Mystery Bonsai Artist – Koyo Tool Special Ends Tonight

Here’s what a machine translation from Japanese to English looks like… “70 times with kuromatsu stone, and the 77th Chinese National exhibition. 85 million yen. 15 years ago, when I was 32 years old, I applied for the first time in Japan’s National Exhibition, and I was elected, and I was very jealous of this kuromatsu, and I was very good at it, so I was very good at it. I feel strange about what I have to do I have a sense of time becoming a successive goshinboku ” BTW Kuromatsu is Japanese black pine. In this case, it’s … Continue reading Mystery Bonsai Artist – Koyo Tool Special Ends Tonight

Hiroshi’s Bonsai Beans

This little Trident maple (Acer Buergerianum) is just 10.8cm tall (4.3″). It was started from seed twelve years ago. Hiroshi is a potter, so you might assume that the pots shown here are his, though I couldn’t make much sense of the translations provided with the photos. Hiroshi refers to the pots as a Maru Bonsai Bowl / Guó Jing Masako. Maru simply means round and I couldn’t find anything when I searched Guó Jing Masako, though if you search Masako pottery you will get some results (where’s Ryan Bell when you need him?). We can’t stay away from miniature bonsai for long. This … Continue reading Hiroshi’s Bonsai Beans

A Little Bonsai History

This famous Chinese elm (Ulmus parivflora) planting is by Zhao Qingquan, reknowned penjing artist, teacher and author of two best Penjing books in the English, Penjing: the Chinese Art of Bonsai and Literati Style Penjing Yesterday we featured a couple of events and photos from the Pacific Bonsai Museum. So, just for the fun of it, I thought we’d go back and find our earliest PBM post. It’s from April 21st, 2009, almost exactly 9 years ago. Way back in the day when it was owned by Weyerhauser and called the Weyerhaeuser’s Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection. The two photos shown here were … Continue reading A Little Bonsai History

In Praise of 3 Phenomenal Bonsai Tools (Okatsune Tool Sale Ends Tonight) & Another ‘Cedar’ Bonsai

Close up of a Red cedar bonsai forest. I’m going to assume that it’s what we call the Eastern red cedar, which is actually a juniper (Juniperus virginiana), though there are trees in other parts of the world that are commonly called Red cedar (none are Cedrus or true cedars). Our source, an online company that sells ‘bonsai’ seeds is no help with identification, nor with the owner of this forest. I must admit I enjoy trying to sort out the common name versus botanical name confusion when it comes to certain trees. The other day we featured a Northern white cedar, which … Continue reading In Praise of 3 Phenomenal Bonsai Tools (Okatsune Tool Sale Ends Tonight) & Another ‘Cedar’ Bonsai

Boreal Bonsai King

One of Nick Lenz’ famous larches. The larches we’ll be offering this fall (see below) aren’t this old or nearly this refined (Nick is in a league of his own), but they are off to a good start. Monday morning, the sun is shinning and buds are just starting to swell. Spring digging season won’t last, so it’s time to get outside. Continuing our Larch theme, yesterday I dug, trimmed and potted (nursery pots) a few of the larches I’ve been growing on my land for the last dozen or so years. Most are around 20 to 25 years old (they started on a friend’s land … Continue reading Boreal Bonsai King

Boon’s Tamarack and 4 Pots – Which Do You Prefer?

One American larch (Larix laricina) and four pots (plus the original). Which do you prefer? All this images in this post were borrowed from Boon Manakitivipart (the image above is a composite that we put together). Yesterday, April 21st was our first day of spring here in northern Vermont (not technically, but really), so I started digging up some Larches I’ve been growing in the ground for the last 10 to 15 years and putting them into nursery pots. My plan is to take some of them to the 6th U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition in September. Anyway, my mind is … Continue reading Boon’s Tamarack and 4 Pots – Which Do You Prefer?

Another Excellent Before & After Bonsai

Shimpaku juniper (Juniperus Sargentii var Shimpaku) before and after by Valentín Cruz. Valentín’s caption reads Yamadori shimpaku, 23 years old, which does beg a question (see below) Last week we posted a dramatic before and after by Valentín Cruz, a young Northern California bonsai artist that we had just discovered. Now we’ve got another juniper (this time it’s a Shimpaku) before and after by Valentín. Maybe not as dramatic as the Sierra juniper, but still a job very well done, with a great eye for detail. Valentín Cruz is clearly an accomplished bonsai artist. My only question is Valentín’s description of the tree as a yamadori (bonsai collected … Continue reading Another Excellent Before & After Bonsai

Rugged Bonsai in the Perfect Setting

The natural look. This photo captures two things I love about Eladan Gardens. The first is the rugged uncontrived feel that characterizes Dan Robinson’s bonsai, and the second is the perfect setting. The tree is a Sierra juniper (Juniperus occidentalis). We seem to be stuck on Sierra junipers lately, but who’s complaining? In this case it’s only one (see above and a closeup below) with several other non-Sierra photos to enrich the experience. This post (with some changes today) originally appeared in May 2016. Back in May, 2016 I finally visited Dan and Diane Robinson’s magnificent Elandan Gardens. It was a quick visit … Continue reading Rugged Bonsai in the Perfect Setting

Bonsai Boon: A Sierra Juniper’s Eight Year Journey

Sierra juniper (Juniperus occidentalis) before and after by Boon Manakitivipart Staying with our Sierra juniper theme, this impressive bonsai originally appeared here in December, 2009 (approximately 3,000 posts ago) We’ve featured Boon Manakitivipart on this blog numerous times over the years, and for good reason. Boon is a highly accomplished bonsai artist and teacher whose enthusiasm and skill has influenced a generation of aspiring Western bonsai artists. If you are serious about improving your skills, you might want to check Boon’s intensives. visit stone lantern for the largest selection and best prices on Bonsai Wire – Before. June 2001. Sierra juniper that was no doubt … Continue reading Bonsai Boon: A Sierra Juniper’s Eight Year Journey

Prize Winners & Other Extraordinary North American Bonsai

The second place tree at the Artisans Cup (fall of 2015). It’s a Sierra Juniper that belongs to Tim Priest. The other winners are below Continuing with yesterday’s Sierra juniper theme (see the tree above). This post originally appeared here in March, 2016 (with a few updates today). It has been about two and one half years since the Artisans Cup, a ground breaking event at the Portland Art Museum that featured more jaw dropping bonsai than most people will ever see in one place. Roshi Tool Special Ends Tonight ALL OUR FAMOUS ROSHI BONSAI TOOLS 30% TO 40% OFF OUR LIST PRICES Special … Continue reading Prize Winners & Other Extraordinary North American Bonsai