Hinokis, Spruces & Mountain Tops

I found this Hinoki forest on the Redwood Empire Bonsai Society website (from their 2009 Annual Show). I think it’s unusual and quite compelling in its naturalness. I’ve come across spruce groves while hiking in Vermont and New Hampshire that look something like this. You find them near the mountain tops, where the harsh climate causes the trees to dwarf and huddle together. These little forests of dwarf trees with their lush moss carpets and time worn rocks, can evoke a peaceful almost other worldly feeling when you stumble across them.

Becoming Picasso

Lodge pole pine by Dan Robinson (Elandan Gardens). From The Art of Bonsai Project. Photo by Victrinia Ensor. Seriously, Picasso? I didn’t make the Picasso thing up (though it’s the second time I’ve used it). It’s from a chapter entitled ‘Becoming Picasso’ in Gnarly Branches, Ancient Trees: The Life and Works of Dan Robinson – Bonsai Pioneer, by Will Hiltz. No matter who first thought to equate Dan and Picasso, I think it might be apt. Passion, willingness to break with convention, constant experimentation, a profound respect for the medium, and of course, a fair dose of natural talent, accurately … Continue reading Becoming Picasso

An Excellent New Book & Big Book Sale

This luminous cover shot gives you a pretty good idea of the quality of A Natural History of Conifers. And quality is just the right word. Quality photos, quality drawings, quality text and an abiding love for trees and nature, coupled with a unique and learned point of view is what I’ve found so far. I look forward to spending more time digging in. Meanwhile, if you like books, our 30% to 40% off book sale ends in two days. Outlive your neighbor and take his property Here are some (but by no means all) of the pieces that make … Continue reading An Excellent New Book & Big Book Sale

Boon’s Big Bonsai: The Original (Plus One)

Here’s the original photo (©2009 Boon Manakitivipart) of Boon admiring one of the most amazing trees anywhere (see our last post if you haven’t already). It was taken by Michael Pitalo (Kneecap Graph X). If you check back to this earlier post, you might think that Boon has a knack for finding extraordinary trees, or at least being photographed with extraordinary trees (we’re waiting for number three as final proof). The tree Okay, we know it’s amazing. The longer you look at it, the more amazing it is. But, we still haven’t identified the species (Sierra juniper?). And we’ll probably … Continue reading Boon’s Big Bonsai: The Original (Plus One)

Energy Balancing

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. Whenever you prune, trim or pinch, you are redirecting energy. If you remove a branch the energy (primarily water, gases and nutrients) that would have flown into that branch goes somewhere else. Some of it goes to forming a callous where the branch was, the rest goes elsewhere. Basically energy flows two ways in plants; up from the roots, and back down … Continue reading Energy Balancing