Andrei Bessonov’s final work as an apprentice to Master Kimura After six years of apprenticeship under Mr Kimura, this is the ‘final test’ for Andrei, with a tree that was obtained specifically for this purpose....

Andrei Bessonov’s final work as an apprentice to Master Kimura After six years of apprenticeship under Mr Kimura, this is the ‘final test’ for Andrei, with a tree that was obtained specifically for this purpose....
The Gafu-ten exhibition brings together those who love these tiny bonsai The second part of a report of the 45th Gafu-ten held from 10 -12 January 2020. Every January it’s time for the major shohin […]
A group planting is one of the most creative styles and quite easy to make With the guidance of shohin expert, Hiroki Miura (Miura Baijyu-en, Osaka) the Japanese popstar, Ayaka Yamamoto, learns how to make...
The story of an elm found abandoned in a field. Would it survive? Martin Nielsen tells the story of how he created a bonsai from an elm, wondering if he could keep it alive. Then,...
An exploration of Premna, one of bonsai’s biggest tropical stars Premna is a genus of tropical and sub-tropical species native to southeast Asia, Africa, and some islands of the Pacific Basin. It is extremely popular...
Yukio Hirose looks at the many options for displaying medium-sized trees We asked Yukio Hirose (Yamato-en) to create a few different displays using kifu-sized trees (35 cm maximum height), using both deciduous and coniferous species....
Bartoz Warwas knows that a good plan is the key to bonsai success Before Bartoz explains his timetable for planning the development of bonsai, he will tell you the story of a European hornbeam that...
Elsa Boudouri styles a Juniperus sabina rastrera Greek enthusiast Elsa Boudouri is self-taught and became inspired by bonsai when she was 14. She mainly works with native varieties, like the medium-sized sabina juniper. At a...
Orihime and Maihime are two maple varieties with very tiny leaves With the discovery of a very small-leafed variety comes a new chapter for the maple bonsai. Mr Katsumi Komiya (Shofu-en) guides you through the...
Get the most from your trees by making corrections for the future. Harumi Ishii (Ueharu-en) specialises in shohin of which refinement is a key element, so ugly cuts or disordered branch settings need to be...
Masahiko Kimura is challenged by a huge yew. In a corner of Masahiko Kimura’s bonsai nursery is a yew planted in the ground. The trunk is slender and of a feminine appearance. The top section...
The Gafu-ten exhibition brings together those who love these tiny bonsai Every year in January it is time for the major shohin exhibition in Japan, the Gafu-ten. Shohin lovers from all over the country and...
The challenge is to create a finished tree starting from scratch How to create bonsai from cuttings, grafting and other methods using interesting and unusual species. With the help of illustrations we will see how...
Rebirth of a juniper that survived the Tohoku earthquake The Sanriku Coast is a dramatic, rocky shoreline with countless bays, cliffs and coves that stretches for over 300 kilometres along the Pacific Coast from just...
Why are black pine needles so short? With the guidance of shohin expert, Hiroki Miura (Miura Baijyu-en, Osaka) the Japanese popstar, Ayaka Yamamoto, learns how to shorten needles on pines. In comparison to larger trees,...
Manuel Germade deals with a tough case — a Buxus with unbendable branches. Working on a tree that’s long, slender, with a fantastic curling trunk seems like perfect material. But there is just one downside,...
How a stump became an elegant chokkan-style bonsai Martin Nielsen tells the story of how he managed to convert the stump he dug from the forest into one of most appreciated native trees exhibited at...
The problem of poor roots on a pine can be solved Can you improve the root base of a pine, just as you can with deciduous trees? A good question, so it seems a good...
François Jeker has created many outstanding Buxus bonsai by pioneering with this variety Boxwood, also known as box, has a reputation for growing very slowly. However, if we know the right techniques, its branches can...
Thierry Claude works on an impossible pine Despite the many doubts of his friends, Thierry Claude persisted with his plan to create a real show stopper from a seemingly worthless pine. Ultimately, all his effort...
Harry Harrington reworks a Japanese yew with superb fluting. An elegant 88 cm Japanese yew (Taxus cuspidata) was bought to my garden by its owner in June 2020, explains Harry. My task was to style...
Marco Invernizzi reworks a very old mugo pine, which has a story to tell. Marco Invernizzi fell in love with the remarkable shapes of this Italian mugo pine (Pinus mugo). Although already touched by another...
Making the best out of defective material Hiroki Miura (Miura Baikyu-en, Osaka) shows how to improve material that is defective. Two trees are thoroughly analysed and new possibilities are discovered. Hiroki then applies the correct...
Learn how to create natural deadwood with the methods of Andrés Bicocca The difficulty that a defect poses for some is, for me, an infinite possibility of creation. Many times it is used to cover...
The story of Linda’s favourite bonsai from the wild – both good and sad. Living in the Canadian city of Laval, Quebec, Linda Chicoine often goes on hiking tours to see if there is a...