Magnificent Cliff Bonsai & Bjorn’s Advanced Bonsai Course

Here’s a challenge for you. Take a look at this Cliff Bonsai photo and the next couple (but don’t scroll all the way down) and see if you can figure out just how big they are. I borrowed this and the other photos in this post from Bonsai Empire. The artist/mastercraftsman is Daisuke Nakajima. Here’s what Oscar (Bonsai Empire) wrote about these Cliff Bonsai… “Trees clinging to a steep cliff, roots entangled in solid rock and beautifully detailed miniature buildings – welcome to the mysterious world of “Cliff Bonsai”. Japanese artist Daisuke Nakajima created these four stunning miniature landscapes, and agreed to share his creations with us. … Continue reading Magnificent Cliff Bonsai & Bjorn’s Advanced Bonsai Course

50% Bonsai Book Special Ends Wednesday Night – 30% off Special Also Ends

This luscious Satsuki azalea is one of a multitude of remarkable bonsai photos from the very aptly named, Fine Bonsai, Art and Nature – Now on Special There’s a method to our madness. All these spectacular photos we’ve posted for your enjoyment are from some of our large selection of bonsai books that we offer and all our books are currently on special. Stone Lantern and Haskill Creek Publishing books are 50% off list prices and all other books are 30% off. Our books on Japanese Gardening and related topics are also 30% off . 50% off Bonsai Book Special Ends Tomorrow Night 30% off … Continue reading 50% Bonsai Book Special Ends Wednesday Night – 30% off Special Also Ends

Small Is Beautiful (& Practical Too)

This banyan style dwarf Snow rose serissa (Serissa foetida microphylla) was styled by David Fukumoto of Fuku Bonsai in Hawaii. The pot is a Tokoname from Japan. Living in the tropics is a big plus when it comes to growing aerial roots. Monday morning, Stone Lantern’s peak season and the busiest time of year for bonsai growers, so it’s back to our archives. This one is from April, 2014 Based on thirty five years experience in bonsai business, I’d say that the majority of our readers and customers are into their middle years or beyond. I’m sure there are several good reasons for this, but … Continue reading Small Is Beautiful (& Practical Too)

More Great Boxwood Bonsai

Aside from being a phenomenal tree and a great pot, there’s a relaxed in-synch feeling, like the pot and tree are old friends. This might have something to do with the color, texture, soft lines and aged look of each. The color and feel of the stand fits right in too, while contrast is provided by its sharp rectangular lines. All together an excellent bonsai. The artist is François Gau (pot by Greg Ceramics). All three photos in this post are from Parlons Bonsai (I took the liberty to crop all three to bring the trees closer). We featured Kingsville … Continue reading More Great Boxwood Bonsai

Celebrating Bonsai & the Arrival of Our Bright Sun

This brilliant Deshojo Japanese maple (Acer palmatum var. Deshojo) and the equally brilliant rising sun scroll belong to Bill Valavanis. All the photos shown here were borrowed from Bill Valavanis’ timeline. Here’s Bill’s caption… “Alcove display for tonight’s Introductory to Classical Bonsai Course. Deshojo Japanese maple displayed with a ripe strawberry accessory. Although the rising sun theme hanging scroll is generally only used once a year in Japan on New Year’s Day, it was used tonight to celebrate the bright sun and 85F weather we enjoyed during the day.” By the way, Bill Valavanis is, in addition to being a highly respected bonsai … Continue reading Celebrating Bonsai & the Arrival of Our Bright Sun

Seven Pots for One Tree – What’s Your Choice?

Seven choices for Boon’s Kingsville boxwood. One stands out as by far the best choice for me, but I’m pretty sure we won’t all agree. Which pot would you choose? Boon Manakitivipart is at it again. Boon regularly posts his which pot? questions and we regularly borrow them. Judging by the response, it’s one of our most popular type posts, so as long as Boon is willing, we’ll keep putting them up. If you would like to share your choice, you can go to our facebook comments or you can go directly to the source (that would be Boon). Or you … Continue reading Seven Pots for One Tree – What’s Your Choice?

Mystery Bonsai Artist – Koyo Tool Special Ends Tonight

Here’s what a machine translation from Japanese to English looks like… “70 times with kuromatsu stone, and the 77th Chinese National exhibition. 85 million yen. 15 years ago, when I was 32 years old, I applied for the first time in Japan’s National Exhibition, and I was elected, and I was very jealous of this kuromatsu, and I was very good at it, so I was very good at it. I feel strange about what I have to do I have a sense of time becoming a successive goshinboku ” BTW Kuromatsu is Japanese black pine. In this case, it’s … Continue reading Mystery Bonsai Artist – Koyo Tool Special Ends Tonight

Hiroshi’s Bonsai Beans

This little Trident maple (Acer Buergerianum) is just 10.8cm tall (4.3″). It was started from seed twelve years ago. Hiroshi is a potter, so you might assume that the pots shown here are his, though I couldn’t make much sense of the translations provided with the photos. Hiroshi refers to the pots as a Maru Bonsai Bowl / Guó Jing Masako. Maru simply means round and I couldn’t find anything when I searched Guó Jing Masako, though if you search Masako pottery you will get some results (where’s Ryan Bell when you need him?). We can’t stay away from miniature bonsai for long. This … Continue reading Hiroshi’s Bonsai Beans

A Little Bonsai History

This famous Chinese elm (Ulmus parivflora) planting is by Zhao Qingquan, reknowned penjing artist, teacher and author of two best Penjing books in the English, Penjing: the Chinese Art of Bonsai and Literati Style Penjing Yesterday we featured a couple of events and photos from the Pacific Bonsai Museum. So, just for the fun of it, I thought we’d go back and find our earliest PBM post. It’s from April 21st, 2009, almost exactly 9 years ago. Way back in the day when it was owned by Weyerhauser and called the Weyerhaeuser’s Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection. The two photos shown here were … Continue reading A Little Bonsai History

Coming Soon, Brilliant Bonsai Fest at the Pacific Bonsai Museum

While you are visiting the The Pacific Bonsai Museum’s Bonsai Fest (see below) you can enjoy their current LIVING ART OF BONSAI: ELEMENTS OF DESIGN exhibit. A perfect twofer. Bonsai Fest! Comes to Federal Way. A two-day celebration over World Bonsai Day – Mother’s Day weekend Details below… Stone Lantern’s bONSAI AESTHETICS WIRE KILO ROLLS 17.95 ONLY 15.95 EACH FOR 3 OR MORE 500 GRAM ROLLS 9.95 ONLY 8.95 EACH FOR 3 OR MORE An Oak in one of the Pacific Bonsai Museum’s many outdoor display sections. I couldn’t find the variety, but the small leaves lead me to believe it … Continue reading Coming Soon, Brilliant Bonsai Fest at the Pacific Bonsai Museum