Styles by RoyMay 30, 201716:14

Moyogi | Informal upright style

Informal upright style -The trunk is slightly bent and tapers toward the top. The top of the tree is straight above the base of the trunk. The branches are distributed asymmetrically. The lower branches must […]

Design Sketch by FarrandApr 20, 201909:00

The ‘wire’ tree

Jan Culek sketches options for a juniper Although it seemed completely wired and styled, this juniper still looks like a wild bush. What it needs is a totally different approach to get it just right....

Masterclass by FarrandApr 19, 201909:00

The knot of El Tim

Like smooth machinery, El Tim (The Team, consisting of Leo, Alberto and Luis) work on amazing material and produce stunning bonsai. Initially, the Scots pine specially donated by Michael Tran’s Minoru bonsai, looks like a...

Suiseki by FarrandApr 17, 201909:00

Ice-age suiseki

Alan Harriman: the stone hunter of Britain Here Alan Harriman reveals the various aspects of suiseki in a way that will encourage you to regard it as a hobby. Hunting for stones yourself will provide...

Pots by FarrandApr 12, 201911:02

Keep ideas flowing…

Everything beautiful inspires Walter Venne For Walter Venne every bonsai exhibition is like a gallery where an artist can exhibit their work. Through such exhibitions Walter’s pots have found their way into the hands of...

Step by Step by FarrandApr 5, 201921:30

Just imagine…

Improve your styling skills: learn how to make a bunjin How does one get the branches right? Using the bunjin-gi, or literati style, as a guide, we give an insight into how the branch placement...

Travel by FarrandApr 3, 201915:12

Part-time ‘deshi’

Paolo Nastasi travelled to the land of the rising sun to deepen his knowledge Years ago there was no tradition of going to Japan to improve one’s knowledge. However, times have changed… Taisho-en, run by...

Rock planting by FarrandMar 29, 201921:50

A ‘root over statue’

Angkor Wat inspired Jerome Kellerhals to create a ‘root over statue’. Jerome guides you through the techniques of wiring, defoliating, pruning, repotting and maintenance to achieve denser foliage and smaller leaves on a Ficus. This...

Seed by FarrandMar 22, 201920:31

Apple of my eye

Grow ’em yourself right from the start. The challenge is to create a finished tree starting from scratch. In this series we look at creating bonsai from cuttings, grafting and other methods using interesting and...

Styling by FarrandMar 15, 201920:46

RAW…and too many branches

Solving the problems on a satsuki azalea Osamu Fukudate’s (Shunkaen Bonsai Museum) first entry into the Sakkafu-ten received the Satsuki award. He also won recognition from the judges at the 43rd Nippon Bonsai Sakkafu-ten. As...

Styling by FarrandMar 8, 201916:59

Another vision

Chiharu Imai looks back on some of his remarkable works Chiharu Imai is a well-known bonsai Master in the west, famed for his sensitivity and excellence of technique. Here he looks back on some of...

Grafting by FarrandMar 1, 201912:13

Fabulous feet

Thread and approach grafting new roots to improve the nebari: Harry Harrington guides you through Many enthusiasts would like to improve the nebari of their bonsai. By using thread grafting and approach grafting techniques this...

Ficus by FarrandFeb 22, 201922:05

The bonsai friend

As bonsai the Ficus is just greatFigs are keystone species in many tropical forest ecosystems. Figs have figured prominently in some human cultures, such as Buddhism, objects of worship and many practical uses. For bonsai...

Grafting by FarrandFeb 15, 201911:28

The first cut is…

If the branches only have twigs at the tips it is time for drastic measures. Andrea Meriggioli, author of ‘Bonsai Maples’, explains how to create a denser ramified maple using graft techniques A Japanese maple...

Seed by FarrandFeb 8, 201921:18

Celtis sinensis

The challenge is to create a finished tree starting from scratch In this series we look at creating bonsai from cuttings, grafting and other methods with interesting and unusual species. With the help of illustrations...

Masterclass by FarrandFeb 8, 201911:02

Graphic designer goes bonsai

A graphics designer becomes a bonsai Master, which, in short, is the story of Naoki Maeoka. Having graduated from the Kouka-en nursery, he now finds his way in world of international bonsaiNaoki Maeoka (46) isn’t...

Picea jezoensis by FarrandFeb 7, 201912:30

Between the rocks

Christophe Hager’s spruce was a sensation at the Mulhouse BCI of 2018 A spruce from the mountains had much potential and was growing with great fervour. However, when its design became dull Christophe sought a...

Garden visit by FarrandFeb 1, 201921:17

The home of display,

The essence of bonsai display. By Masahiro Tokuo Through the gate one enters into another world of bonsaiDisplay in a traditional setting, the esoteric mysteries of Japanese beauty.Throughout the world the word ‘Bonsai’ is used...

Styling by FarrandJan 27, 201915:21

Just one option

Ken Fujiwara dares to take the risk Here’s a very strange, fantastic-looking white pine, where the lower branches have died and the top has been allowed to grow wild. There are few enthusiasts who would...

Step by Step by FarrandJan 20, 201918:15

Give me space

Understanding the basics of repotting through the example of a young tree One of the big objectives in repotting is to remove a tree’s old roots to provide more space for new roots to grow...

Design Sketch by RoyJan 13, 201916:00

Off the wall

Jan Culek sketches options for the juniper of John Rigg John: ‘I had this tree in the garden for about 17 years. It has lots of curving branches with partial deadwood. I have been working...

Pots by FarrandJan 7, 201910:52

Make the most of it

The ceramic journey of Victor Harris. Victor just dropped by a local bonsai show and was fascinated by it. From that moment things moved fast and when his bonsai became more mature, making pots was...

Column by FarrandJan 6, 201914:56

I dreamed a dream

My 28-year-old niece recently viewed my bonsai collection and I was fascinated by her reactions to the trees. She is creative and inquisitive and was captivated by many of the plants. And yet curiously, neither...

Report by RoyDec 3, 201812:19

The 6th US National show

The US National Bonsai Exhibition is the creation of Bonsai Master William Valavanis, supported by a vast team of volunteers. The first exhibition was held back in October 2008 and has continued bi-annually since then....

Report by RoyDec 2, 201815:46

Samurai & Bonsai

On the 150th anniversary of the restoration of Imperial rule, bonsai is displayed at the former capital. An outdoor exhibition is quite rare, even when it’s at a scenic site like the Nijo-jo castle, where...

Report by RoyDec 1, 201811:21

The call for bonsai art criticism

The first experiment of Pacific Bonsai Museum’s two-year-long project, the LAB (Living Art of Bonsai), has been run and the results are the unnerving of the artists. Pacific Bonsai Museum’s Curator Aarin Packard asked three,...