Can’t Really Pick a Favorite, But…

Suthin has a way with Hinoki cypress. And a way with bonsai altogether. The more I look at this tree, the more I like it. If I were to go back through our nine hundred or so posts so far and pick my favorites, this one would surely make the grade. This photo and the others in this post are from Suthin’s facebook timeline. It would be very difficult if we had pick a favorite bonsai or a favorite bonsai artist. There are simply too many good ones, with so many different types of trees and styles. However, if I … Continue reading Can’t Really Pick a Favorite, But…

When Is A Cedar?

You like unconventional? Crazy? How about daring and masterful? Notice how the color and design of the pot plays with the wild shari (deadwood) and the small touch of moss on the left mirrors the foliage. Just another bonsai from left field by crafty old Nick Lenz, master left fielder, author, and preeminent master of cedars, larches and other collected North American gems. This photo is from North American Bonsai (American Bonsai Society – compiled and edited by Martin Schmalenberg), now on sale at Stone Lantern (that was then – it’s gone now). I’m not really on vacation all the … Continue reading When Is A Cedar?

A Good Year for Bonsai Events

I like the flowing deadwood and the strong cinnamon vein on this powerful old tree. It’s from the 2013 Noelanders Trophy poster. The 2014 Noelanders Trophy poster is just below. While the year is still fresh, it seems like a good time to talk about some major bonsai events for 2014. Note the word some, no attempt will be made to list everything. Just a few to get started, with more to come later. Chronologically works best, so here goes… January 18-19. Fifteen straight years gives the Noelanders Trophy some real cachet. Great cast of characters too. February … Continue reading A Good Year for Bonsai Events

Flying High with Suthin

After. By Suthin Sukosolvisit. Flying high. This one’s a first; a post from 35,000 feet. Ahh, the miracles… (which brings to mind a story by Louie C.K., but we’ll save that for another time). Revisiting an old friend, if just for a few moments. Just found these Suthin before and after photos on facebook (the during and close-up photos are from his website). It’s not the first time we’ve featured Suthin on Bark and it won’t be the last. It’s a simple before and after (over a one year time span) of a Hinoki cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa). Before. You … Continue reading Flying High with Suthin

Suthin Again

Suthin’s site calls this an Eastern white cedar which happens to be one of several common names for Thuja occidentalis (Northern white cedar is another, though around here we just call them cedars). To further complicate the issue, it’s not a true cedar, but rather an arborvitae. No matter, it’s a great tree. I particularly like the way Suthin hasn’t tried to manicure the natural looking cedar foliage. Makes for a raw and rugged look that’s in keeping with the rest of the tree. Everybody loves Suthin. When I was peddling our books and tools and other wares at the … Continue reading Suthin Again

Searching for an Adjective & Upcoming Bonsai Events

I’m searching for the perfect adjective for this monumental (towering, preternatural, massive, magnificent, imposing…) planting. It’s from the World Bonsai Friendship Federation Convention that is taking place in China right now (Sept 24-28). I found the photo on Bill Valavanis’ excellent new blog. Bill is there and has posted a series of great shots from the event. FREE ADVERTISING! Would you like to see your bonsai event featured here? If so, just send me a notice with a link to the event. That’s it. But remember, no link, no show. My email is wayne@stonelantern.com. You might also want to mention … Continue reading Searching for an Adjective & Upcoming Bonsai Events

Summer Relief for Your Bonsai

Deciduous Award at the 2012 U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition for the Finest Deciduous Bonsai. It’s a Japanese Maple by Suthin Sukolosovisit of Royal Bonsai. It has nothing to do with the topic of this post, at least directly, but the 3rd (2012) U.S. National Bonsai Exhibiton is now on special at Stone Lantern. The following very useful piece of advice is by Michael Hagedorn from his website Crataegus Bonsai. It originally appeared here on Bark almost exactly three years ago. “Last summer I mentioned the practice of ‘hamisu’ which is the misting of bonsai during hot summer days. This light … Continue reading Summer Relief for Your Bonsai

Born in the U.S.A. & A Couple Recent Immigrants

Picasso’s (aka Dan Robinson’s) now famous wild and wonderful Hinoki. It’s from Will Hiltz’ excellent book, Gnarly Branches, Ancient Trees, about Dan’s life and work. It’s no longer available through Stone Lantern, but I think they might still have some at Dan’s Elandan Gardens. Here’s the original Bark post. It’s Independence Day (here in the USA at least)! To help you celebrate, why not enjoy a sampling of home-grown (and a couple recent immigrant) bonsai from previous Bark posts? But first, because many of our readers are not US Americans (and because some US Americans don’t know much about history … Continue reading Born in the U.S.A. & A Couple Recent Immigrants

Backyard Bonsai 13

A sweet little bonsai workshop surrounded by an attractive display area. This photo and the others in this post are from the Minnesota Bonsai Society website. The exceptional backyard bonsai display shown here is from the Minnesota Bonsai Society website. Unfortunately, the owner of the backyard is a secret for the moment (no name is provided with the photos), though I doubt it will be a secret much longer. In any case, whoever created it is to be applauded. When it comes to structure (the tables and benches, the sweet little workshop and to some extent the landscaping) it has … Continue reading Backyard Bonsai 13

FREE Advertising & A Few Small Complaints

This Juniper is from the ‘Before and After’ section on Suthin Sukosolvisit’s Bonsai Studio. Suthin is one of the headliners at the GSBF Convention XXXVI (below). Would you like to see your bonsai event featured here? If so, here’s the deal; we need at least one good link, otherwise, we’re not going to bother. And not just a link that lists the date and place, but a link with the names of the featured bonsai artists and with some sort of graphics (club logos are passable, but what we really like are photos of bonsai that belong to the featured … Continue reading FREE Advertising & A Few Small Complaints