Weeping Bonsai & Old Men Drinking

Weeping tree with sitting man and pond. This tree and some of the other trees shown here, when viewed in scale, look like weeping willows. I doubt that they are however, as willow leaves would be much too large for these plantings. You don’t see that many good weeping bonsai. I think there’s a good reason for this… they take a lot of work to develop and maintain in a way that keeps them in scale and natural looking. Unless you can find small weeping trees with leaves and branches that are already in scale. Because we know nothing of the source and the varieties (see … Continue reading Weeping Bonsai & Old Men Drinking

Holiday Bonsai Delights!

We originally posted this magnificent tree by Min Hsuan Lo exactly 7 years ago today (sorry, I don’t know the variety Now I do thanks to Clinton Scott… it’s a Chinese hackberry (Celtis sinensis)). Anyway, it’s worth another look and the time is right All of today’s photos are from Min Hsuan Lo’s Bonsai blog and they all appeared here exactly 7 years ago today. That’s a great thing about bonsai of this magnitude… they are already so old and so well developed that seven years might as well be yesterday Year End Roshi Tool SPECIAL 40% off List Prices on Roshi Bonsai … Continue reading Holiday Bonsai Delights!

Happy Bonsai Solstice!

I don’t know if this qualifies as a Christmas tree, but it does give you a pretty good idea of what northern Vermont looks like this time of year. I hope you and your loved ones are enjoying a relaxed Holiday Season and that you have a Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukkah (a day late), Sweet Solstice (today) and whatever you might celebrate. And of course that you enjoy a Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year WE’VE DECIDED TO BRING BACK OUR EXCELLENT site wide SALE Almost Everything Discounted Some Items as much as 70% off List Prices Orders placed now will be shipped the week … Continue reading Happy Bonsai Solstice!

Wild Bonsai from Up Near the Tree Line

A great tree with a long story of a rugged life spent on the side of cold snow burdened mountain. Somewhere up near the tree line and far from the cushy life of domestically grown bonsai A little change of pace today; a rugged mix of yamadori (collected from the wild) pines. We originally found them at Amics Del Bonsai Corbera and featured them here last December. None are identified. Nor are their owners. IT’S NOT TOO LATE… orders received by noon EST today (Monday) will be shipped today HOME STRETCH SALE Almost Everything Discounted Some Items as much as 70% off List Prices Order Now for … Continue reading Wild Bonsai from Up Near the Tree Line

Happy Bonsai Holidays! Merry Bonsai Christmas!

Though it’s usually considered bad form to lop off part of the pot, in this case it’s all about the color (and the wildly expressive trunk). The variety is listed as Issho-no-haru. This and the rest of the photos in this post are from the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum Happy Holidays! Merry Christmas! No matter what you celebrate (or don’t celebrate), may you and your loved ones enjoy the Season and have a happy, healthy and prosperous New Year. This post is borrowed from our 2014 archives, so I’m cheating just a bit. But I like it so much and believe that you … Continue reading Happy Bonsai Holidays! Merry Bonsai Christmas!

Principles of Bonsai Design with a Personal Touch

This berry-laden Cotoneaster belongs to David DeGroot, long time bonsai artist, teacher, museum curator and author (Principles of Bonsai Design). Here’s Dave’s caption… “In honor of the approaching holidays I posed a cotoneaster that is decorated with its own red berries before a celebratory gold screen. The bonsai was originally developed by the late Ann Spencer of Portland, OR. The pot is by Sarah Rayner.” I took the liberty to crop this photo. The original is below I’ve long respected David DeGroot for his bonsai skills and for his contribution the American and world bonsai communities; as teacher, author and as … Continue reading Principles of Bonsai Design with a Personal Touch

Mammoth Masterpiece

This monster Japanese beech is so massive and so masterful, that once you see it, you’ll never forget it. Continuing with our Japanese beech theme from a few days ago, I couldn’t resist this one. It’s from a post we did back in March, 2016. There was no attribution with our source and we still don’t know who it belongs to. IT’S NOT TOO LATE… orders received before noon EST will be shipped the same day orders receive after noon will be shipped the same day or the next day SITE WIDE SALE Almost Everything 30% – 70% off List Prices Order Now for Immediate … Continue reading Mammoth Masterpiece

Pacific Bonsai Museum’s Strikingly Beautiful Mix of Bonsai & Paintings – Part 2

The tree is a Sierra juniper and the painting is Yosemite Valley (Half Dome gives it away). From the Pacific Bonsai Museum’s video tour (as are all the photos in this post) Continuing where we left off yesterday with the Pacific Bonsai Museum’s ecstatically beautiful video bonsai tour. And by the way, whoever place the painting and trees together is a brilliant artist… Continued below… It’s not too late… orders received before noon EST will be shipped the same day orders receive after noon will be shipped the same day or the next day SITE WIDE SALE Almost Everything 30% – 70% off List Prices … Continue reading Pacific Bonsai Museum’s Strikingly Beautiful Mix of Bonsai & Paintings – Part 2

A Stunningly Beautiful Mix of Bonsai, Paintings, Natural Backdrop…

This shot was lifted from the Pacific Bonsai Museum’s video tour. Continuing with our Pacific Bonsai Museum theme… I finally took the time to stop and view (again and again) their video tour. If you haven’t seen it, I suggest you take a couple minutes and treat yourself. It’s stunningly beautiful with it’s mix of bonsai, paintings, natural backdrop and ecstatic music that captures the soaring feeling of the surroundings. Hats off to Curator Aarin Packard, Executive director Kathy McCabe and the rest of excellent staff for helping to create and maintain such a brilliant bonsai treasure . This just might be the largest and best Sale we’ve ever … Continue reading A Stunningly Beautiful Mix of Bonsai, Paintings, Natural Backdrop…

Arts of the Earth & The Principles of Bonsai Design

Beech with vase. The tree is a Japanese beech ‘Fuji’ by Kazuhiro Ohashi. The photo is from Weyerhaeuser’s Pacific Rim Arts of the Earth Exhibit. This exhibit took place in 2006. In 2013 the Weyerhaeuser corporation gifted its entire bonsai collection to what is now know as the Pacific Bonsai Museum. You can read the whole story here. Continuing with our Japanese beech theme (see the tree above), we’re going to journey back to the early days of this century and revisit a unique bonsai and ceramic art exhibition from 2006. I think you’ll like the photos and the commentary by David DeGroot, who was the curator at the WeyerhaeuserPacific Rim Bonsai Collection (now … Continue reading Arts of the Earth & The Principles of Bonsai Design