Bonsai Today

Online magazine for Bonsai lovers

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Case History

Revisiting famous bonsai creations

Articles have long been a way of recording the dramatic transformation of trees, showcasing the skills of professionals and giving an insight into the process of bonsai creation ...


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Fundamentals

The apex

Our scrutiny of the essential rules of bonsai concludes by taking a look at the apex, or summit (Atama). It is also one of the significant points of the tree.


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Fundamentals

The branches

In a bonsai the two most significant areas are the roots and the trunk. But what about the branches, or eda as they called in Japanese?


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Fundamentals

The trunk

The second essential element in bonsai is the trunk, or Kokejun. A trunk should taper to the top and it also determines the movement of the tree.


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Fundamentals

The roots

Learn the rules of bonsai and they will always be retained to guide you in whatever task that you wish to perform. To help you understand we’re going to scrutinise a bonsai starting from the root base, moving up to the trunk, the branches and finally the top..


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Fundamentals

The choice

How to choose a plant suitable for creating a Bonsai.


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Air layering

Repairing a damaged maple

When leaf pruning a trident maple, mistakes and faults can become more noticeable. A comeback is planned as we go back to square one.


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Tools

Shiny blades II

Three tools that have a similar appearance: concave cutters, root cutters and trunk splitters. The major difference...


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Tools

Shiny blades

How to maintain your precious tools because, just like our bonsai, the tools also need tender care...


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Step by Step

A moyogi juniper

This less than pretty juniper has hidden potential; its almost bare trunk has enough foliage to make an elegant bonsai


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Suiseki

Just imagine

A suiseki, or viewing stone, often seems to resemble a mountain range...


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Technique

Informal approach with Ligustrum

How to create bonsai from cuttings, grafting and other methods using interesting and unusual species. This time we are working with privet, Ligustrum.


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Shohin

Are they twins?

Miura Hiroki (from Miura Baijyu-En nursery) is a specialist in shohin bonsai. Here he improves a double trunk pine that has a hidden quality.


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