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). It’s eccentricity lies in its striking simplicity, if that makes any sense. It a Japanese red pine (Pinus densiflora). From our Masters’ Series The Magician, the Bonsai Art of Kimura 2. From an article that originally appeared in Bonsai Today issue 69.
You like unconventional? Crazy? How about daring and masterful? Notice how the color and design of the pot plays with the wild shari (deadwood) and the small touch of moss on the left mirrors the foliage. Just another bonsai from left field by crafty old Nick Lenz, master left fielder, author, and preeminent (whatever that means) master of cedars, larches and other collected North American gems. This photo is from North American Bonsai (American Bonsai Society – compiled and edited by Martin Schmalenberg), now on sale at Stone Lantern. When is a cedar not really a cedar? The tree featured … Continue reading Eccentric Bonsai #8: Crafty Nick’s Crazy Cedar
Poison Ivy bonsai by Nick Lenz, who, in addition to be one of our most talented bonsai artists, is also a master of the unusual. This photo appears in Nick’s book, Bonsai from the Wild (Stone Lantern Publishing). Nicknamed OSAMA Nick Lenz calls his charming looking, but otherwise nasty little bonsai, OSAMA (no explanation needed). Halloween bonsai Though you may not take poison ivy bonsai seriously (or take it at all, for that matter), Nick does. Here’s a few of his words (lifted from his book): While poison ivy may be considered a Halloween bonsai, the species has great charm … Continue reading Eccentric Bonsai #7: Nick’s Poison Ivy
This Kuromatsu (Japanese black pine) won the environment minister’s prize at the 20th Green Festa Kokubunji bonsai fair in Takamatsu’s Kokubunji town, Japan. It is 46 centimeters (18.1″) high and about 80 years old. It is owned by Michiyo Yano from Onohara in the city of Kanonji, Kagawa Prefecture and appears on the Bonsai World website. Eccentric? So what’s eccentric about a small masterpiece that won a major Japanese prize? Two things catch the eye. A large wound First is the large wound on the lower left side of the trunk. Often large wounds are unsightly and spoil the beauty … Continue reading Eccentric Bonsai #6: A Unique Masterpiece
This radically eccentric California juniper was donated to the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum by Harry Hirao (Mr. California Juniper). It is only a small part of a wonderful collection of world class bonsai that you’ll find at the Museum. A visit every bonsai enthusiast (especially those of us in north America) would do well to consider. Did Harry play a practical joke? The taper is all wrong and the trunk forms a crazy upside down U shape. Did Harry play a practical joke on the National Museum? Or, I am pulling your leg?
We found this exceptionally long cascading ficus (at least that’s what we think it is) on the Bonsai South website. Take a look if you get a chance. They have an excellent gallery with a range of powerful tropicals (see below) and a some other worthy trees. It’s not that easy It’s not easy to keep the lower lower reaches healthy on such a long cascading branch. Especially on a tree that basically wants to grow upward. You’ll notice the untrained small branches at the very bottom. Letting those small sacrifice branches grow unimpeded helps draw energy down to the … Continue reading Eccentric Bonsai #4: A Very Long Cascade
I won’t say where juniper (looks like a shimpaku) bonsai came from, but will say why we choose it as an eccentric bonsai (see below) after an apology for it being slightly out of focus (it was enlarged a tad too much so it would fit our format). The contest: win a $25 gift certificate to Stone Lantern The first person to tell us whose tree this is and where we can verify that, will win a $25 gift certificate to Stone Lantern. Please put your answer in the comments below. Eccentric? I realize that eccentric is in the bleary … Continue reading Eccentric Bonsai #3 & Contest #8
Using figurines in tray plantings doesn’t necessarily qualify as eccentric; it’s common in Chinese (and other) penjing plantings. Perhaps it’s the type (you don’t see many moose in China) and especially the relative size of the figurine that makes this trident maple planting unusual. This photo is from an article by Randy Clark entitled ‘Bonsai & Figurines’ that originally appeared in Bonsai Today issue 95. Randy Clark is the owner of the Bonsai Learning Center. The Japanese seldom use them… …. but the Chinese (and some others) often do. When it comes to figurines, basically its: penjing ‘yes’, Japanese bonsai … Continue reading In Whose Eye? Eccentric Bonsai #2: Figurines
This strange, jumbled profusion of colorful leaves in a bonsai pot is from Morten Albek’s Shohin-Bonsai Europe website. It’s a Virginia creeper (Parthenocissus quinquefolia) by Jacques Graulus of Belgium. BTW: Morten Albek is the author of Majesty in Miniature: Shohin Bonsai (Stone Lantern Publishing). No harm intended This is our first post on eccentric bonsai. Our intention is to explore and expand our bonsai horizons. Hopefully our observations are not too aggressive or offensive. However, it’s my view that anyone who is daring enough to put a photo of their bonsai on the web, should be prepared for evaluation and … Continue reading In Whose Eye? Eccentric Bonsai
For every highly stylized Japanese bonsai, there’s one like this that breaks the mold. It’s a Japanese red pine from Japan’s 80th Kokufu Bonsai Exhibition (2006) Yesterday we featured several trees from this year’s Kokufu Exhibition, including a couple Japanese pines (Black and White). Today we’ve got some Japanese Red pines (Pinus densiflora) from the 2006 Kokufu Exhibition. All the photos are courtesy of Michael Bonsai NEW INCREASED SITE WIDE SALE 25% OFF all orders 25.00 or more INCLUDING ITEMS ALREADY DISCOUNTED PLUS AN EXTRA 10% OFF ROSHI TOOLS & TOOL KITS Discounts Are Applied at Checkout STONELANTERN.COM Closer up … Continue reading For Every Highly Stylized Bonsai, There’s One that Breaks the Mold