“Nobody thought at that time that the Westerners would ever be able to develop bonsai themselves”

The Japanese maple that Walter Pall uses to illustrate his ‘hedge-cutting method.’ This photo was taken four years after Walter started working with this tree. The before photo is below. Time to revisit Walter Pall’s hedge-cutting method. We’ve shown this post several times over the years, but it’s a good one. So just in case you missed it… I first learned about hedge shearing bonsai from Jim Smith (sadly now deceased*), a highly respected American Bonsai Artist and grower who worked primarily with tropical and sub-tropical bonsai. Because Jim lived in Florida, I figured that hedge shearing was only used in the … Continue reading “Nobody thought at that time that the Westerners would ever be able to develop bonsai themselves”

Roots, Rocks & Summer Vacation

I love this tree. The texture and movement as it flows over the rock is perfect, and the fine ramification (branching) is excellent. Nice pot too. The photo is from the 2017 Kokufu Exhibition. No variety is given (the majority of great Japanese root-over-rock bonsai are Trident maples, but the ramification seems too delicate for a Trident, so your guess is as good as mine) Stone Lantern will be closed from July 28th to August 14th but you will be able to order during that time Orders received after the 3:00pm EDT, July 27th will be sent on a first come, … Continue reading Roots, Rocks & Summer Vacation

Pushing the Limits

This wild and gnarly yamadori (collected bonsai) exhibits some classical flaws. Two of the most obvious are the long straight taperless section of mid-trunk and the cluttered roots around the base. However, that’s the way this tree grew and those flaws tell part of the story of its struggles to survive and thrive in an inhospitable environment. Without them, the story might not be so interesting. Classical vs Eccentric There have always been classical bonsai (ones that conform to accepted norms of an earlier time) and there have always been more eccentric bonsai that push classical forms and norms into … Continue reading Pushing the Limits