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branch development
A good omen
It is a deciduous tree of the Fagaceae family and grows naturally in the mountains of various parts of Japan, also on the coastline on the side of the Sea of Japan. The oak’s local name is ‘Kashiwa’ and is mainly planted as a windbreak in those areas where it…...
All-American pine
Bjorn Bjorholm works on a pine grown from seed Bjorn gives an initial styling to a more than 50-year-old pine, grown from seed. This classic informal upright bonsai has a long and much told history in the United States, dating back to the early 1970s in Rochester, New York. At…...
Stewartia
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 to take a piece of material through to completion. Here we are making a group…...
The firethorn
The challenge is to create a finished tree starting from scratch How to create bonsai from cuttings, grafting and other methods with interesting and unusual species. With the help of illustrations we will see how to take a piece of material through to completion. Here we are making a twin…...
Actinidia chinensis (Kiwi)
How to create bonsai from cuttings, grafting and other methods with interesting and unusual species. This time it’s the Actinidia arguta, or hardy kiwi, a very rapid grower. A large woody plant of the silver vine family, native all over the main island of Japan, Korean Peninsula and China. Grows…...
Can it be opened ?
Untangling the dense foliage canopy of a sabina juniper Valentin Brose, former apprentice of Kunio Kobayashi, is a refined artist. The sabina juniper has such a dense canopy that all is hidden away from the eye. Valentin knows what is needed to open it up and show off its qualities…...
Chionanthus retusus
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 we see how to take a piece of material through to completion. This time we…...
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 pruning deciduous bonsai at this time of year, rather than spring, is a cornerstone to…...
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, we will see how to take a piece of material through to completion. Wisteria is…...
Yama no seishin – The beauty of cherry bonsai
One can find great strength in the depths of winter from the dignified beauty of the white flowers and luxurious fragrance. The beauty of Prunus bonsai is imbued with a sense of wabi. In Japan, wherever one focuses on the tree there is a sense of an ancient Prunus, the…...