Bonsai Today

Online magazine for Bonsai lovers

Articles

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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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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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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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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The choice

How to choose a plant suitable for creating a Bonsai.


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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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Shiny blades II

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


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Shiny blades

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


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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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Just imagine

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


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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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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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Make a forest look natural

The late bonsai Master Takeo Katsumata left behind a great number of works that exhibit his trademark natural scenes. He had a unique obsession...


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Can you restyle a Bonsai masterpiece?

Masayuki Fujikawa takes things further by transforming a masterpiece

It is said that a tree displayed at Kokufu has reached a point of completion in a long journey. As the tree grows, finds a new owner, or an artist to care for it, the viewpoint of the tree will gradually change

Pinus sylvestris

In the wild, a Scots pine (Pinus sylvestris) matures naturally into the same style as a bonsai literati with branches spreading horizontally below its flattened apex.


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