Bill’s Bonsai Exploration

Infinity sign. A piece of a Japanese white pine trunk at the Shimpuku-Ji Temple in Japan. This and the other photos in this post are from Bill Valavanis’ Bonsai blog. The photos in this post are from Bill Valavanis’ 2015 Autumn Japan Bonsai Exploration (part 6). Bill has been posting loads of photos from the Exploration almost daily for the last week. The handful shown here represent a small fraction of the photos you’ll find on Bill’s blog. Continued below… Not a bad setting for a spectacular bonsai display. Yesterday Bill and friends visited the Shimpuku-Ji Temple. In Bill’s own … Continue reading Bill’s Bonsai Exploration

Goyo Matsu, Japanese White Pine, Five Needle Pine, Peace Tree, Million Dollar Tree…

As you can see, this Japanese white pine has a strong, well-tapered trunk and nice balanced open branching. Most imported Japanese white pine bonsai have been grafted onto Black pine stock.* But this one was grown from seed. It was just wired (in this photo) by Michael Hagedorn (Crataegus Bonsai.) It belongs to a client of Micheal’s. Still on vacation, so it’s archives again. This one is from January 2013 with some value added. The Japanese white pine (Pinus parviflora) is one of the world’s emblematic bonsai. In Japan, it and the Japanese black pine are the species most associated … Continue reading Goyo Matsu, Japanese White Pine, Five Needle Pine, Peace Tree, Million Dollar Tree…

Savage Bonsai Beauty

One of the many excellent trees at the just completed 2015 Heathrow Bonsai Show. Heathrow is in the U.K (I just read somewhere that many Americans don’t know what the U.K. is. I’m not sure if I should be embarrassed or just resigned; though I’m pretty sure this doesn’t apply any of you). Photo by Ann White All the photos in this post are from the 2015 Heathrow Bonsai Show. Some are by Harry Harrington and some are by Ann White. Neither identify the varieties or the owners. This is par at bonsai shows and based on my experience at … Continue reading Savage Bonsai Beauty

Breaking the Bonsai Mold

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). The other Japanese pine. Japanese black and white pines comprise some of the most famous bonsai in the world. And thousands that aren’t so famous. Japanese Red pines (Pinus densiflora) are much less common in bonsai circles, but judging by the ones shown here and some others we’ve seen along the way, they have no problem holding their own. All the photos shown here are Japanese red pines from Japan’s famous Kokufu-ten Bonsai Exhibition. … Continue reading Breaking the Bonsai Mold

Copper Wire & Bonsai Books

This luscious Satsuki azalea is one of a multitude of remarkable bonsai photos from the very aptly named, Fine Bonsai, Art and Nature. This post, which happens to be a near perfect way to roll out a new book sale, is borrowed from February of this year. There’s a theme to this large gallery and a method to our madness. Most of the photos are from bonsai books that we sell and all our books are currently 25% off (plus and additional 10% orders 100.00 or more). Gardening books are also 25% off. You can find this somewhat unruly … Continue reading Copper Wire & Bonsai Books

Remarkable Bonsai, Questionable Habits & Dubious Appetites

This luscious Satsuki azalea is one of a multitude of exquisite bonsai photos from the very aptly named, Fine Bonsai, Art and Nature. We don’t normally resurrect posts from just a few months ago, but there’s a method to our madness. Part of this is method is simply continuing to present the best bonsai we can find for your enjoyment. The other part is… You might want to fast forward this paragraph … we have to satisfy our sponsor with his questionable habits and dubious appetites. For this and other more practical reasons, we like to stimulate your appetite for … Continue reading Remarkable Bonsai, Questionable Habits & Dubious Appetites

Bonsai Train, Deadwood in Deadwood, How-to Tips

Vive bonsai! Ever wonder why European bonsai events are so well attended? Thanks to Rosade Bonsai for this great photo. It’s an archival day. It has been way too wet lately, and now the clouds have blown away and the sun is beckoning. Only a fool would spend the day in the office if he didn’t have too. This post is from 2012. I love the train and rest is pretty good too. 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 … Continue reading Bonsai Train, Deadwood in Deadwood, How-to Tips

Sheer Beauty – More Flowering Bonsai

The black background provides a perfect contrast to the sheer beauty of the white flowers. This spectacular Hawthorn bonsai belongs to Hans Van Meer. He doesn’t say what the the variety is but the flower looks like a Common hawthorn* (Crataegus monogyna). The pot is by Brian Albright. We’ve been featuring flowering bonsai lately so thought we’d keep going in that direction. It’s the right time of year and our facebook likes tend to explode whenever we put flowers up (facebook likes and click-through-rate are related). Of course the trick is to find worthy bonsai that happen to be in … Continue reading Sheer Beauty – More Flowering Bonsai

A Multitude of Remarkable Bonsai Photos from Our Remarkable Bonsai Books (Book Sale Ends Tonight)

This luscious Satsuki azalea is one of a multitude of remarkable bonsai photos from the very aptly named, Fine Bonsai, Art and Nature. There’s a theme to this large gallery and a method to our madness. All the photos are from bonsai books that we sell and all our books are currently on sale at Stone Lantern. However, today is the last day of the sale. It ends at 11:59pm EST tonight, Wednesday, February 4th, 2015. You can find this somewhat unruly and very distinctive apple bonsai on the back cover of Nick Lenz’ landmark book on collecting, Bonsai … Continue reading A Multitude of Remarkable Bonsai Photos from Our Remarkable Bonsai Books (Book Sale Ends Tonight)

It’s Later Now – More Taikan-ten Bonsai

A Shimpaku juniper from the 34th Taikan-ten Bonsai Exhibition. The photo is from Michael Bonsai (on facebook) as are all the photos shown here. It’s later (than you think). A few days ago we put up a post titled Taiken-ten Bonsai, Some Pines First, More Later. Now it’s later. So here they are, as promised. I’m going to go ahead and guess the varieties. Not because I’m brave (or foolish, though you could take issue) but because these look pretty easy. Looks like a Japanese white pine. Ume (AKA Prunus mume, AKA Japanese apricot). The bark is a … Continue reading It’s Later Now – More Taikan-ten Bonsai