 is now available in North America. This information rich book is divided into 14 chapters, each covering the progression and development of a bonsai over a period of many years, illustrating in great depth how impressive and majestic bonsai can be created from humble … Continue reading Bonsai Inspirations 1 Is Here!

More Great Shots from Bonsai San

The way the foliage clings to the trunk gives this tree a wild unstyled look. The deadwood and aged bark don’t hurt this effect either. I lifted the photo from Harry Harrington’s timeline. Here’s Harry’s caption… “This was one of my personal favourite trees in the Show (one of many), a Pinus mugo/Mugo Pine by Václav Novák in a Klika-Kuratkova bonsai pot.” The internet is swamped with great photos from the just completed European Bonsai San Show. Rather than attempting to show them all we’ll settle for the ones we’ve already posted (here and here) and the ones in this post that we borrowed from Harry Harrington. Continued … Continue reading More Great Shots from Bonsai San