A Simple & Instructive Little Quiz, Part 2

My way or the highway?

BT21quizes

Here it is and don’t blame me. Who you should blame is unknown; Bonsai Today issue 21 doesn’t provide the artist’s name.

Should’ve or could’ve?
On April 16th we posted a little quiz from Bonsai Today issue 21. Several of you took the challenge (see comments). Now we are posting the artist’s answers. One could take issue with the ‘should have’ language (the problem may have been in the translation). Still, whatever your thoughts on the language, you can bet that the original artist had a pretty good handle on the art of pruning (see above).

Continue reading A Simple & Instructive Little Quiz, Part 2

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Bon-Tat #2: Over the Top?

bontat

A little over the top? Cool body art? Gross? Interesting? Not? Whatever you or I might think, tattoos are everywhere (you know) these days. BTW: I enjoy good body art (on someone else’s body) but I’m not sure about this one (it’s not even a bonsai, but close enough) which turned up on my facebook home page.

Are you ready?
Exactly one year ago today, we featured our first bon-tat post (I like that one). Auspiciously (suspiciously?) this one just popped up on facebook. Are you ready for yours? When you are and you do it, please send us a photo and we’ll make you famous.

Continue reading Bon-Tat #2: Over the Top?

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Vacation Blues: One Week Behind

A very temporary condition
We are currently short staffed and are running at least one week behind. We expect to be all caught up by in about ten days (the two people who are out enjoying themselves will be back then).

Don’t wait! We are still accepting orders
As we catch up all orders will be processed on a first come first serve basis (they always are anyway). So don’t wait. Order now so you’ll be near the front of the line.

Thank you for your patience and understanding
Respectfully yours,
Wayne

Specials
Books, Kenzans (flower pins) and back issues of Bonsai Today are all on special. 25% off plus and extra 10% for orders over $100. Many items are individually discounted as well.

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CBS Bonsai Segment: “If You Do It Right”

cbs

Last Sunday CBS ran a segment on bonsai. It was shot in two places: The National Bonsai and Penjing Museum in Washington DC and at Felix Laughlin’s farm in Virginia (three days ago we featured photos by Felix from his recent trip to Japan).

“If you do it right…
…it will always look better the next year.” This happy truth was uttered by Felix Laughlin (President of the National Bonsai Foundation). You can find this here and a range of other statements (most geared to beginners) and some excellent footage of some great trees (way beyond beginners) and more at the National Bonsai Foundation’s website.

CBS1

Here’s another shot from the segment. I grabbed it and the other shots in this post with Snapz Pro X (for the two of you who might care).

Continue reading CBS Bonsai Segment: “If You Do It Right”

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Another Budi, Another Pemphis

pemphis

Pemphis acidula by Budiman Darmansjah. Here’s Budiman’s reply when I asked him if I could use it: “You can use it as you want. It is Pemphis acidula, grow on limestone rock at seaside. I collected this tree in 2000. Length of trunk is 105 cm.” (105 cm = 41 inches)

Doubled down
Just yesterday we posted a Pemphis acidula by Budi Sulistyo, a well known Indonesian bonsai artist and author of Tropical Bonsai Gallery. Now we have another Pemphis by another Budi (actually Budiman). Though it may not be quite as eye-popping as yesterday’s, still, it’s a good tree with lots of character, that, at a glance, might be mistake for a shore juniper (Juniperus procumbens).

budiman2

Another powerful bonsai by Budiman. Anyone know what it is?

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Deeply Discounted Bonsai & Japanese Garden Products at Stone Lantern

Budi’s Stupendous Bonsai

budis

Stupendous is a good start in the search for words to describe this old full cascade Pemphis acidula by Budi Sulistyo. Ahh, to live in the tropics where stuff like this grows everywhere (well, not exactly like this, but still…). I first saw it in facebook in an album entitled My bonsai by Budi.

Budi’s book
If you’d like to impress your friends, you can buy Budi’s excellent Tropical Bonsai Gallery book, cut out the pictures and frame them, and tell everyone the bonsai are yours and that the reason you don’t have them anymore is they were blown away in a hurricane, but, thank goodness, you still have the photos (I hope no one bothers to read this).

B1TROP

Budi’s book.

Continue reading Budi’s Stupendous Bonsai

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Felix Laughlin’s Photos from Japan

junredpot

Rarely so red. You don’t see too many Junipers in red pots. For that matter you don’t see that many bonsai in red pots. It’s a tough color to work with, especially when it’s this bright. And no, the juniper isn’t dead; it just has a strong case of winter color. It resides at Mr. Daizo Iwasaki’s Takasago-an.

A few friends and a camera
Not too long ago Felix Laughlin, President of our National Bonsai Foundation (and the second World Bonsai Friendship Federation chairman) packed up his camera and took a trip to Japan with some friends. The photos shown here are but a small part of the total that Felix took (we’ll show more in future posts). Our thanks to Felix for his generosity in sharing these. And for his tireless activity in propagating and cultivating the art of bonsai here in the U.S. and beyond.

pinetakasago

A prize winning black pine at Takasago-an with it’s famous pot wrapped in insulating cloth for protection. Too bad we can’t see it, though you must admit, with or without the pot showing, the tree is spectacular.

Continue reading Felix Laughlin’s Photos from Japan

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Deeply Discounted Bonsai & Japanese Garden Products at Stone Lantern

Piece of Cake (Let Them Eat Bonsai?)

cake

This is not a real bonsai!

It’s a Cake. Cake pot, cake soil, cake trunk, cake leaves, cake berries.

The story behind the cake
“I had a birthday recently and my husband ordered the most extraordinary cake.  Sharon Berke, an artist and baker in Boston, Mass., made the cake you see in the picture.  I’m a bonsai novice, but I believe it is meant to be a cotoneaster.  Every bit of the cake was edible, with the exception of the wires used to make the branches.  Even the tray was edible.  It was a great surprise.  Some of your readers might enjoy seeing it.” June Rutkowski

It’s a good thing…
… it’s cake and not a bonsai, don’t you think? Though the berries are very good.

BTW: Our critique contest is still running
It’s not too late for you to win a gift certificate to Stone Lantern.

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