On the tatami

Bonsai exhibited in traditional Japanese rooms surrounded by mountains and forests puts bonsai in the right perspective. The 10th Genkoukai exhibition is a small-scale show that renders one humble and serene. The Genkoukai is a…...

For Basic, Plus, and Premium members only.
Log In Join Now

Technique

On a tightwire?

Winding wire around a branch is easy; effective wiring is more difficult Wiring is an indispensable skill in bonsai; it is something that needs to be used at many stages in tree development, from the…...

For Basic, Plus, and Premium members only.
Log In Join Now

Step by Step

Popstar bonsai

Branch development on an elm Inspired by a colourful autumn, we look at how to develop branches on deciduous trees that show seasonal colour. Guided by Master Hiroki Miura, Ayaka Yamamoto, a famous popstar in…...

For Basic, Plus, and Premium members only.
Log In Join Now

Technique

As one with the tree

Hiroaki Suzuki becomes as one with the tree during the styling of a pine Young artist Hiroaki Suzuki takes on the challenge of transforming and displaying a five needle pine. The aim is to change…...

For Basic, Plus, and Premium members only.
Log In Join Now

Autumn

The cornerstone

As the leaves fall in autumn, it is time to study the branch structure of the tree in detail and begin pruning This article describes the pruning of deciduous tree branches in autumn. I believe…...

For Basic, Plus, and Premium members only.
Log In Join Now

Styling

Just cut all the branches?

How to deal with upward-growing branches on a pine Impossible material with all its branches growing upwards becomes a fine bonsai. Toshio Ogawa notes the superb movement of the lower trunk and solves the problem…...

For Basic, Plus, and Premium members only.
Log In Join Now

Report

Red moods

Diepenbeek, Belgium, the first weekend in November 2019, the triannual show of the Eda Uchi Kai bonsai club initiated by Jean Paul Polmans. Thanks to Mario Komsta who arranged the exceptional displays and high quality […]

Free

Punica granatum

Nearly Two Decades in the Life of a Pomegranate HISTORICAL PROFILE Scientific Name: Punica granatum Common Names: Pomegranate Origin: The pomegranate is native from Iran to the Himalayas in northern India and has been cultivated…...

For Free, Basic, Plus, and Premium members only.
Log In Join Now

Report

A shari never shown

European Bonsai-san Show Saulieu (FR) At the 7th edition of the European Bonsai-san Show in Saulieu, Bonsai Focus magazine aimed to look for a bonsai which stands out in style, meaning that the tree itself […]

Report

Kickstarter Bonsai book

Pacific Bonsai Museum launches a kickstarter book We are excited to announce that we launched our Kickstarter to publish our first-ever book about our collection: A Gallery of Trees: Living Art of Pacific Bonsai Museum. […]

Technique

Heavy bending

How to bend thick branches Sometimes wire is simply not enough to bend the branch in the desired position. Here we sum up the proper techniques to make things bend smoothly. Lower a branch by…...

For Basic, Plus, and Premium members only.
Log In Join Now

Masterclass

Puzzling it out

Manuel Germade shows us how he solves the puzzle of this juniper. You can read and watch him working on the tree. This is all about making choices. Which branch is too long, too much,…...

For Basic, Plus, and Premium members only.
Log In Join Now

Report

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

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…...

For Basic, Plus, and Premium members only.
Log In Join Now

Tables

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

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…...

For Basic, Plus, and Premium members only.
Log In Join Now

Technique

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…...

For Basic, Plus, and Premium members only.
Log In Join Now

Yamadori

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…...

For Basic, Plus, and Premium members only.
Log In Join Now

Styling

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…...

For Basic, Plus, and Premium members only.
Log In Join Now

Styling

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…...

For Basic, Plus, and Premium members only.
Log In Join Now

Spring

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…...

For Basic, Plus, and Premium members only.
Log In Join Now

Report

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,…...

For Free, Basic, Plus, and Premium members only.
Log In Join Now

Technique

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…...

For Basic, Plus, and Premium members only.
Log In Join Now

Profile

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

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…...

For Basic, Plus, and Premium members only.
Log In Join Now

Propagating

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,…...

For Basic, Plus, and Premium members only.
Log In Join Now

Masterclass

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…...

For Basic, Plus, and Premium members only.
Log In Join Now

Free

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…...

For Free, Basic, Plus, and Premium members only.
Log In Join Now

Spring

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…...

For Basic, Plus, and Premium members only.
Log In Join Now

Shohin

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…...

For Basic, Plus, and Premium members only.
Log In Join Now