Walter Pall’s Hedge Cutting Method

The Japanese maple that Walter Pall uses to illustrate his ‘hedge-cutting method.’ This photo was taken four years after Walter started working with this tree. The before photo is below. Walter Pall’s hedge-cutting method. Our last post presented a radical approach to soil and feeding by Walter Pall, the great bonsai innovator. This post features another of Walter’s radical innovations. This time it’s about pruning broad leaf bonsai. Before continuing with Walter’s technique, I’ll reintroduce Jim Smith and see if I can bore you with a personal note. I first learned about hedge shearing bonsai from Jim Smith, a highly … Continue reading Walter Pall’s Hedge Cutting Method

Turning Some Cherished Notions on Their Heads

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. 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 we continue posting. I won’t say much more, except that Walter produces quality trees by the hundreds (seemingly at least) and he also sometimes produces worthwhile and even provocative ideas about bonsai. What follows may be his most fascinating and … Continue reading Turning Some Cherished Notions on Their Heads

Getting Out of the Way

This Ponderosa pine was no doubt collected somewhere in western North America. Europeans are lucky in that regard; it’s relatively easy for them to import plants from around the world. Here in the U.S. restrictions are much more onerous. The tree belongs to (or belonged to?) Walter Pall. The photo is from The Art of Bonsai Project, as are all the photos in this post. All of the bonsai in this post are by Walter Pall in collaboration with Mother Nature. Walter is a proponent of the ‘getting out of the way’ school of bonsai. Not that we want to … Continue reading Getting Out of the Way

A Solution to a Nonexistent Problem

If you pitch your tent in the Naturalistic Bonsai camp, then it’s probably too late to suggest you avert your eyes. So… as long as you are looking at this remarkable tree, I’ll just comment on how the static perfectly groomed crown seems to contrast with the swirling movement in the perfectly groomed deadwood. Something like that. The artist is Minoru Akiyama, who is one of the headliners at this year’s Mid Atlantic (scroll down a little for more info). It’s that time of year. You can tell because every other post these days features a few big bonsai events … Continue reading A Solution to a Nonexistent Problem

Scots & Scotch

Great tree, great pot. This powerful old Scot’s pine by Enrico Savini was an overall winner in a contest that was held at the Art of Bonsai Project way back in 2005. The pot is by Isabelia. Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) is another in our bonsai species series. I used to think they were Scotch pine (some people say Scotch pine is incorrect and others say it’s an acceptable variation) and had the notion that you could enjoy a sip of Scotch while working on you Scotch pine (oh well…). No matter what you call them, Scots pine make excellent … Continue reading Scots & Scotch

Scots Pine: One Artist, Four Trees

The Dancer by Mauro Stemberger. Mauro’s facebook caption reads: Never give up !!!! Swedish scots pine “The Dancer.” You can see that Mauro is planning a new planting angle and most likely a new pot. You might imagine a bunjin type pot (shallow, round, maybe a little rough…). Good Scots pine bonsai (Pinus sylvestris) are easier to find than good Austrian black pine (Pinus nigra) bonsai. For example, a quick search turned up all four Scots pines shown here in just one person’s collection; the omnipresent Mauro Stemberger. We could easily do the same with Walter Pall and perhaps some … Continue reading Scots Pine: One Artist, Four Trees

The Other Black Pine

An old European black pine after the first styling by Walter Pall and friend. Though we don’t often lead with unrefined trees, it’s hard not to give Walter Pall first billing when it comes to European natives. Here’s what Walter has to say about this tree: “the foliage of black pines is quite coarse and it is perfectly normal for them to look kind of raw after first styling… After a few years it will get much better.” He also says “The tree will take ten to fifteen years to be ready for exhibit. Such is bonsai life.” Walter has … Continue reading The Other Black Pine

Pine Boom

The more I look at this tree, the more I like it. It’s a Japanese white pine by Susumo Sudo. Its rugged, naturally aged look (enhanced by the pot and ground cover) stands in perfect contrast to its simple, graceful lines. From our Masters’ Series Pine book. Pine Boom? As far as I know, there is no Pine Boom. I was trying to type Pine Book as a filler until a more suitable name for this post came to me. Then, viola, there it was; Pine Boom. Anyway, I’m trying to pull myself to together to catch a plane, so, … Continue reading Pine Boom

Kannst du bonsai auf Deutsch sagen?

Bonsai and half-man. Udo Fischer‘s Trident maple was the winner of the 2009 Noelander’s Trophy. I prefer bonsai photos without posed people; there are other shots of this tree without Udo, but this was only one I could find that captured the beauty of the tree. So, apologies to Udo’s left-out left side. One thing just led to another I didn’t set out to create a post about German (and Austrian) bonsai. In fact, the first photo I put up was a photo from a Bill Valavanis’ Japan tour (stay posted). From there, somehow we got to German speaking bonsai … Continue reading Kannst du bonsai auf Deutsch sagen?

Finally… Winners!

Tree number one (Matthew Logan’s comments… Ferry’s is too long for this spot; you can find it at the bottom of the post): Eric Wigert- Buttonwood, housed at his nursery, used as the tree on his business cards. Tree was collected in 2002. Carving work done by Lui Rayon. 48” tall 6” nebari. Tokoname Pot. Displayed at Epcot in 2005. Nice tree to look at in person. http://wigertsbonsai.com/. In the gallery 27th tree. Be careful what you promise I don’t always know how to handle apologies. It’s simple when ignorance or unkindness cause harm, but a little murkier when I … Continue reading Finally… Winners!