Rough & Rugged Old Bonsai – Two Day Book Special

This rugged old tree starkly contrasts with the way it’s presented; the professional studio photo, the quality stand and pot cleaned and oiled to perfection. As you can see, it’s a pine. I won’t bother to guess the variety, but here’s where I found it and here’s the caption… Nippon Bonsai Sakka Kyookai Europe España a SAKKA TEN 2012 – PEÑISCOLA. Fotos de estudio realizadas por Alex Espuny (Studio Photos by Alex Espuny). I’m mesmerized by this tree’s rugged, natural look. So even though we’ve shown it before (with two more photos today), I’m going to ask you to indulge me in a second time NEW 2 DAY … Continue reading Rough & Rugged Old Bonsai – Two Day Book Special

A Massive Bonsai Masterpiece

This massive masterpiece is a Japanese beech (Fagus crenata) Yesterday we featured an impressive Japanese beech and today we’ve got one that takes impressive to another level. We’ve shown it before, but the best trees are always worth another look. There was no attribution with our source so we don’t know who it belongs to, though based on the level of development and the meticulous attention to detail that it expresses, you might guess it’s from Japan ROSHI TOOL SPECIAL ENDS TONIGHT 30% or more OFf all roshi tools SEE BELOW – It helps to have something familiar for scale. Though we don’t know how large the human is (or … Continue reading A Massive Bonsai Masterpiece

Bonsai, Babies & Roshi Tools

Three photos of the same tree at different times. I think it’s probably the same baby too. No identification of the tree is given, but it looks a lot like a Japanese beech I try to focus on bonsai and stay away from babies and kittens (here on Bark at least), but for some reason I couldn’t pass this one up (it helps that the tree is magnificent). The babies and the photos below were posted by Matthijs Hartjes, a Bonsai Bark first timer ROSHI TOOL SPECIAL ENDS TOMORROW NIGHT 30% OFF see below – Japanese maple for sure, but no variety is given … Continue reading Bonsai, Babies & Roshi Tools

Snow Shoes & Bonsai

One American larch, four pots (plus the original pot below). All this images in this post were borrowed from Boon Manakitivipart (the image above is a composite that we put together). Boon is at it again. This time it’s our prized local larch (Larix laricina). Around here we call it Tamarack (the Algonquian name that means “wood used for snowshoes”). No matter what you call it, it is in my opinion, by far the best local wild species for bonsai. Bar none. This is one of several Which pot do you prefer? posts that were pieced together from Boon’s facebook posts. … Continue reading Snow Shoes & Bonsai

Before & After Bonsai – the Desire to Improve What Most of Us Might Settle For

Before and after Shohin pine by Koji Hiramatsu. No size or species is mentioned, but you can tell it is quite small and you might guess it’s a Japanese black pine simply because it’s a favorite in Japan and the after shot looks like it might be one Continuing with another before and after, though moving way down in scale from yesterday’s monster. The photos are from Koji Hiramatsu’s fb timeline TWO NEW TOOL SPECIALS 40% off list prices on all Bonsai Aesthetics Tools & Tool Kits 40% off list prices on all Stainless Steel Tools Includes Roshi, Koyo & Other Tool Brands … Continue reading Before & After Bonsai – the Desire to Improve What Most of Us Might Settle For

Godzilla Refines a Monster Bonsai – Before & After

Before and after Rocky Mountain juniper (Juniperus scopulorum) by Todd Schlafer. The tree belongs to Mike Andrews. For the Godzilla reference, scroll down to the bottom of the post Continuing with another before and after transformation by Todd Schlafer (see Oct 19th). Here’s a quote by Mike Andrews (facebook)… “Progression of collected Rocky Mountain Juniper. Collected by Randy Knight, delivered to my house September 2016. Initial design and structure setting with Mauro in April 2017. Fertilized heavily and full sun 2017 and 2018 growing seasons resulted in very nice dense foliage. Finally detail wired and pad formation by Todd yesterday. … Continue reading Godzilla Refines a Monster Bonsai – Before & After

Shadow Shots & Stainless Bonsai Tools

Juniper with shadow. This and the other trees shown here belong to Luis Vallejo It’s time to visit Luis Vallejo, one of our favorites. I was attracted to these photos for their artist value as well as for the trees themselves. The only text Luis provided is… “Preparando exposición. 17/25 Noviembre 2018.” Though I suspect you can get it without translation, here it is just in case… Preparing for exposition, November 17-25. (scroll down for details) NEW SPECIAL ALL STAINLESS TOOLS 40% OFF LIST PRICES SEE BELOW One tree, two shadows. I don’t know what type tree this is, and know even less about the one … Continue reading Shadow Shots & Stainless Bonsai Tools

A Piece of Rebar, Some Nerve & More than a Little Skill

This before and after by David Benavente provides a look at what you can do with a piece of rebar, some nerve, and more than a little skill. I originally posted this in 2010 and can longer find David’s original, but if memory serves, the tree is a Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) Continuing with David Benavente (see yesterday’s post) and our before and after from the day before… The photos for this post are from a a 2010 Bark post. I’ve reworked them some, and the text is new. For more on David, you can visit his website and you can visit him … Continue reading A Piece of Rebar, Some Nerve & More than a Little Skill

Bonsai Skill & Vision – Before & After

Before and after Procumbens Juniper by Todd Schlafer at the Des Moines Botanical Gardens Continuing with our venerable Before and After tradition… This is only the second time* we’ve featured bonsai by Todd Schlafer, but there will certainly be more. Todd is one of a significant (in numbers and skill) crop of young North American bonsai artists . You can enjoy more of Todd’s bonsai on his First Branch Bonsai website, on facebook and in the 5th U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition Album BONSAI SOIL SPECIAL ENDS SUNDAY 25% OFF LIST PRICES Special ends Sunday at 11:59pm EDT Before. As you can see, the trunk is already … Continue reading Bonsai Skill & Vision – Before & After

More Tiny Trees from Our Mystery Bonsai Artist

A lot of age and character packed into such a small pot. I’m not sure what kind of tree it is. Perhaps and Ilex of some sort? Continuing with our unknown artist’s tiny trees from the other day and our love affair with small bonsai. A love affair that grows as we age (sooner or later old backs and heavy bonsai must part ways). There are no varieties listed, but some are easy. Others, not so much. Here’s your fb link for our source BONSAI SOIL SPECIAL ENDS SUNDAY 25% off list prices The berries look like Pyracantha and so do the leaves … Continue reading More Tiny Trees from Our Mystery Bonsai Artist