Tea, Poetry & Flowering Bonsai

Ume (Prunus mume) flowers. Once again we find ourselves borrowing from Peter Tea. This photo and the next three photos shown here are from a post of Peter’s that provides a sweet moment’s glimpse into a small private bonsai show. Something you don’t see everyday. Can’t go too long without borrowing from our archives (and indulging our passion for flowers). This one is from March 2013. At that time Galway Kinnell was still alive and writing and reading his poetry. I had the pleasure of meeting him at a poetry reading couple years ago through a good friend who was … Continue reading Tea, Poetry & Flowering Bonsai

What if you woke up on September 25th and realized that you’re not at the Artisans Cup?

You know there has to be a living vein somewhere, but it must be hidden behind all that impressive deadwood. The crown belongs to a Shimpaku juniper that was grafted onto a collected Rocky Mountain juniper. The tree belongs to Michael Hagedorn (an Artisans Cup prime mover), as do all the trees (and boots) shown here. What if you woke up on September 25th and realized that you’re not at the Artisans Cup and it’s too late to get there? Your friends are there and some of the best bonsai in North America are there, but not you. Sadly, you’ll … Continue reading What if you woke up on September 25th and realized that you’re not at the Artisans Cup?

Michael’s Spring Watering Tips

This old collected Rocky Mountain juniper is from Michael Hagedorn’s Crataegus Bonsai portfolio. What follows has been lifted word for word, photo for photo from Michael Hagedorn’s Crataegus Bonsai. We usually just borrow bits and pieces, so reprinting an entire borrowed post might be a first. If you don’t know Crataegus Bonsai (or even if you do), I strongly encourage you to visit and spend some time there. Michael’s depth and breath of bonsai wisdom and his ability to communicate what he knows (with a light touch and sense of humor) will enhance your bonsai experience. I guarantee it. Spring … Continue reading Michael’s Spring Watering Tips

Bonsai Mirai, Yamadori & Why You Should Visit Portand this September

Only Mother Nature. There is no way anyone will ever grow a tree quite like this magnificently wild Rocky Mountain juniper. Taking this a step further, there is almost no way anyone will ever be able to collect and style a tree like this, though there are a handful of people who have the requisite skills and knowledge. In this case, it’s a combination of two who share the skills and knowledge: Randy Knight* found it, collected it and made sure it survived the trauma, and Ryan Neil styled it, potted it and currently keeps it alive and well at … Continue reading Bonsai Mirai, Yamadori & Why You Should Visit Portand this September

A Grand Leap Down the Bonsai Rabbit Hole

This Mountain hemlock is one of the reasons I love Michael Hagedorn’s bonsai. Simplicity (understatement), naturalness (respect for nature and for this particular tree), balance, vibrant health and all the rest that makes a bonsai sublime are here for all to see (there’s also the missing pot, but that’s for another time). Now that I’ve waxed about the bonsai pictured above, I’ll go ahead and wax a bit about the level of insight over a range of topics you’ll find when you visit Crataegus Bonsai. Michael’s recent post on 0-10-10 fertilizer is a good example. Here’s just a little about … Continue reading A Grand Leap Down the Bonsai Rabbit Hole

Artisans Cup – Two Years Late & Right on Time

Good news! The Cup is coming. Those of us who kept the faith when the Artisans Cup was postponed are officially vindicated. You may remember that the Artisans Cup was originally scheduled for October 2013. Until events conspired to cause it to be postponed until 2015. Now that 2015 is preparing its arrival, the excitement that we all experienced two years ago is coming back. Time to start making plans. Michael Hagedorn, an indispensable half of the Artisans Cup original brain trust and major American bonsai artist, teacher and author, just posted this on Crateagus Bonsai.“One of the major events … Continue reading Artisans Cup – Two Years Late & Right on Time

Slow Learners and the Gradual Path

It has been a while since we’ve shown this familiar wood paneling from Michael Hagedorn’s workshop. BTW: the tree is a Limber pine styled by Michael and friends. Whenever I visit Michael Hagedorn’s Crataegus Bonsai Blog I’m impressed with Michael’s knack for simplicity (this view was reinforced when I studied with him for a few days last year). An important part of this simplicity is less concern with earth shaking transformations and more inclination to the long view with slower more natural development (you can visit Crataegus Bonsai and see if you agree). This long view is especially good for … Continue reading Slow Learners and the Gradual Path

Ezo Spruce by Any Other Name…

One glance at this Ezo spruce and you know it belongs to Walter Pall. Walter sometimes refers to this natural looking untouched-by-human-hands style as ‘naturalistic bonsai,’ though if you go to Walter’s Bonsai Adventures blog where this photo is from, you’ll see just how touched-by-human-hands it actually was. And just how accomplished Walter is at turning pedestrian bonsai into naturalistic gems. Ezo spruce are sometimes referred to as Jezo or Yezo spruce (Picea jezoensis or Picea yezoensis) and even Sakhalin spruce, though that’s a really a different species (Picea glenii). Most (or perhaps all) of the specimen quality Ezo bonsai in … Continue reading Ezo Spruce by Any Other Name…

Practically Small

This banyan style dwarf Snow rose serissa (Serissa foetida microphylla) was styled by David Fukumoto of Fuku Bonsai in Hawaii. The pot is a Tokoname from Japan. Living in the tropics really helps when it comes to growing aerial roots. Based on thirty years experience in bonsai business, I’d guess that the majority of our readers and customers are into their middle years or beyond. To be sure, there are some younger bonsai enthusiasts, but clubbing and couch surfing don’t mix all that well with bonsai care. Nor do small children and the rigors of a budding fast track career. … Continue reading Practically Small

Transplanting: The Happy Zone

Here’s Michael Hagedorn’s caption: “This maple in Shinji Suzuki’s tokonoma is in a pot typical of this kind of tree. It works better aesthetically, in two ways. A shallow pot will make the nebari continue spreading, and the delicacy of the trunks is enhanced by a shallower pot. But a maple is also a tree that appreciates water. And a shallow pot will retain more moisture than a deeper one, in a soil-to-soil relative way. It’s a wetter pot.” All the photos in this post are from Crataegus Bonsai. We’ve been talking about basics a lot lately. Specifically watering, fertilizing … Continue reading Transplanting: The Happy Zone