Spring Bonsai Power

Norway spruce spring power is Mauro Stemberger’s title for this series of photos. What caught me about this tree is how natural it looks. As in the case of most of the best bonsai, you know that it has been styled, but styled in a way that you might call just so. Or just enough. Welcome to another Bonsai Europe post (six of our last ten posts have featured European bonsai). It’s not that we don’t appreciate what’s going on in the rest of the world… it’s just that from where we sit it seems like the center of Bonsai … Continue reading Spring Bonsai Power

It’s Taxus Time

This old Japanese yew (Taxus cuspidata) belongs to Mauro Stemberger. The color coordinated pot is by Petra Hahn (even the moss has reddish spots). I found the photo on The Art of Bonsai Project. Just for the fun of it, I searched our archives for the word Easter today. As you might suspect, all the posts with Cotoneaster came up. No surprise there. But so did several others, including this one (from December, 2015). My humble apologies… I didn’t realize that it’s tax time until after I dug up this old ‘Taxus’ post. Once I did realize, I couldn’t resist … Continue reading It’s Taxus Time

Powerful Shari, Brilliant Pot & Upside Down Maple

This old Taxus Baccata (English yew) is dominated by its powerful shari (trunk deadwood) The artist is Stefano Frisoni of Italy. On the road again today, so we’ll take the easy way out. The photos shown here are from a post we did in December, 2015. Continued below… NEW SALE 25% off our large selection of Bonsai Fertilizer well fed bonsai are healthy bonsai plus 10% off orders 100.00 or more and FREE Shipping on U.S. orders 50.00 or more Nice tree. Brilliant pot! Eleven years from stump by Mario Komsta (a regular here on Bark). It’s a Silverberry … Continue reading Powerful Shari, Brilliant Pot & Upside Down Maple

Bonsai Art, Circles & Curves

Zen pine. In some types of art shapes are often suggested rather than completed. The mind of the viewer does the rest. In the case of this pine, it’s a circle (or maybe a fishhook). The tree and the photo belong to Mauro Stemberger. You can see more of Mauro’s bonsai here, here and here. Today themes are circles, semi circles and curves, as well as another bonsai by Mauro Stemberger (see above and our last two posts). This post originally appeared here just over a year ago. I’ve taken the liberty to edit my own writing. Continued below… Bonsai … Continue reading Bonsai Art, Circles & Curves

Rock Island Bonsai

One of three impressive rock plantings from Mauro Stemberger’s recent bonsai sojourn in India. The trees in all three plantings are Procumbens juinipers. The natural sandstone river rocks were put together with cement. I don’t know anything about the pot, except that it’s a monster. Yesterday I wrote that I wanted to feature these three Juniper forests on rock islands by Mauro Stemberger and friends but needed more time to do a little research. We’ll, I couldn’t find the time, but if you’d like, you can do your own research. Here and here are two facebook links. You might also … Continue reading Rock Island Bonsai

A Dancer, a Famous Snake & Other Impressive Bonsai

The Dancer by Mauro Stemberger. Mauro’s caption reads: Never give up!!!! Swedish Scots pine “The Dancer.” You can see that Mauro is planning a new planting angle and most likely a new pot. You might imagine a bunjin type pot; shallow, round, maybe a little rough… Today I set out to put together a post on some rock plantings that were created during Mauro Stemberger’s recent (on-going?) trip to India. However, time wasn’t on my side, so I decided to wait until I could do a little more research. Meanwhile, to set the tone we’ll borrow this one from our … Continue reading A Dancer, a Famous Snake & Other Impressive Bonsai

Just Another Great Juniper with Sculpted Deadwood?

This dynamic Sabina juniper was posted by Mauro Stemberger (Italian Bonsai Dream), someone whose trees and photos have long graced this blog. Is the tree featured here just another great Juniper with sculpted deadwood? Well… yes, that’s exactly what it is, another great juniper, sculpted deadwood and all. There was a day not too long ago when trees like this could only be from Japan. But this is the 21st century and the explosion of high quality bonsai worldwide is happening. If I’m not mistaken, this one resides in Italy. Or at least, that’s where Mauro Stemberger resides. For more … Continue reading Just Another Great Juniper with Sculpted Deadwood?

A Rare One Photo Post

Something I just found and thought you might like. I don’t know the variety, but whatever it is, it’s pretty cool. This is a very rare one-photo post. I don’t know anything about the magazine, but I do like the tree and generally like Penjing and Penjing style bonsai. The photo is from Mauro Stemberger’s facebook feed 20% to 25% off Site Wide Sale* ends Wednesday night Don’t be caught napping! 20% off orders 1.00-99.99 25% off orders 100.00 + And Don’t Worry, It’s not too Late! We are shipping the same business day on orders received by 1-2pm EST … Continue reading A Rare One Photo Post

Eccentric or Just Twisted?

Doing the Twist. This tree belongs to Mauro Stemberger (Italian Bonsai Dream). Mauro has one of the most dramatic bonsai collections in the West, and though this one certainly qualifies, is there a line between dramatic and eccentric? Two of the trees in this post are naturally twisted and the other two were twisted by the hands of man. I don’t think you’ll have any trouble telling which is which. Site Wide Sale 20% to 25% off Everything* Including our large selection of Roshi & other Bonsai tools Even though there’s something unnatural about many of the twisted by-the-hands-of-man … Continue reading Eccentric or Just Twisted?

Bonsai Dreaming (on Such a Winter’s Day)

I’m guessing that this is a Mugo pine that was originally collected in the mountains of central Europe (the Alps?). It belongs to Mauro Stemberger, a long time favorite here on Bark. Gearing up for the big push (the whole year condenses to next three or four weeks), so we won’t spend too much time here. Just enough to brighten up your day (on this cold grey and snowy winter’s day) with three of our favorite Mauro Stemberger bonsai from his Italian Bonsai Dream website . And to remind you about Stone Lantern and our Site Wide Sale. Continued below… We … Continue reading Bonsai Dreaming (on Such a Winter’s Day)