Bonsai Today

Online magazine for Bonsai lovers

Maple

Case History

Revisiting famous bonsai creations

Articles have long been a way of recording the dramatic transformation of trees, showcasing the skills of professionals and giving an insight into the process of bonsai creation ...


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Fundamentals

The choice

How to choose a plant suitable for creating a Bonsai.


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Summer

Air and light

Andrea Meriggioli shows you how to thin and prune the leaves of Acer palmatum


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Profile

Bonsai Biker

The bonsai passion of Stefan Gmur. What was your professional education? I was educated as a toolmaker in the watch industry and afterwards completed my studies at the Fachhochschule as a graduate engineer and business engineer. Today, I work as a divisional manager for one of the world’s largest manufacturers…...


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Grafting

Walking branches

When Andrea Meriggioli dived into the fascinating world of the Japanese maple, he learned all the techniques of how to prune, grow and maintain.


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Spring

Pot-bound

How to repot small trees in spring Yukio Hirose (Yamato-en) guides you through the principle techniques of repotting deciduous bonsai. According to Yukio, ‘In spring you have the chance to give the tree fresh new soil, clip the roots and keep the tree healthy. The ideal time for repotting is…...


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Shohin

Acer deshojo

Simple adjustments can make a big difference Kenichi Suzuki (Onari-en) is very much into shohin-size bonsai. With simple material he demonstrates how you can change the design by adjusting the planting angle, or the pot. Deshojo maple on rock A tree planted on a rock that Kenichi Suzuki acquired last…...


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Tables

My mistakes are torched

The bonsai tables of Doug Mudd ‘The table should reflect the age of the bonsai,’ says perfectionist Doug who works on wood with the knowhow to create the best results. How did it all start? When I first became interested in bonsai, I was fortunate enough to be close to…...


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Display

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 group of both bonsai and suisekienthusiasts who have a strong desire to study and appreciate…...


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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 two pieces of material: The initial material is a group planting of Japanese mountain maple…....


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Gallery

Samurai & Bonsai

On the 150th anniversary of the restoration of Imperial rule, bonsai is displayed at the former capital. An outdoor exhibition is quite rare, even when it’s at a scenic site like the Nijo-jo castle, where once the Samurai ruled. Nijo-jo Castle, Kyoto, is characterized by low yet imposing grand structures,…...


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Report

Northwest Rendezvous

The Bonsai Society of Portland and Pacific Northwest Bonsai Clubs Association presented the 2018 Northwest Bonsai Rendezvous this month in Milwaukie, Oregon. The event was a big success! Three days of workshops, critiques, and demonstrations made the time fly by. Just steps away, a high quality exhibition featured some of the region’s best…...


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Workshop

Bonsai ‘built’ on a frame

How to create a bulky maple As I have said previously, this technique implies wrapping a number of young plants, seedlings, around a man-made structure, called a ‘frame’. Its shape will be the one the finished maple will take on eventually. The structure can be made of metal or wood…....


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Workshop

Easy-going forest planting with maples

Takao Katsumata creates a deciduous forest. There is a certain type of enjoyment that is special and unique to a forest style bonsai, regardless of the species or origin of the material. As a part of the creative side of bonsai, care must be taken when putting it together. The…...


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