Bonsai Boon with and without Flowers

This powerful old Satsuki azalea belongs to Boon Manakitivipart. The shot was taken just before spring pruning. Boon’s caption with this shot and the one just below is… “Satsuki azalea Debloom and thinning” Boon Manakitivipart (Bonsai Boon) is one of our favorites and has appeared numerous times here over the years. In addition to being a highly accomplished and prolific bonsai artist, Boon is teacher to many of the best American bonsai artists. The photos shown here were taken from Boon’s timeline. Three of them are first timers here. You might notice that flowers were removed during spring pruning on … Continue reading Bonsai Boon with and without Flowers

Elevating a Root-on-Rock Bonsai

With bonsai, it’s almost always the tree that dominates, even though the pot, (stone, slab or whatever) is considered a critical part of the whole. In this case however, it’s the rock that elevates the planting to extraordinary. Or, you might say it’s the rock and the way it’s adorned by the old tree along with the moss and ferns, that makes this planting extraordinary. The tree is a Japanese quince (Chaenomeles japonica). The tree, rock and moss belong to David Benavente. Staying close to theme, we’ll move from root-over-rock bonsai to root-on-rock bonsai. This post is from July, 2015, … Continue reading Elevating a Root-on-Rock Bonsai

A Different Kind of Root-over-Rock

A strange sort of root-over-rock. You might imagine that it started more or less like other root overs, but because the rock is so small, the roots grew under it and pushed it up, while also growing around one side and creating a firm grip on the rock. Though I originally thought the result might simply be an happy accident, upon reflection I think it was the intention of the original artist 40 to 50 years ago.* It’s just too perfect the way most of the rock, particularly the bowl is left uncovered and even emphasized. Like so many root-over-rock bonsai, the tree … Continue reading A Different Kind of Root-over-Rock

The Magician’s Formal Bonsai Forest

Masahiko Kimura ‘The Magician’ styled this Ezo spruce (Picea Glehnii) planting with a high mountain stand of conifers in mind (this shot is three years after the initial planting and two years after the intermediate shot – both are below). Much of this post is from 2009 (our first year blogging). I’ve added some photos today and revised and added to the text. I hope these changes are helpful. Looking at the forest above, you might notice how the trees on the outside lean out in search of sunlight, which is what you would expect in a natural stand of trees. … Continue reading The Magician’s Formal Bonsai Forest

Challenges All Their Own – Mixed Bonsai Forests

This mixed forest/landscape is from Spain. The Museo del Bonsai Marbella to be exact (from Bonsais del Sur). It’s too bad the pot is chopped off and the whole photo is cramped, but that’s the way we found it. Still, from what we can see, it look s like a very ambitious project with a numerous type trees and other features to integrate. No mean feat to pull off Today we’ll stay on our forest and other multiple trunk theme of late, only this time it’s mixed bonsai forests from mixed sources. Mixed forests present challenges all there own and are not as common as … Continue reading Challenges All Their Own – Mixed Bonsai Forests

Attention to Detail, Skill and Precision

Part of large Penjing scene. The full construction is just below. The photo is from Hong Kong Bonsai Pots I’ve long been fascinated by Penjing tray plantings The best exhibit remarkable attention to detail, skill and precision, resulting in dramatic scenes that can transport the viewer to places beyond their ordinary experience. Or if we’ve become jaded, then maybe just a yawn while we scroll to the next photo… All the photos in this post are borrowed from Hong Kong Bonsai Pots BONSAI AESTHETICS TOOL SPECIAL all Aesthetics Tools, Tool Set & Kits and Tool Rolls 30% off our list prices – The whole magnificent scene. The … Continue reading Attention to Detail, Skill and Precision

Forest Bonsai – Focal Point, Balance, Scale, Age & That Elusive Quality…

I stumbled across the European hornbeam (Carpinus betulas) by Walter Pall on his Bonsai Adventures blog. The shot looks like spring with some trees lagging behind others. Continuing with our multiple trunk theme (yesterday was Clump style, today is forests) and with Walter Pall (day before yesterday), we’ll go back in time once again to a post that originally appeared in 2014. (we’ve added a photo and a little more text). I think it’s one of our best on forests, and worth another look. Without the dominant tree this forest planting by Walter Pall would be a whole lot less interesting. With the dominant tree … Continue reading Forest Bonsai – Focal Point, Balance, Scale, Age & That Elusive Quality…

Clump Style Bonsai – Multiple Trunks with a Single Root Stystem

We found this extraordinary clump style Japanese maple on Bonsai Nakayoshi (sorry the link is no longer active). You can imagine that all the smaller trunks started as suckers on the roots of the main tree (you could also imagine that they started from seeds dropped by the main tree; in which case each seed would have its own roots, so that wouldn’t qualify as a clump style bonsai). Staying on our clump style theme from yesterday, I borrowed this one from our archives. It was titled Multiple Trunks Sharing a Single Root System – Clump Style Bonsai Forests (technically, I don’t … Continue reading Clump Style Bonsai – Multiple Trunks with a Single Root Stystem

Under Appreciated Bonsai?

This single tree with five trunks is an Rough bark Japanese maple (Acer palmatum Arakawa). It was imported from Japan by Akina Bonsai, Poland and redesigned by Walter Pall last month. As you can see, Walter decided to use guy wires. The trunks are on the large side for bending and moving with conventional wiring and wrapping wire around each trunk might damage the bark Maybe it’s just me, but I sometimes feel like clump style bonsai (trees with one root system and multiple trunks) are under appreciated in our bonsai world. Single trunk trees with massive girth or dramatic movement (or both) seem to more readily capture … Continue reading Under Appreciated Bonsai?

Bonsai Mystery Solved

If your short term memory is still functioning, then you might remember this tree from yesterday. Or from March, 2014, when we first featured it. If you forgot it from four years ago, join the club. Here’s part of the caption from that 2014 post… “Carob Tree (Ceratonia silicua) by Salvador de Los Reyes from Spain. Owner, Manolo Vargas. Height: 90 cm. Added by Gustavo Celayes The mystery of yesterday’s unidentified tree was solved while I was looking for some more bonsai by Salvador de Los Reyes (yesterday’s artist). There it was, a Carob tree in a post from four years ago. Right here on … Continue reading Bonsai Mystery Solved