You can view this striking Satsuki azalea by Si Van Nguyen in all its glory from all 360° on ausbonsai.com. Recently Steve Hantos alerted me to a great feature on ausbonsai.com. All you have to do is go there, drag your cursor over the image, and viola! you’ve got 360° bonsai. Here’s a cascade juniper by Steve.
The huge girth and dramatic taper on this powerful Satsuki azalea, were achieved primarily through the use of sacrifice branches. In fact, you’ll notice that some are still being employed to help thicken the primary branches. This photo is from The Magician: The Bonsai Art of Kimura 2, by Stone Lantern Publishing. Single sacrifice branches and unsightly scarring In energy balancing #3 we showed a juniper with a single sacrifice branch at the top. Single sacrifice branches are often used, especially to thicken trunks, and they can work quite well. However, one problem with using single branches is that, in … Continue reading Energy Balancing #4: Kimura’s Sacrifice Branches
This Satsuki azalea (Rhododendron indicum “Shi-o”) resides at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum. It was donated by Mr. Tomio Kato. The photo appears in Timeless Trees by Peter & Mary Bloomer. It’s time for the annual Art Blooms: Satsuki Azalea Bonsai exhibit at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum. May 23 – June 17. Be there and enjoy a feast of delightful color and form.
This shot presents a glimpse of a small piece of the Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection. David De Groot is the resident bonsai artist (curator) of this impressive collection. A while back I put up a couple posts (here and here) on the Weyerhaeser Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection. At the time I spoke with David De Groot, the collection’s curator. David told me that the bright spot to the (temporary) closing of the collection, is that he will have more uninterrupted time working on the trees. This has got to be good for the collection as David is an accomplished bonsai … Continue reading David De Groot: Bonsai Artist, Author & Teacher
This Satsuki azalea (Rhododendron indicum) was originally field grown (it’s from Bonsai Today issue 40). Field growing is common for azaleas; some start as landscape plants and are later dug up for bonsai, while others are grown as bonsai stock from the beginning. In our last field growing post we mention planting directly into native soil without digging in amendments when you plant. A friend of my points out that she has no native soil; her house and yard were built on fill. In our usage of native soil, we mean whatever soil is already there; in other words, my … Continue reading Field Growing 4: Native Soil