Bonsai Art… As Art

Bonsai Art Magazine living up to it’s name… Not many words today. We’ll just show you some covers of Bonsai Art (and some of our sales, of course). As far as the aesthetics of bonsai goes, it’s my favorite magazine. Continued below… As long as we’re on the topic of quality bonsai magazines… Bonsai Today Sale Ends Tomorrow 40% to 50% off Bonsai Today Back Issues Each issue is rich in step-by-step how-to articles by the old masters 40% off 1-9 Bonsai Today back issues 50% off 10 or more back issues This may be your last chance for certain … Continue reading Bonsai Art… As Art

Don’t Starve Your Bonsai!

This radiantly healthy, well-fed Japanese black pine is from our Masters Series Pine Book. Spring is coming. For many of you it will arrive over the next few weeks. For those of us in northern Vermont and other such brutal locations, it’s still about 12-14 weeks away. For most of you, it’s somewhere in between. Time to start fertilizing isn’t that far off. Many people underfeed their bonsai. Sometimes the mistaken notion that starvation is essential to keep trees small, wins out over the common sense understanding that regular nutrition is essential for health. In the case of bonsai (and … Continue reading Don’t Starve Your Bonsai!

Field Growing, Drainage & Fertilizing

This impressive Trident maple’s (Acer buergeranum) massive nebari is a dead giveaway that it was field grown. The original article is in Bonsai Today issue 64. I wrote this back in 2009. Though the tree and it’s impressive nebari started in the field, much of the development was accomplished in a container (see below). Enjoying a quick winter vacation in stormy San Francisco. The rain is desperately needed, so I can live with failed expectations of sun and warm breezes. Because this is a vacation, we’ll resort to reposting one of our very earliest posts. It’s from February 2009. I’ve … Continue reading Field Growing, Drainage & Fertilizing

Flowers & Snow (& Too Good to Pass Up)

Japanese Flowering apricot (Prunus mume). This would be a remarkable tree even without the flowers. With the flowers… well, you can see for yourself. The tree resides at Bonsai Aichien in Japan. Speaking of snow, we’re expecting a foot or more over the next day or so. Time to run to the store to stock up on half and half. Meanwhile, we’ll borrow today’s post from February 2014. Both the photos here were posted on facebook by Juan Andrade who is (was?) an apprentice at Bonsai Aichien and a great source of excellent bonsai photos. Continued below… Too Good to … Continue reading Flowers & Snow (& Too Good to Pass Up)

Enjoy Two Beautiful 2017 Japanese Calendars & Save

These two handsome, colorful 2017 Japanese Calendars can be yours at a New Special price of only 19.90 (list price for both is 30.90). Order yours before they are gone We have been importing beautiful custom Japanese bonsai and garden calendars for so long I’ve forgotten when we started. The response has always been overwhelming, with the same bonsai and Japanese garden lovers ordering year after year Here are a few more photos to stimulate you sense of beauty… Multi-toned Satsuki azalea Shimpaku juniper with swirling scuptural deadwood Another stunning Satsuki A perfect compliment to your new Calendars…. 30% … Continue reading Enjoy Two Beautiful 2017 Japanese Calendars & Save

A Soft Spot for Cedars

When is a Cedar not really a Cedar? Or does it even matter? Either way, this has to be one of the very best Northern white cedars we’ve seen yet. I’ve got a soft spot for Cedars, even when they’re really Arborvitae (Thuja occidentalis – aka Northern white cedar – more below) and the one above is certainly no exception. I know I’ve seen it somewhere, but memory is elusive (74) and I know I’ll be embarrassed when you point it out (just heard from a couple bonsai friends north of the border – the artist is Brian Donnely of … Continue reading A Soft Spot for Cedars

Nice Tree, Great Pot

Based on the leaves and berries I’m guessing this is an English Hawthorn. Just a quickie today. The tree and pot belong to Peter Krebs, a well known bonsai potter and artist. I found them here. Continued below… 2 BRAND NEW TOOL SALES 30% off Bonsai Aesthetics Tools 20% off Okatsune Bonsai & Garden Tools plus an Extra 10% off orders 100.00+ FREE Shipping on U.S. orders 50.00+ (you must selected Free Shipping when you check out) All those fine brush strokes. The labor of love. Here’s another Peter Krebs pot from a 2014 Bark post that featured several … Continue reading Nice Tree, Great Pot

Sturdy Spruce Bonsai

This impressively sturdy tree is from the cover of Bonsai Today issue 61 (all issues are now 30% – 40% off). As you can see, it’s a Picea glehnii (Sakhalin spruce) though it’s often confused with Ezo spruce (Picea jezoensis) and for all I know, could be an Ezo spruce (there doesn’t seem to be general agreement on which is which). Image courtesy of Bonsai Focus. 30% off Our Famous Roshi Bonsai Tools plus an extra 10% off for all orders 100.00+* FREE Shipping on U.S. orders 50.00+ but you have to select it when you check out if you … Continue reading Sturdy Spruce Bonsai

One Bonsai, Four Shots

This artfully swirling Itoigawa Shimpaku juniper (Juniperus chinensis Itoigawa) belongs to Fabio Mantovani. The photo was taken at the recent European Bonsai San Show by Harry Harrington (I cropped it to get a closer look, the original is below). Last week we featured some of Harry Harrington’s photos from last month’s European Bonsai San Show. Because the tree’s are so spectacular and Harry’s photos are equally spectacular, there’s no good reason not keep going. This time we’re focusing on four shots (plus one cropped) of a Itoigawa Shimpaku juniper (Juniperus chinensis Itoigawa) that belongs to Fabio Mantovani. For more of Harry’s … Continue reading One Bonsai, Four Shots

An Independence Day History of Bonsai in the U.S.

This wildly expressive Wisteria reminds me of exploding 4th of July fireworks. The photo is from Bill Valavanis‘ Classical Bonsai Art (out of print). The tree belongs to Robert Blankfield, who originally styled it at a workshop with Bill. This post is resurrected from Independence Day, 2013, with a few additions and subtractions. Tomorrow is Independence Day here in the USA. To help you celebrate, why not enjoy a sampling of home grown bonsai? But first, because many of our readers are not U.S. citizens and because some U.S. folks don’t know much about history anyway, a quick American history … Continue reading An Independence Day History of Bonsai in the U.S.