Master Bonsai Potter Gyozan Nakano

nagano1

I don't know who styled this wild looking azalea (I don't read Japanese) but I do know that Master Potter Gyozan Nakano made the pot.

Here’s an old one from our archives (July, 2009) that I like. I’ve done a little editing – mostly cringe reduction – but the photos and most of the text are the same.

A few years ago I was given a remarkable book by the World Bonsai Friendship Federation, who had received it courtesy of Masahiro Tokuo (President of Kindai Publishing). Since then, it has spent most of its time sitting on my shelf, though occasionally I thumb through and marvel at the photos (see above about not reading Japanese).

The book is about Master Potter Gyozan Nakano and consists mostly of high quality photos of his pots. Most pots stand alone, but some are holding bonsai or companion plants. I wish you could see the whole book, but we’ll have to settle for a few photos.

NEW LOWER PRICES
ON BONSAI TOOLS

10% to 30% Lower

TMRoshiRoshi Bonsai Tools

KOYO TOOLSOkatsune Bonsai & Garden Tools
Bonsai Aesthetics ToolsYoshi Bonsai Tools
and everything else

 

nakano65

nakano162

nakano1201

nakano

nakano8

NEW Lower Prices
on Bonsai Aesthetics Wire

Wire32-500x1591

100 gram  –  500 gram – & Kilo rolls

 

additional 10% off orders 150.00 or more
FREE Shipping on Continental U.S. orders 75.00 or more
but only if you choose free shipping when you check out

Two Trees, Quick & Easy

shim

The pot is cut off, but this lush Shimpaku with its strong shari and those expressive little jin, is okay without it... for the moment at least. This tree and the other shown here belong to Mariusz Folda. Mariusz' bonsai are becoming regulars on Bonsai Bark

I’m flying out West today, so we’ll make this one quick and easy. Just two trees with a close up of each. Both full sized photos are from Mariusz Folda’s facebook timeline. The cropping for the closeups was done by our crack Bonsai Bark staff (that’s me)

Continued below…

NEW LOWER PRICES ON BONSAI BOOKS

Bonsai Books August 2016Most of our Books have been reduced
to below our normal low prices

 

shimpakucu
Speaking of being out of town, the next ten days is vacation time for two of us. For a company of three and a half, this means our office and our warehouse will be slowed down. How slow depends on how busy we are. We’ll keep you posted

 

2

Mariusz doesn't say what this elegant twin trunk tree is

 

2cu

 

NEW LOWER PRICES ON BONSAI TOOLS
10% to 30% Lower

TMRoshiRoshi Bonsai Tools

KOYO TOOLSOkatsune Bonsai & Garden Tools
Bonsai Aesthetics ToolsYoshi Bonsai Tools
and everything else

 

additional 10% off orders 150.00 or more
FREE Shipping on Continental U.S. orders 75.00 or more
but only if you choose free shipping when you check out

Dancing with Dragons

heromain

Peter Krebs calls this shot Azaleas-Virtual. I'm guessing this means he put the tree and the pot together on his computer and that in real time/space they exist separately. Beyond that... and how nicely they go together... that's all we've got to go on.

I’ve long admired Peter Krebs’ pots (here’s your proof) and it’s past due time to do some more admiring. These photos and Peter’s captions are from Peter’s facebook timeline. Peter also has a website where you can peruse and even buy his pots.

NEW LOWER PRICES ON BONSAI TOOLS
10% to 30% Lower

TMRoshiRoshi Bonsai Tools

KOYO TOOLSOkatsune Bonsai & Garden Tools
Bonsai Aesthetics ToolsYoshi Bonsai Tools
and everything else

 

heropot

I'm not sure if the dragons caused the break. I'm also not sure how you'd plant in this pot, though I suppose with a little imagination, it's possible. The "Life in the most beautiful form" might refer to the dragons. In Asia dragons are not considered evil... but rather representations of great natural power. Like thunder or strong winds. They are also associated with the wisdom that understands these forces. There's more to the story, but we'll leave that to you.

 

herojunAnother virtual bonsai. Peter's captions reads... Pots in May 054 Black Dragon Two - Virtual

 

heroxI suppose it's possible there are still a few prudes out there. If you qualify, please cover your eyes. Peter's caption says... Pots in May 054 YinYang - Virtual

 

heropot2Peter gets a whole lot more wordy with this one (I'll just give you a taste and this link for the rest)... Ginkgo biloba - the pot with the 96 leaves
  The Chinese and Japanese have been worshiping the ginkgo for centuries. He counts for a long time as a cohesive and life-prolonging, and he belongs to the sacred trees.
  Trees with an age of 1000 to 2000 years are not uncommon. They are found in temples and also in graveyards next to graves. In the province of Shandong, a 3000-year-old and 26-meter-high Ginkgo is to stand, and still grow...
 

Feed your Bonsai!

and save with New lower prices

OR-SET4FERTS-2

Organic slow release fertilizers are the best
(Green Dream pellets & Rape Seed cakes)

You can also supplement with liquid

 

additional 10% off orders 150.00 or more
FREE Shipping on Continental U.S. orders 75.00 or more
but only if you choose free shipping when you check out

 

Fertilize Your Bonsai for Health & Beauty

junpg1612
Lush summer foliage and impressive deadwood on an old Shimpaku juniper.The lush foliage is the result of timely feeding. The photo is from our Masters Series Juniper book. I know the tree is from Japan, but don't know who the artist is.

Time for a reminder from one of our archival favorites (July, 2015). Nothing has changed since then, except our new lower fertilizer prices.

Many, if not most people underfeed their bonsai. There are many reasons why ample fertilizing is critical to developing healthy and beautiful bonsai…

1. It’s up to you. Most bonsai soils don’t contain nutrients. This means your tree’s nutritional requirements are completely dependent on you. If you do use a soil that contains nutrients* (organic matter), these will eventually get used up or leach out.

2. Healthy foliage is beautiful foliage. You want vigorous healthy foliage. The foliage on underfed trees will lack color and luster.

Continued below…

NEW Lower Prices

on all of our Bonsai Fertilizers
TJRSEED-2TIncluding our Maruta Organic Rapeseed Cakes
our original price was 17.95
SPECIAL ONLY 12.95
3 bags for only 35.85

 

maplewalterYou can bet that this luxurious crown is the result of generous feeding. This lush Kiohime Japanese maple belongs to Walter Pall, so I'm guessing that's his arm and hand. It (the tree not the hand) is 45 cm (18") high and more than 50 years old (again the tree, though if it's Walter's hand...). It was originally imported from Japan. This photo and the one below are from Walter's blog. They are part of a series of photos on the development of this tree.

Continued from above…

3. Rapid thickening. Fertilizing promotes rapid growth which promotes trunk and branch thickening (younger trees and older trees are treated differently**).

4. Ramification. Healthy growth (along with skillful trimming) promotes the development of fine branching (secondary, tertiary and so forth).

Continued below…

maplewalter2

Walter's maple after he reduced the crown and turned it around. Now the proportions are better and you can see the bones better too. This shape and crown will be maintained by proper feeding (more summer less spring) and skillful trimming. The pot is by Petra Tomlinson.

Continued from above…

5. Pest resistance. Healthy well-fed trees are better able to resist pests.

6. Stress resistance. Same goes for heat, cold, wind etc.

7. Human error. Healthy well-fed trees with strong roots can better resist forgetting to water or over-watering (but only up to a point).

MarioHB770

This hornbeam belongs to Mario Komsta. I lifted it from an old Bark post (2010). It's an great example of a powerful trunk and an extreme example of fine branching, the result of ample fertilizing and skillful trimming. Once the trunk and branching are well developed you can stop spring feeding but continue to feed in the summer.

*Organic matter in soil tends to inhibit aeration (aka drainage) and is not recommended by most bonsai professionals.

**With younger trees you want rapid growth so you start feeding in the early spring and keep feeding right through the summer. With older more developed trees too much growth can cause loss of shape, but you still want healthy trees with beautiful crowns. The secret here is wait until the summer to start feeding.

Feed your Bonsai!

and save with New lower prices

OR-SET4FERTS-2

Organic slow release fertilizers are the best
(Green Dream pellets & Rape Seed cakes)

You can also supplement with liquid

additional 10% off orders 150.00 or more
FREE Shipping on Continental U.S. orders 75.00 or more
but only if you choose free shipping when you check out

Two Satsuki in Full Bloom & More Impressive Nebari

satsuki

Satsuki azalea in full bloom. Nice natural looking nebari too. Artist unknown (for the moment at least). You can find this photo and other great shots like it on Bill Valavanis' Bonsai Blog.

Here’s what Bill has to say about the photos shown in this post … “The Bonsai Society of Upstate New York is holding their 44th Upstate New York Bonsai Exhibition on May 27-28, 2017 at the Monroe Community Hospital in Rochester, New York. Some of the finest bonsai in New York state will be on display for the public to enjoy and learn from too.

“These photos are from past Upstate New York Bonsai Exhibitions, since this year’s has not even been set up yet. Since this is a society show, bonsai from all levels of development will be displayed from our membership.”

BONSAI WIRE SPECIAL ENDS TONIGHT

500 gram Bonsai Aesthetics Wire

Wire32-500x1591

only 9.50 each
special ends tonight (Friday) at 11:59pm EDT

 

mapleJapanese maple with a very impressive nebari. I don't think I've seen that many great nebari on bonsai that reside outside Japan. We're supposed to be taking a break from our nebari series, but somethings are hard to stay away from.

 

sat2

Another Satsuki azalea and another excellent nebari

 

tree-no-39-8

Shohin display. We've shown Mark Arpag's little Japanese maple before, so it wouldn't be a stretch to assume that this display belongs to Mark.

NEW Lower Prices on Almost Everything

Including all of our Bonsai tools
Tools-Wire440Take a look for yourself

additional 10% off orders 150.00 or more
FREE Shipping on Continental U.S. orders 75.00 or more
but only if you choose free shipping when you check out

Still Searching for the Perfect Nebari

stewartia

Stewartias often have strong nebari and this one is no exception. This photo is from a post we did back in July 2014. I didn't know who the artist was then and I still don't know. I tried Image Search, which recognized that it's a Stewartia, but didn't find this particular tree.

This post is a continuation of yesterday’s Bottoms Up! More Nebari How-to. which was taken in part from In Search of the Perfect Nebari – part four, a 2009 Bark post. (In Search of the Perfect Nebari parts four and five are from Bonsai Today issue 64). The tree that is being worked on here is a Japanese maple.

BONSAI WIRE SPECIAL
500 gram Bonsai Aesthetics Wire

Wire32-500x1591

only 9.50 each

 

bt64nebari-6

From the bottom....

 

bt64-nebari-7

...and the top. After combing out and pruning the roots, there are still a few things to do before potting.

 

bt64-nebari-triple

A final washing with a concentrated stream gets rid of stubborn soil particles. When that's done, it's time to carve the base of the trunk. This allows for a lower, flatter planting and discourages roots from growing down.

bt64-nebari-12-300x231

The carving is finished. Notice how Mr. Miau carved the bottom of the nebari in several places.

 

bt64-nebari-8-300x216

Now it's ready to plant...

 

bt64-nebari-91-300x202

...into a very low pot. Notice how shallow the soil is and how all the roots are lying flat on top.

bt64-nebari-final

Left: before the rest of the soil is added. Right: after all the soil has been added. Notice how the nebari is exposed but all the roots that extend from it are covered.

As long as we’re talking about a Japanese maple…

B1JMAPLES-2

List price 34.95
Your price 24.95

 

thumb

Another impressive Stewartia nebari. That's Brad Pitt's Bjorn Bjorholm’s thumb. We originally featured this photo in a post from April 2015.

NEW Lower Prices on Almost Everything

Including Bonsai fertilizers
Ho YokuTake a look for yourself

additional 10% off orders 150.00 or more
FREE Shipping on Continental U.S. orders 75.00 or more
but only if you choose free shipping when you check out

Bottoms Up! More Nebari How-to

171

This natural scale nebari (surface roots and flare at the base of the trunk) stands in contrast to some of the more exaggerated nebari that we've been featuring (including the one at the bottom of this post). Bill Valavanis, who seems to spend half his life in Japan, took this photo at the Uchiku-Tei Bonsai Garden at S-Cube Bonsai Garden in Hanyu, north of Omiya.

Continuing our discussion of nabari, here’s another how-to post from our archives (with the exception of the photo above and the one at the bottom of the post which we borrowed from Bill Valavanis’ Bonsai Blog). It was titled In Search of the Perfect Nebari – part four and was originally posted in April, 2009.

BONSAI WIRE SPECIAL
500 gram Bonsai Aesthetics Wire

Wire32-500x1591

only 9.50 each

 

bt64-nebari-11

Bottoms up! This somewhat intriguing shot is from Bonsai Today, issue 64. This photos below explore how Mr. Harumi Miau arrived at this point

 

bt64-nebari-3

Before. Close up of the uneven and unattractive nebari. The dark color of the exposed roots is a sign of poor vigor caused by lower roots stealing energy from top roots

 

bt64-nebari-4

This shot clearly indicates the cause of the problem; too much energy has flowed to the densely matted lower roots

Our Bonsai Soil
is all bagged & ready to ship

SASQ

 

bt64-nebari-5-6

After removing most of the lower roots, an iron root hook is used to untangle and comb out the top roots

 

bt64-nebari-5

The combing is completed. The arrows indicate the direction of the roots

 

153Here’s what could only be discribed as a super nebari. Bill Valavanis took this photo at Hiroshi Takeyama’s Fuyo-en Bonsai Garden, Omiya Bonsai Village. Here’s Bill’s caption: “I noticed a well known famous Trident maple masterpiece with an unusually large wide surface root display. The bonsai looks like it was recently transplanted this spring and the widest ends of the surface roots were shaved back to fit into the container leaving a narrow edge of soil around the roots. There must be some surface area where water can easily reach the feeder roots. Bonsai with such a large surface root area must be carefully monitored for watering. Also, the surface root are of many bonsai with a prominent surface root displayed are protected with moist rags during the hottest summer days. Moist rags are simply draped over the surface root bark.

NEW Lower Prices on Bonsai Fertilizers

and many Bonsai Accessories
Ho YokuTake a look for yourself

additional 10% off orders 150.00 or more
FREE Shipping on Continental U.S. orders 75.00 or more
but only if you choose free shipping when you check out

Begin Work on the Nebari the First Time You Transplant

bt70-huge-nebari1

This Trident maple (Acer buergerianum) is sporting a rather impressive nebari. Does it look a bit like a clown's oversized shoe? Or does it suit you just as it is? The original appears in Bonsai Today issue 70 in an article titled "Transplanting to increase the feeling of age," by Kazunori Kamiya.

Continuing our series on nebari. This one is originally from April 2009 (with a few changes today). It was titled, In Search of the Perfect Nebari 3. For some more good how-to nebari tips, take a look at our last post.

No matter how you view the nebari in the photo above, most trees look older and more stable with a flaring base and exposed surface roots

The graphics below are part of an article entitled Improving a Nebari by Oishi Kazo, that appeared in Bonsai Today issue 32 and issue 102
Continued below…

Last Day Today

Special Kilo Bonsai Wire

only 16.50 each
Wire32-500x1591save 5.00 per roll

This special ends tonight, Tuesday, at 11:59pm EDT

 

bt23-p045-06At first the roots are all beneath the soil
bt23-p045-07As they thicken, you begin to see their tops...
bt23-p045-081...until you have a fully developed nebari
However, example presupposes a perfect world
Normally, to get this kind of development
you need to begin to work on the nebari
the first time you transplant

NEW Lower Prices on Bonsai Fertilizers

and many Bonsai Accessories
Ho YokuTake a look for yourself

additional 10% off orders 150.00 or more
FREE Shipping on Continental U.S. orders 75.00 or more
but only if you choose free shipping when you check out

Still Searching for the Perfect Nebari

bt35-quince-nebari1-1This Chinese quince (Pseudocydonia sinensis) presents a number of striking features, not the least of which is its powerful nebari (surface roots). The photo originally appeared in Bonsai Today issue 35.

Yesterday we featured a post on nebari, part of a long history of posts on the topic. Today we’ll go all the way back to April 2009 (our infancy) for our third ever nebari post. It was titled In Search of the Perfect Nebari – part two (Part one was comprised of An Ingenious Technique and An Ingenious Technique part 2 taken together).

Continued below…

Special Kilo Bonsai Wire

now only 16.50 each
Wire32-500x1591save 5.00 per roll

 

This post is part of an article that originally appeared in Bonsai Today issue 23. It was later revised and republished in Bonsai Today issue 102.

Improving a Nebari
by Oishi Kazo

Nebari are often under-appreciated, especially in the west. In Japan, bonsai artists will sometimes talk about nebari as though it is the most important feature when looking for bonsai material. If you think about it, this is not far-fetched, as excellent naturally occurring nebari are harder to come by than excellent naturally occurring trunks.

bt23-p045-01

I doubt it is even worth mentioning, as everyone knows this—but because bonsai are grown in very confining containers, regular transplanting is absolutely necessary.

What is frequently forgotten is that transplanting is a time to elevate the quality of your bonsai. In this short article, I would like to share with you some thoughts and advice about nebari (surface roots) and tachiagari (lower trunk, from the nebari to the first branch).

Quality bonsai start with the roots. How many bonsai on exhibit have you seen? Whether live or in photos, have you ever seen one with a bad nebari? Assuredly, the answer is no (the author is referring to exhibits in Japan).

Two defects that will not correct themselves over time

bt23-p045-022

When the pot is too small and the roots look like this…

bt23-p045-031….lower the soil line and gradually push the protruding humps down.

bt23-p045-04When the pot is too tall and narrow, and the roots grow like this…

bt23-p045-05…lower the soil line to below where they bulge out.

2 Day Tool Sale Ends Tomorrow

30% off 1-2 Bonsai Aesthetics tools
40% off 3 or more

TC-SET5-AESTHETICS-680a small sampling of our 30 different Aesthetics tools
don’t blink twice!

this sale ends Monday at noon EDT

 

additional 10% off orders 150.00 or more
FREE Shipping on Continental U.S. orders 75.00 or more
but only if you choose free shipping when you check out

 

Grotesque? Or Alive & Absolutely Awesome?

juan2

Here's part of what Juan Andrade wrote about this highly unusual Trident maple... "4 generations in the making, 120+ years old... this tree was started by my Oyakata's great grandfather.... Nowadays its very hard to find 'Miyasama' Trident maple of this caliper in Japan.... This Miyasama encompasses a lot about Aichien deciduous style: power, ramification, age and uniqueness." See below for your link to Juan's untruncated quote. 

I suppose I need to get over my ideas about what is and isn’t grotesque. At lease when it comes to nebari. After all, highly respected bonsai artists – mostly Japanese – seem to favor what some might call over-developed nebari. How these nebari actually look seems to take a back seat to how big, how old and how unusual they are. Or to quote Juan, how much power, ramification, age and uniqueness they express (here’s your link Juan’s quote).

Continued below…

Only One More Day

30% off Okatsune bonsai & garden tools

Okatsune…the creme of the creme
Okatsune Bannerdon’t blink!

this sale ends Sunday (tomorrow) at noon EDT

 

juan2cu

I'm loath to admit that my first thought in seeing this was tumor. True, after a while and after reading what Juan had to say, I've softened a bit...

Back to what is and isn’t grotesque, and thanks to Juan’s eloquence, maybe I can come around to realizing that this very strange nebari is truly awesome in its own right. Some things are more important than ideas of perfection and superficial beauty.

NEW 2 Day Sale

30% off 1-2 Bonsai Aesthetics tools
40% off 3 or more

TC-SET5-AESTHETICS-680a small sampling of our 30 different Aesthetics tools
don’t blink twice!

this sale ends Monday at noon EDT