Bonsai Stock & Increasingly Severe Restrictions

This impressive and rather massive Mugo pine belongs to Walter Pall. Like the other photos in this post (and the last post) it was taken at the 2014 Noelanders Trophy by Sandor Papp. Continued from our last post… One reasons European bonsai is more developed than North American bonsai is more relaxed import regulations. Much of the high quality stock that has appeared in Europe over the last fifty years or so originally came from Asia. Though some high quality stock has been imported into North America, the U.S.has always had more restrictive plant import laws and over the last … Continue reading Bonsai Stock & Increasingly Severe Restrictions

Ezo Spruce by Any Other Name…

One glance at this Ezo spruce and you know it belongs to Walter Pall. Walter sometimes refers to this natural looking untouched-by-human-hands style as ‘naturalistic bonsai,’ though if you go to Walter’s Bonsai Adventures blog where this photo is from, you’ll see just how touched-by-human-hands it actually was. And just how accomplished Walter is at turning pedestrian bonsai into naturalistic gems. Ezo spruce are sometimes referred to as Jezo or Yezo spruce (Picea jezoensis or Picea yezoensis) and even Sakhalin spruce, though that’s a really a different species (Picea glenii). Most (or perhaps all) of the specimen quality Ezo bonsai in … Continue reading Ezo Spruce by Any Other Name…

The Godfather of Naturalistic Bonsai & Friends

We can assume this Azalea (I imagine it’s a Satsuki) belongs to one of the four exhibitors listed below. Actually, we might be able to narrow it down to one of three of the exhibitors (I couldn’t find it on Walter Pall’s website so, I’m assuming it is not his). The photos here are from a current Bonsai Exhibition at the Munich Botanical Garden. It ends June 1st, so you still have a little time. I originally saw the photos on Walter Pall’s facebook feed and then on his Bonsai blog. I couldn’t find any info of the individual trees … Continue reading The Godfather of Naturalistic Bonsai & Friends

What You Do to the Land You Do to Yourself – An Indepth Discussion with Andy Smith on Collecting Wild Bonsai

Rocky Mountain Juniper (Juniperus scopulorum) collected by Andrew (aka Andy) Smith and first styled by Walter Pall. It would hard to find a better pair for the job. Andy (Golden Arrow Bonsai) is a professional forester, master collector of wild bonsai and a bonsai artist in his own rite, and Walter Pall is a world famous bonsai artist, teacher, trouble maker (in the positive sense of course) and owner of a very impressive bonsai collection. The photograph is by Walter. My apologies for the fuzz. It’s the result of dramatically increasing the image size. On balance I think this size … Continue reading What You Do to the Land You Do to Yourself – An Indepth Discussion with Andy Smith on Collecting Wild Bonsai

Focal Point, Balance, Scale, Age & That Elusive Quality…

I stumbled across the European hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) by Walter Pall on his Bonsai Adventures blog . The shot looks like spring with some trees lagging behind others. Without the dominant tree this forest planting by Walter Pall would be a whole lot less interesting. With the dominant tree the planting has a focal point, balance, scale, a feeling of age and that more elusive quality we call interest, or beauty. Focal point. Everything organizes around the dominant tree. In other words, your eye goes there first and from that point the rest of the planting falls into place. Balance. … Continue reading Focal Point, Balance, Scale, Age & That Elusive Quality…

Modern Masters Bonsai Soil

This Hawthorn in bloom is from Walter Pall’s Bonsai Adventures, as is the article below. The rest of the photos in this post are from Walter’s online gallery. It’s about the soil. This post originally appeared here on Bark June last year. We’re revisiting it because it’s about soil and because we’re about soil, at least for the moment (see our new Masters Bonsai Soil at Stone Lantern). Walter Pall, world famous bonsai artist and much more… We’ve feature Walter’s bonsai numerous times here on Bark (and in Bonsai Today) and will continue to feature them for as long as … Continue reading Modern Masters Bonsai Soil

Fairy Tale Bonsai

This wild and wooly Honeysuckle belongs to Walter Pall. Here’s his caption: “Tatarian honeysuckle, Lonicera tatarica, collected in Norway in 2010.. This species is quite interesting and very rare as bonsai. It throws hundreds of shoots in early spring. But after wiring most of them die – in my garden at least. Anyway, slowly but gradually the tree starts to look decent. This may be classified as Fairy Tale Style.” We usually go for a more finished look, but these rough lightly-styled collected trees are too good to pass up. They are from Walter Pall’s Bonsai Adventures. I’ll just mention … Continue reading Fairy Tale Bonsai

The Trend Only Gets More Outrageous

Snakes. From Estação Bonsai on Facebook. I couldn’t find any mention of the artist and even though I don’t like to show trees without attribution, just couldn’t pass this one up (there’s another from Estação, below). The old rules of bonsai, if they ever really existed, were broken as soon as they were made and the trend only gets more outrageous (in whatever sense you prefer: out·ra·geous: shockingly bad or excessive, wildly exaggerated or improbable, very bold, unusual, and startling). As you can see, this common Privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium) belongs to Harry Harrington (Harry on facebook and Harry’s famous … Continue reading The Trend Only Gets More Outrageous

No Matter Where You Go…

This elegant Sabina juniper (aka Savin juniper) was styled by Walter Pall. Does the deadwood that’s hanging down on the left distract from the natural flow of tree, or does it add something (a touch of untamed wildness?) to the overall effect? The photo is from The Art of Bonsai Project. The pot is by Bryan Albright. “No matter where you go, there you are” (Buckaroo Banzai) could be paraphrased, “no matter where you go on the web, sooner or later you’ll find Walter Pall ” (the Buckaroo of European Bonsai?). Walter is both prolific and very good at what … Continue reading No Matter Where You Go…

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