Que Hermoso Bonsai!

I believe this pine (variety unidentified) belongs to Pavel Slovák (see below for links). I assume it’s yamadori (bonsai collected from the wild) and the lower trunk’s curve is the result of countless years of snow load. Monday morning, so we’ll make it quick with a one tree post. I found it on Magdalena Chiavazza’ timeline. The caption reads Que hermoso ejemplar! (What a beautiful specimen!*) – Pavel Slovák, so my assumption is that it belongs to Pavel. SPECIAL BONSAI TODAY BACK ISSUES Only 5.00 each while they last the next best thing to studying with the old masters Trunk and guy wire A closer … Continue reading Que Hermoso Bonsai!

A Brilliant Before & After Bonsai from Humble Beginnings…

Before and after Japanese maple. Another magical transformation by Suthin. We’ve been enjoying some excellent before and after transformations lately. Particularly ones by our friend Suthin Sukosolvisit, one of our most prolific and brilliant North American bonsai artists (Suthin is originally from Thailand, but he has been here long enough to to have American children and grandchildren, so I think he qualifies as North American). This time it’s an almost obscenely lush Japanese maple from humble beginnings. SPECIAL ROSHI BONSAI TOOLS 30% TO 40% OFF LIST PRICES – Humble beginnings. Not a very good photo and not a terribly promising tree. At least to an untrained eye. After! Suthin doesn’t … Continue reading A Brilliant Before & After Bonsai from Humble Beginnings…

Messages from Our National Bonsai Treasure

John Naka’s famous Pomegranate (Punica granatum) has been in training since 1963. It was donated to the North American Collection at the U.S. National Bonsai & Penjing Museum by Alice Naka in 1990. There’s something about a quality bonsai displayed with a beautiful scroll. Our thanks to Alexander Voorhies for this and the other photos shown here. Our friends at the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum invite you, as a fellow lover and supporter of bonsai, to sign up for Museum Messages today. Once you join the mailing list, we hope you will see and appreciate all the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum has … Continue reading Messages from Our National Bonsai Treasure

One Bonsai, Three Seasons, Four Photos

Fall. Luis Vallejo calls this tree a Spanish oak (Quercus faginea) though Wikipedia and some others refer to it as Portuguese oak (other names that popped up are Valencian oak and Lusitanian oak). It belongs to Luis and resides at the the Municipal Bonsai Museum of Alcobendas in Spain. Welcome to Luis Vallejo’s Bonsai Bark (just kidding). This post features four photos of a single tree over three seasons (winter twice; not sure what happened to spring). There’s a lot more we could say, especially about the Museo de Bonsai Alcobendas and Luis Vallejo’s (and others) involvement, but it’s a whole lot easier to simply invite you to … Continue reading One Bonsai, Three Seasons, Four Photos

Mossy Bonsai Glade & Other Brilliant Forests

Here’s what Felix Laughlin, the president of the National Bonsai Foundation wrote about this outstanding forest… “Wayne, the photo of the forest of Chinese elms is from the North American Collection at the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum, and was donated by Susanne Barrymore; it’s been in training since 1988.” Two full pallets of Green T turntables just arrived, and a large shipment of Bonsai Aesthetics wire and tools is due any minute, so it’s time for a shortcut. This post originally appeared here February, 2017. As usual, I’ve made a few changes. Speaking of Bonsai Aesthetics Wire & Tools… OUR SITE WIDE SALE ENDS SOON SEE … Continue reading Mossy Bonsai Glade & Other Brilliant Forests

Majestic Bonsai Vista

You don’t see that many bonsai photos with such majestic vistas in the background. I don’t know where the shot was taken, nor do I know the variety of the tree but I do know that the photo and the tree are from Yoshio Nihei. Continuing from yesterday with bonsai we found on Magdalena Chiavazza’s timeline (we had trouble with the link yesterday, so I hope this one takes). Magdalena doesn’t offer the varieties (except for the Satsuki azalea below) but she is meticulous about the all-important attribution SITE WIDE SALE SEE BELOW Seduction. Again we don’t know the variety but we do know … Continue reading Majestic Bonsai Vista

Spring Bonsai in Full Bloom

You don’t see cascading Azalea bonsai all that often. This flowing full flowering favorite (sorry about that) is by Teunis Jan Klein. Speaking of Azaleas, we just received our spring shipment of Kanuma azalea bonsai soil Monday morning so we’ll make this quick. This post is borrowed from our archives (March 8, 2017). The photos were originally from a Bonsai Empire post titled Bonsai in Full Bloom. SITE WIDE SALE see below – Prunus mume (Japanese Apricot). Photo by Michael Bonsai Azalea Bonsai in full bloom, by Makoto Tsuji – – Wisteria bonsai in full bloom by Heike van Gunst 20% to 70% off Site … Continue reading Spring Bonsai in Full Bloom

Bonsai Pirates – If you are reading this on any website or blog that is not ours, and is not attributed to us, then it has been pirated

This wild Mugo pine has nothing to do with our bonsai pirates theme, though it may raise some eyebrows given its break with traditional bonsai styles, particularly traditional Japanese bonsai styles. It was posted by Sandro Segneri of the Bonsai Creativo School and Academy. To reiterate, it has nothing to do with our bonsai pirates theme. Yesterday it was digital bonsai theft, today it’s piracy. Two ways of talking about the same thing, or has the severity of the crime graduated from misdemeanor to felony (figuratively and maybe literally)? The following was originally written in February, 2010 and reposted in 2015 (with some changes then and now)… At least one blog … Continue reading Bonsai Pirates – If you are reading this on any website or blog that is not ours, and is not attributed to us, then it has been pirated

Digital Bonsai Theft & Other Crimes & Misdemeanors

Did that huge apple really grown on this small tree? Occasionally you see fruit that is glued on, but in this case I think it’s the real deal. There’s something a little shady about putting your logo on photos that don’t belong to you, though in a world with more than enough serious corruption, this practice barely registers. Continued below… NEW 20% to 70% off Site Wide Sale see below – I’ve seen this tree before, but can’t remember where, or what it is. It’s even possible that it has appeared here on Bark. Continued from above… I can’t read the text … Continue reading Digital Bonsai Theft & Other Crimes & Misdemeanors

Mugo’s Magnificent Bonsai

This magnificent Japanese beech (Fagus crenata) was posted by Enzo ‘Mugo’ Ferrari. Though the trunk and nebari are about as good as it gets, the primary branching still needs some time to develop. Right now there are branches in the crown that are as strong as the first and second branches. Mugo’s skillful hand and eye and a few more years are all that’s needed for perfection Today’s photos are from Mugo (Enzo) Ferrari’s timeline. I think all but one were shot at the recent 2018 Miyabi Ten Bonsai Exhibition in Cison di Valmarino, Italy SPECIAL BONSAI AESTHETICS WIRE KILO ROLLS ONLY 15.95 500 GRAM ROLLS … Continue reading Mugo’s Magnificent Bonsai