Near the Top of the Bonsai & Penjing Pantheons

This remarkable planting by Kuanghua Hsiao belongs somewhere near the top of the Penjing pantheon. Getting a very late start today, so we’ll take the quick and easy way out and show you this post from January, 2016 (with a little value added today). I think it’s worth another look anyway. Just two remarkable photos today. It’s not that often you see two bonsai by the same person, each so completely different from the other and each among the best you’ll see anywhere. I found both photos here. Continued below… SPECIAL ENDS THURS NIGHT Kilo Bonsai Aesthetics Wire Special YOU WON’T … Continue reading Near the Top of the Bonsai & Penjing Pantheons

Japanese Maple Bonsai Adventure

We’ve been indulging our annual fall color fixation lately, so why one one more… albeit a subtle one? This Japanese maple is from Korean nursery-grown stock. We found it on Walter Pall’s Bonsai Adventures blog. You might notice how the two smaller trees lend perspective and exaggerate the effect of the main tree. Monday morning and pressed for time, so we’ll take a little shortcut. This post originally appeared one year ago today, with a little value added Back in the mid-to-late 20th century, when the average person had no idea what the art of bonsai was, almost all bonsai in … Continue reading Japanese Maple Bonsai Adventure

Best Conifer, Best Artist, Best in Show

Andres Alvarez Iglesias just won Best Conifer, Best Artist and Best in Show for this exquisitely powerful and distinctive Scots pine at the European Bonsai San Show in Saulieu France. Congratulations to Andres Alvarex Iglesias for a great tree and a great honor!… Here’s facebook’s translation (lightly edited) of what Andres wrote today about winning Best Conifer, Best Artist and Best in Show at the European Bonsai San Show… “It’s difficult to explain with words the feelings that I have in this moment. Thanks to every body who made it possible!!!” Andres’ original Spanish is below Continued below… 7.95 FOR 500 GRAM ROLLS OF BONSAI WIRE IS TOO GOOD TO … Continue reading Best Conifer, Best Artist, Best in Show

Brilliant Japanese Maple Bonsai in Full Fall Color with Correction

Japanese maple in full fall color. You might notice the unusual mounded nebari as well as the outstanding movement in the trunks and branches. Our source doesn’t mention the variety or the owner of this brilliant tree THE CORRECTION IS IN A CAPTION BELOW IN RED TYPE apologies to Bill Valavanis It’s peak fall color here in Vermont, though where we live it doesn’t look like a banner year. Mostly it’s the Sugar maples that are a disappointment. I think our long hot and very dry September caused them to give up and drop their leaves early Continued below… KOYO BONSAI TOOL SPECIAL DEEPLY DISCOUNTED … Continue reading Brilliant Japanese Maple Bonsai in Full Fall Color with Correction

“I’m in Love with This Tree” Another Taxus by Andres & Setting the Record Straight

This shot is from a must see video with Andres Alvarez Iglesias and another of his European yews (Taxus baccata). Setting the record straight… Yesterday we featured a famous European yew that belongs to Andres Alvarez Iglesias. Today we’ve got another one by Andres (watch the video!, you can thank me later) and a mea culpa by yours truly This tree was NOT carved by human hands! Yesterday’s yew with apologies to Andres and Mother Nature. What I should have said yesterday is that this tree was NOT carved by human hands*. Given that you see so many yews (and junipers and etc…) that are carved by human hands – usually with … Continue reading “I’m in Love with This Tree” Another Taxus by Andres & Setting the Record Straight

Bonsai Impressions – Texture, Movement & Color

It’s hard not to notice what just how powerful this tree is. Even with the apex slightly nipped and most of the pot missing. It’s a Japanese white pine from the 34th Taikan-ten Bonsai Exhibition. Our last few posts have featured bonsai from Kokufu-ten. Today it’s photos from Taikan-ten via Michael Bonsai on facebook. Taikan-ten takes place once a year in Kyoto and is considered by most people to be the second most important bonsai exhibition in Japan if not in the world (Kokufu is the king of bonsai exhibitions). You might notice that none of the photos shown here are conventional front shots that simply show the … Continue reading Bonsai Impressions – Texture, Movement & Color

Long Live the Bonsai King

Full cascade Japanese black pine (Pinus thumbergii). Japanese for Black pine is Kuromatsu (kuro is black and matsu is pine). Yesterday we resurrected trees from the famous Kokufu Exhibition and the response has been very positive, so why not keep digging in the same vein? Japanese black pines are sometimes referred to a the king of bonsai. This may be in part due to their natural strength; they tend to have powerful trunks and thick lush foliage. Rugged bark doesn’t hurt either. King or not, the best of the black pines are undeniably among the most impressive bonsai in the world. All the … Continue reading Long Live the Bonsai King

Bonsai that Don’t Bust Your Bank Account & an Important Natural Phenomenon You Might Not Be Aware of

We’ve featured this tree before, but because I don’t think you’ll see many bonsai quite like it, it’s worth another look. Two photos just below show the natural phenomenon behind this type carving. The tree is a yew. The artist is Harry Harrington. All the photos in this post are courtesy of Harry Harrington, an artist who specializes in what you might call found bonsai (bonsai from the wild or from hedgerows and gardens or wherever else the original stock might come from that doesn’t bust your bank account). Harry is also the author of The Foundations of Bonsai, a book that explores the … Continue reading Bonsai that Don’t Bust Your Bank Account & an Important Natural Phenomenon You Might Not Be Aware of

Bonsai Times 2,500 and Counting…

I found this impressive root-on-rock juniper in one of our favorite places. No mention of variety or artist, so we won’t mention our source either (see below). Btw, Image Search came up empty If my math is correct, this should be our 2,500th post, give or take. Putting that rather astounding fact aside, today marks the day that we (that’s me) will no longer attribute our source in cases where our source doesn’t bother to attribute theirs or make any effort to identify the variety or provide any other pertinent information. There’s no good reason to credit someone for simply finding a bonsai and posting … Continue reading Bonsai Times 2,500 and Counting…

When to Let a Tree Run Off Leash – by Michael Hagedorn

This luminous Japanese maple in full fall color is from Michael Hagedorn’s Crataegus Bonsai Portfolio. I don’t know for sure when, or for how long Michael lets this one off the leash, but after reading the article below, I have some idea. Once again we’re paying homage to the wisdom of Michael Hagedorn, our favorite source for the nitty-gritty of growing bonsai. This time it’s about managing and especially not managing the growth of our trees. The text and Winter Hazel photo below are from Michael’s Crataegus Bonsai blog In Michael’s own words… “We talk endlessly about how to manage the growth … Continue reading When to Let a Tree Run Off Leash – by Michael Hagedorn