Selling Out: Bonsai Today & More

Bonsai Today issue 94. We’ve still got some of this one, but moment to moment they are disappearing. America’s premier bonsai magazine is slowly disappearing Every couple weeks or so we sell out of a back issue of Bonsai Today. Now we’ve decided to accelerate the process to make space for other new bonsai products (stay posted). 60% off and rising, but don’t wait We’ll start at 60% off and increase that discount every few weeks. But don’t wait, some issues are almost gone. Kenzans too We’ve decided to do the same with our kenzans (flower frogs). We’ll start at … Continue reading Selling Out: Bonsai Today & More

$1,000 Bonsai from Scratch Contest

Pomegranate from the cover of Bonsai Today issue 83. Of all the Bonsai Today covers, this one seems most like a bonsai from scratch; though you’d be lucky to find untrained nursery stock this good at your local garden center. It’s not too late There’s still time to enter our $1,000 Bonsai from Scratch contest. True, mid-summer is tricky and you might not be able to put your tree into a bonsai pot, but that’s okay, you can enter it in a nursery container if you’re not comfortable root pruning. Or, you can gamble and stick it into a pot. … Continue reading $1,000 Bonsai from Scratch Contest

Tropical Bonsai & Summer Sales Galore

Sweet tree, great pot. From Pedro J. Morales’s Wall Photos on facebook (for non-facebookers, here’s Pedro’s website). Pedro says that it’s a shohin size bonsai from his cousin Carlos C. Morales. The pot is Japanese. Glen Lord suggests that the tree is a type of Ixora. You don’t have to live in the tropics… … to grow tropical bonsai (but it helps). At this moment, we might as well be in the tropics here in northern Vermont. Last night it rained so hard that torrentially is an understatement, and today it’s nasty hot and muggy. Still, it’s nothing like the … Continue reading Tropical Bonsai & Summer Sales Galore

Is All Forgiven? Well… Not Quite

Is all forgiven when a bonsai flowers? In this case, after the brilliant white dazzle (with soft touches of pink and yellow), there’s the strong trunk with a nice flaring base. But still, my eye keeps going back to the scar and the messy little stuff underneath it, and the somewhat clunky pot. Is it just me? From Jose Pañeda’s Photos – mis bonsáis. Those magical few days… I remember the first time I saw a what I thought was a so-so bonsai displaying gorgeous flowers. It was in Bonsai Today (long before I became the publisher) and the photo … Continue reading Is All Forgiven? Well… Not Quite

Bonsai Today Back Issues 60% off

A tribute to John Naka, the Dean of American Bonsai is featured in Bonsai Today issue 93. Bonsai Today, the benchmark English language bonsai magazine Bonsai Today magazine has long been revered for its depth, range and quality of bonsai articles. For years it was the benchmark English language bonsai magazine, with each issue full of tips and instructions from the masters, dramatic cutting-edge bonsai, and bonsai news from around the world. Making space We’ve decided to sell out our remaining back issues to make space in our warehouse for a host of new products we are introducing. Some issues … Continue reading Bonsai Today Back Issues 60% off

Just Arrived: Bonsai Aesthetics Wire

From an article in Bonsai Today issue 96, titled Wiring 101. Bonsai Today back issues are currently 55% off at Stone Lantern. Bonsai Aesthetics Wire A couple years ago we introduced our now very popular Novice grade Chinese bonsai tools from Bonsai Aesthetics. Now, it’s time for Bonsai Aesthetics anodized aluminum bonsai wire. It comes in two weights (100 gram rolls and 1 kilo rolls). Prices are about half of what you pay for Japanese anodized aluminum wire. Bonsai Aesthetics and Robert Steven Bonsai Aesthetics is owned by Robert Steven, a world-class bonsai artist, author and teacher who often appears … Continue reading Just Arrived: Bonsai Aesthetics Wire

Out Stealing Bonsai Ideas

Major surgery. From a Bonsai Tonight post entitled ‘Best repotting of the year.’ Rapid evolution There’s a lot going on with bonsai these days, and it’s happening fast and right before our eyes. If you look at the evolution of bonsai, you’ll find slow but steady development up until sometime in the 1980s when the explosion began. Kimura was introducing power tools and Bonsai was becoming international. Suddenly bonsai books and magazines were springing up everywhere, and, at the same time, along comes the internet. Now, new (and old) ideas abound everywhere. Black ponderosa pine? Japanese black pine grafted onto … Continue reading Out Stealing Bonsai Ideas

Bonsai Today Back Issues 55% off

Bonsai Today, the benchmark English language bonsai magazine Bonsai Today magazine has long been revered for its depth, range and quality of bonsai articles. For years it was the benchmark English language bonsai magazine, with each issue full of tips and instructions from the masters, dramatic cutting-edge bonsai, and bonsai news from around the world. Making space We’ve decided to sell out our remaining back issues to make space in our warehouse for a host of new products we are planning to introduce (stay posted). Some issues are almost gone. Eventually they will all be gone and you’ll have to … Continue reading Bonsai Today Back Issues 55% off

Companions for Lonely Bonsai

I borrowed this intriguing display from Bonsai Art magazine’s website (I guess you can tell). I like the tree a lot, but it’s the companion that really caught my eye. Companions, accents, shitakusa, kusamono… whatever you call them One thing I like about companion plants is that good ones can have dual functions: you can team them with bonsai to create dynamic displays, or, if they are good enough, they can be displayed alone. This mystery plant from our mystery book easily stands alone. One companion plant keeps three bonsai and a suiseki company in this circular shohin display. … Continue reading Companions for Lonely Bonsai

How About Yew (Carving Deadwood)?

Every time I open Bonsai Today issue 106 and lay my eyes on this wickedly powerful, dynamic old English yew, my mind does a little double take. It may not look exactly like anything you’ll see in nature, but it certainly jumps off the page. It’s by Kevin Willson, bonsai artist and deadwood carver extraordinaire. Photo by Simon Carr. A labor of love Yew wood is very hard. Harder than almost any other type of wood. In this light, take a look at the photo below and then at the photo above. Now imagine all that carving with only hand … Continue reading How About Yew (Carving Deadwood)?