Author: Farrand

Video by FarrandOct 16, 201921:24

Bonsai on the red carpet

An impression of the Bonsai-san Show which was held in the weekend of 12 – 13 October 2019, Saulieu, France. Guest of Honour Mauro Stemberger. Demonstrations were held by Bjorn Bjorholm (USA), Jan Culek (CZ) […]

Masterclass by FarrandOct 11, 201912:00

Hungry to learn

Salvatore Liporace reworks one of his finest bonsai. The first styling of this Juniperus chinensis ‘Sargenti’ has a long history which goes back 20 years when its top was 40 cm higher. Gradually it was...

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Tables by FarrandOct 10, 201915:48

Wood never Dies

Portland (USA) based woodworker, Austin Heitzman seeks inspiration from ancient trees I have been attempting bonsai for just as long as I have been a professional woodworker. When contacted about commissioning a bonsai stand, I […]

Propagating by FarrandOct 7, 201917:05

The Edo cherry

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 from interesting and unusual species. With the help of illustrations...

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Technique by FarrandSep 27, 201921:22

Where are the roots?

Air-layer experiment. What works best: Sphagnum or a tourniquet? Yukio Hirose (Yamato-en) is up for an experiment. Which of the air layer techniques gives best results, the one that uses sphagnum only, or the technique...

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Tree guide by FarrandSep 21, 201912:40

Betula – Tough to work on

The birch has many virtues, it can prosper in the harshest environments, but as bonsai you need to be a little more patient and gentle to achieve good results. Harry Harrington gives us his hands-on...

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Styling by FarrandSep 13, 201913:33

A perfect fit for kengai

Giacomo Pappalardo shows the many variations of the cascade style One of the most dramatic styles in bonsai is the kengai, or cascade. It has many variations and its style options are almost endless. Trees...

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Video by FarrandSep 6, 201920:53

Can this become a bonsai?

Garden material can be most interesting for bonsai. It can also be very challenging because it was not really grown for bonsai purposes. Bruno checks out a garden hinoki cypress to see if it can...

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Spring by FarrandAug 30, 201912:23

The birth of new buds

In autumn you can improve the branch setting of your maple The bare branch structure is revealed and good and bad things are seen. You’ll note where node length has become too long, whether there...

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Report by FarrandAug 28, 201911:37

Native species are cool

The AABC 2019 convention, the very first major event of its kind, focused entirely on Australian native species. The trees on display did not disappoint. Native trees of all shapes, species and sizes were there,...

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Technique by FarrandAug 23, 201921:52

Pulling the final needle

Learn the basic technique of candle cutting by Master Nobuichi Urushibata Nobuichi Urushibata of Taisho-en, Japan, guides you through the work of candle pinching and needle pulling pines. The basic technique of candle cutting does...

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Profile by FarrandAug 19, 201921:39

Forced to find solutions

The only regret Manuel Germade has is the fact that he did not go to Japan much earlier. A couple of years ago he officially graduated as a bonsai Master and he now finds his […]

Column by FarrandAug 19, 201915:26

Bonsai addicts because therapy did not work

This was the slogan I saw on the back of a shirt when I was in South Africa. It turns out the ‘Bonsai Addicts’ are a group of enthusiasts, but it was the sentiment ‘because...

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Propagating by FarrandAug 16, 201917:58

Purple rain

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 unusual species. With the help of illustrations,...

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Video by FarrandAug 10, 201915:32

On the edge

Creative genius, Ryan Neil, turns bonsai upside down You can give Ryan Neil almost any kind of material to work on and he will create something special from it. Here Ryan is confronted by an...

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Pots by FarrandAug 5, 201911:55

Carved mud

Ceramist Jonathan Cross creates pots in the desert Jonathan Cross creates ancient looking sculptures and pots, which may even sometimes look like architecture. All seem to come from a kind of post-apocalyptic aesthetic imagery. His...

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Spring by FarrandJul 28, 201922:02

A solid regime…

Bonsai need water, air and sunlight in order to photosynthesis and grow. The combination of these three elements is enough for a tree to manufacture the sugars and starches it requires from its leaves. Harry...

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Shohin by FarrandJul 19, 201921:44

5 becomes 2

A boring forest is divided up and receives a fresh remake Harumi Ishii (Ueharu-En) shows us how to transform an uninteresting mountain maple forest into two stunning new creations. We are separating the trunks into...

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Case History by FarrandJul 14, 201916:02

Quite unlike a fairy tale

Hornbeam is an exciting tree for bonsai. Marija Hajdic: ‘About ten years ago, oriental hornbeam was an unknown species of bonsai. Here, I present the development of one of the best of its kind, a...

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Video by FarrandJul 5, 201922:27

Too dominant at the top

The charm of the Fagus crenata – Japanese beech The Japanese beech is always an exhibition eye catcher. Its smooth grey-white bark and muscled trunk give the tree a most majestic appearance. Easy to work...

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Technique by FarrandJun 28, 201914:07

Easy elm

Japanese elm is ideal for bonsai and easy to grow Being a rapid and very vigorous grower makes it possible to have quick results with Zelkova. The downside is that the elm can overgrow very...

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Styling by FarrandJun 22, 201915:24

The masterplan

An impossible pine just perfect for a cascade Giacomo Pappalardo likes the dramatic moves of the cascading pines you encounter in the mountains. An unsightly pine with a very long pale trunk seems to be...

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Video by FarrandJun 19, 201910:16

University of Bonsai

The 13th edition of ‘Bonsai van het Westen’ was held again in the Botanical Garden of Delft University of Technology. With a record number of visitors and perfect weather we were given two days to […]

Pots by FarrandJun 14, 201915:02

Tempted to give up

Making pots came along a bumpy road Matjaž Raimondi and Nastja Legvart have just jumped into the big adventure of making pots for bonsai. They had no clue as to why this happened, but knew...

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Step by Step by FarrandJun 7, 201920:58

Yew can do it

A simple yew can be made into a stunning small bonsai in just a few steps. Michael Tran of Minoru bonsai guides you step by step in how to create a bonsai from a yew....

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