Eccentric Bonsai: A Very Wild Mugo Pine

Almost like magic. This wild and wonderful mugo pine showed up on facebook a few weeks ago. It was posted by Bonsai Creativo School and Academy. Wild, wonderful and no so traditional There are at least two things that come to mind when I look at this wild mugo pine. First, that it represents a break with traditional bonsai styles, particularly traditional Japanese bonsai. It just doesn’t look like what bonsai used to look like not too long ago. The second thing about it is that it’s a mugo pine. It wasn’t too long ago that the only pines you’d … Continue reading Eccentric Bonsai: A Very Wild Mugo Pine

Sale: Books, Bonsai Wire & Flower Pins (Kenzans)

Only three days left! Sale ends Feb 24th, 2010. Visit Stone Lantern and enjoy large discounts on books, bonsai wire and kenzans (aka flower pins or frogs). Enjoy a large selection of books on bonsai & suiseki, Japanese gardening, general gardening, Ikebana, and Japanese arts and culture. You can also enjoy a very large selection of high quality, affordable kenzans that are made in the USA. Copper colored aluminum bonsai wire for shaping beautiful bonsai. This sale ends Febuary 24th 2010.

$100 Bonsai Art Contest: Enter & Win!

Disembodied shoulder, arm, hand and bonsai by Frank Kelly of the Canberra Bonsai Society. Our Bonsai Art Contest is off to good start! Enter and win! Send us your bonsai drawing or painting or photo of a bonsai sculpture (or…?) and you just might win. Prizes First prize is a $60 gift certificate to Stone Lantern. Second prize $30 gift certificate. Third prize $10 gift certificate. Rules The contest will be closed when we have at least ten entrants (if entries are still coming in when we receive 10, we may keep it open a little longer). The drawing (or … Continue reading $100 Bonsai Art Contest: Enter & Win!

Bonsai Today 35: Going, Going, Almost Gone…

We are down to our last handful of Bonsai Today issue 35. Don’t wait if you want one. A little taste… … of what’s inside: Pine doctor, Pinching pines, Balancing vigor, Correcting root rot, Step by step end of summer care, Suiseki, Super restyling: Kimura styles a classic old Shimpaku, Bonsai gallery, Tokonoma: New Year display …and some other issues while we’re at it Bonsai Today issues 40 and 46 will soon be gone too. Several others in the 50s, 60s and even 70s are disappearing as well. Don’t wait if you want to fill our your collection. Now is … Continue reading Bonsai Today 35: Going, Going, Almost Gone…

You Be the Judge: Only Two More Days

Vote Now and Get a Free $5.00 Gift Certificate It’s so easy, but don’t wait, tomorrow (Sunday Feb 7) is your last day to vote. (For how to vote, check our post entitled You Be the Judge (& We’ll Grease Your Palm) from Feb 2nd. And BTW We’ve got a Site Wide Sale (10% to 40% off everything) over on Stone Lantern.

Judge Judy’s Sweet Little Bonsai & Votes Are Rolling In but It’s Not Too Late for You

Almost forgot. We try to attribute whenever we use a borrowed bonsai. The problem is, I can’t remember where we got the sweet little gem JJude is holding (two posts ago) and we want to make right. Anyone? Vote Now and Get a Free $5.00 Gift Certificate It’s so easy! And BTW We’ve just begun a Site Wide Sale (10% to 40% off everything) over on Stone Lantern.

Azalea Tips #2: The Language of Ramification

This old Satsuki azalea, with its massive trunk and wild display of mixed up flowers, is from our Satuski Azalea book by Robert Z. Callaham (Stone Lantern Publishing). Ramification Ramification just means branching. More specifically in bonsai (and other places) it is sometimes used to mean branch development or branch refining. The language of ramification Pruning Pruning is a commonly used word that is loosely applied to mean any removal of all or parts of branches. More specifically it means removing branches rather than shortening branches, but this distinction is lost on many people. Thinning Thinning means removing unwanted branches … Continue reading Azalea Tips #2: The Language of Ramification

An Excellent New Book & Big Book Sale

This luminous cover shot gives you a pretty good idea of the quality of A Natural History of Conifers. And quality is just the right word. Quality photos, quality drawings, quality text and an abiding love for trees and nature, coupled with a unique and learned point of view is what I’ve found so far. I look forward to spending more time digging in. Meanwhile, if you like books, our 30% to 40% off book sale ends in two days. Outlive your neighbor and take his property Here are some (but by no means all) of the pieces that make … Continue reading An Excellent New Book & Big Book Sale

Contest: Where in the World Did We Find It?

Win a twenty five dollar gift certificate. Be the first to tell us exactly where we found this weeping literati (bunjin) style pine (I actually don’t remember and would like to know) and you’ll win a $25.00 gift certificate to Stone Lantern. To win, your answer must appear in the comments below.

Portland’s Famous Japanese Garden

This photo shows one key piece of Portland Oregon’s vast and varied Japanese garden. Actually, it’s five distinct gardens combined (see the map/drawing below). Not exactly bonsai, but still… I have a soft spot for Japanese style (and other beautiful) gardens. The same goes for trees in nature. Though neither are bonsai and bonsai is probably why you’re here, still, the connection is obvious (or is it…?). In any case, be sure to visit Portland’s treasure if you are ever in the area. Five gardens in one. This bird’s eye map gives you a pretty good idea of the layout … Continue reading Portland’s Famous Japanese Garden