Tag: Han-kengai

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Pinus Nigra

Austrian pines make great bonsai; their rugged bark and dark green needles give them a special character.

Styling
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How to ‘crack’ a white pine

Masayuki Fujikawa transforms a white pine by changing the angle and compacting an elongated trunk. One of the best characteristics of this tree is the aged appearance of the bark, making it look as though…...

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Shohin
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The new big

Koji Hiramatsu works on a black pine Shohin and the slightly larger Kifu-sized bonsai have become ever more popular. This because they are much easier to enjoy and appreciate compared with the larger trees and…...

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Technique
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Kengai

How to make a cascade-style bonsai A kengai or cascade is inspired by trees found in harsh mountainous conditions, growing on rocky cliffs. It is this which makes it one of the most dramatic and…...

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Workshop
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Just too long

Jan Culek copes with a tree that is almost impossible to style The pine Jan has chosen to work on (Pinus sylvestris) hasn’t the most ideal branch setting and trunk shape. It is a clump…...

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Styling
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Get rid of undesirable features

Masayuki Fujikawa transforms boring material into a semi cascade Masayuki Fujikawa: ‘The tree shown here is too big to be considered a chuhin, but the idea is not to make it a chuhin for the…...

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Styling
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Too obvious?

A semi-cascade for this oak was so logical René Alber: ‘This huge, but compact cork oak (Quercus suber) is ready for styling. The trunk is massive, has a wonderful curving movement and a fantastic corky…...

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Styles
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Very delicate

Nik Rozman works for 12 years on a larch Larches are among Europe’s most delicate and feminine-looking conifers. Their fine foliage is nicely contrasted by the rugged bark of old specimens. Because of those features,…...

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Technique
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The himalaya rose

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. This time…...

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Masterclass
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Two Masters, one pine

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…...

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Styling
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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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Styling
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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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Styling
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Rocking the pine

Todd Schlafer works on a Scots pine With a background as a rock musician Todd’s career as a bonsai artist is a big hit. We met Todd during Michael Tran’s Generation Bonsai event l and…...

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Styling
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Another vision

Chiharu Imai looks back on some of his remarkable works Chiharu Imai is a well-known bonsai Master in the west, famed for his sensitivity and excellence of technique. Here he looks back on some of…...

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Ficus

Figs are keystone species in many tropical forest ecosystems. Figs have figured prominently in some human cultures, such as Buddhism, objects of worship and many practical uses. For bonsai they are a great source of […]

Profile
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Between the rocks

Christophe Hager’s spruce was a sensation at the Mulhouse BCI of 2018 A spruce from the mountains had much potential and was growing with great fervour. However, when its design became dull Christophe sought a…...

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Free
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Han-kengai | Half-cascade style

Half-cascade style – In nature, this tree grows on a rock face and, because of snow and wind, it first grows downwards and then upwards again. In Kengai the leaves grow lower than the pot. […]