An Embarrassment of Riches

I believe that this is our first tree from Matt Reel’s blog (though we featured a photo of Matt, with a tree that we lifted from Crataegus Bonsai almost two years ago). Matt is an American bonsai apprentice in Japan. We’ll have to more to say about him and his blog another time, but meanwhile, here’s what he has to say about this tree: “This Red Pine has such a broad apex it makes me giggle to myself at times, however, one might feel a little tipsy with all that leaning movement if there was a little dainty apex instead. … Continue reading An Embarrassment of Riches

Thematic Incoherence & Embarrassed Apologies

Continuing with Bonsai Today, this gorgeous, sinewy New Zealand tea tree (Leptospermum scoparium) appeared on the cover of issue 96 (still available and 75% off). Not much more needs to be said about this one (it speaks for itself), except maybe to comment on the variety. Though you may occasionally see a New Zealand tea bonsai, in general they are not that common, at least here in the Northern Hemisphere. But, even if you have seen them before, I’ll take a wild guess and venture that you have never seen one quite like this. Thematic incoherence. This post is a … Continue reading Thematic Incoherence & Embarrassed Apologies

Keeping It Clean

A night photo of a Shimpaku from Peter Tea’s latest post. Apologies for the missing half of the pot. Peter’s original photo that shows the whole pot is below. We been featuring excerpts from Peter Tea’s Journey of a Bonsai Apprentice at Aichi-en Bonsai Nursery, Japan, for a while now. Peter is in his second year now, and the quality of his work, the range of topics he explores and his informative, easy-to-read writing style make for one of the very best bonsai blogs on the planet. I think Peter’s latest post is particularly good. Not only is the tree … Continue reading Keeping It Clean

An Embarrassing Possibility, Wiring All the Way Out to the Tips, Bill’s Japan Bonsai Tours & The Moss Myth

Akamatsu (aka Japanese red pine). I’m usually loath to lead off with an unattributed tree, but just couldn’t resist this one. It turned up here. No word on who the artist is (this often seems to be the nature of the facebook beast), though I think I’ve seen it before (I wonder if we’ve already featured it on this blog; always a somewhat embarrassing possibility). Want to improve the quality of your bonsai? Try wiring all the way out to the tips of the smallest branches. You’ll be astounded by the results. Now in stock. Our largest shipment ever … Continue reading An Embarrassing Possibility, Wiring All the Way Out to the Tips, Bill’s Japan Bonsai Tours & The Moss Myth

Bonsai Blogs: A Quick Web Journey

Mystery tree. It’s from Peter Warren’s latest post on his Suruyama blog. Unmentioned, unnamed and the brightest spot in the post. A quick journey around the bonsai web Though we often feature photos from other bonsai blogs, this type of sampling is something new for Bonsai Bark. I suspect you’ll see more in the future. Meanwhile, please don’t feel insulted if your favorite blog isn’t included. No attempt has been made to cover them all, or even search out the very best. Just stuff that caught my attention at the moment. If you know any you’d like to see here, … Continue reading Bonsai Blogs: A Quick Web Journey

Defoliating, Repotting & Other Tricks

Trident Maple (Kaede) at the Kokufu-ten in 1972. It now lives in Washington D.C. at the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum. The photo is from Capital Bonsai. Back to square one I’m still trying to get back to square one after the 3rd U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition, so I won’t say too much except that I’ve recently come across two excellent posts about Trident maples. The first is at Capital Bonsai and shows the repotting of a famous old Trident that now resides at the U.S. National Bonsai and Penjing Museum, and the second, which is about defoliation (and more), … Continue reading Defoliating, Repotting & Other Tricks

Cut Paste Versus Natural Healing

One of Peter Tea’s freshly worked-on Trident maples. You’ll have to use your imagination to get a feel for what this tree will look like when it fills out. But if your imagination fails you, it still looks pretty good, just as it is. Borrowing from Peter… Once again, we are borrowing from Peter Tea’s excellent bonsai blog. This time it’s a story of two Trident maples. We’ll just whet your appetite here; for a whole series of instructive photos and insightful text, you can visit Peter’s blog. Cut paste versus the natural way Here is the West some people … Continue reading Cut Paste Versus Natural Healing

Weekly Wire: Bonsai Surperstar, FREE Fertilizer, Making Uro, Spring!

Goyo-matsu (Japanese white pine) from the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum. FREE FERTILIZER! We are giving away our favorite fertilizer over on Stone Lantern. Just for the fun of it (and to encourage you to place an order and to feed your bonsai!) Happy white Easter from Walter Pall. This morning Walter posted a whole bunch of photos a lot like this. There’s even some scary photos that shows fully and partially leafed out maples covered with snow. Here’s the good news from Walter: “While I am posting these photographs it has stopped snowing and even the sun is … Continue reading Weekly Wire: Bonsai Surperstar, FREE Fertilizer, Making Uro, Spring!

Weekly Wire: Back On His Feet, Nature’s Deadwood & Keeping Things Up to Date

Remember Isao Omachi? Isao’s house and bonsai nursery were swept away in the tsunami. That’s the tough news. The good news is that hundreds, maybe thousands of people in our international bonsai community donated to help Isao and his family get back on thier feet. As a result of this effort (and Isao’s and his family’s determination) Isao is back doing what he loves. This is our good fortune; Isao is one of the featured bonsai artists at the Mid Atlantic Bonsai Societies 2012 Spring Festival. This sweet colorful bonsai is from Isao facebook page. It looks like a Japanese … Continue reading Weekly Wire: Back On His Feet, Nature’s Deadwood & Keeping Things Up to Date

Weekly Wire: Bonsai Train, Deadwood in Deadwood, Russian Bonsai & More

Vive bonsai! Ever wonder why European bonsai events are so well attended? Thanks to Rosade Bonsai for this great photo. Deadwood in Deadwood. If you’re ever near Deadwood South Dakota, visit Andy Smith at Golden Arrow Bonsai. Andy is known for his yamadori bonsai (bonsai collected from the wild) among other things. I consider Andy to one of a small handful of genuine collectors; people that collect with deep knowledge and respect and, as a result, a very high success rate. If you can’t make it to Deadwood, you can at least enjoy Andy’s excellent DVDs. Tony Tickle. … Continue reading Weekly Wire: Bonsai Train, Deadwood in Deadwood, Russian Bonsai & More