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Prickly situation
Jean-Philippe Hoareau (JP) works with the prickly juniper The needle juniper or Juniperus rigida, is a far more rugged tree than the Chinese ‘shimpaku’. Its deadwood is spikier and so is its foliage, too. You can get in a very prickly situation when working with this variety because of its…...
Is this too right?
The challenge is to create a finished tree starting from scratch Here’s how to make bonsai with rare, interesting and promising species through the process of taking cuttings. The complete process, from selecting the material to maintenance after taking the cutting, is clearly explained. This time we work with Cryptomeria…...
Fine and fiddly
Yukio Hirose guides you through the defoliation and wiring of maples and elms Yukio Hirose: ‘First I will introduce this tree, a trident maple (Acer buergerianum) that is halfway through its development. The reason for entirely defoliating this tree rather than a partial defoliation is to be able to see…...
Little to do
During the growing season there is always something to do, even if the bonsai are of a small size. With the guidance of shohin expert, Hiroki Miura (Miura Baijyu-en, Osaka), the Japanese popstar, Ayaka Yamamoto, carries out some maintenance work on projects she did last year. Shoot pinching At the…...
Pyrus pyrifolia
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 The pear A large deciduous tree in the pear genus of the Rosaceae family. It is found…...
Picea glehnii
How to create a twin trunk style tree with a ‘Yatsubusa’ ezo spruce, Picea glehnii ‘Yatsubusa’. In this series we look at creating 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
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 Japan, works on one of the mostsuitable varieties for bonsai: the Japanese elm (Zelkova serrata)…...
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…...
Easy elm
Japanese elm is ideal for bonsai and easy to grow Being a rapid and very vigorous grower makes it possible to have quick results with Zelkova. The downside is that the elm can overgrow very quickly and so it needs regular pruning and re-styling to stay in shape. Here we…...
The many virtues of larch bonsai
Larix is a genus of around 10 species of deciduous coniferous trees from forested areas of the Northern hemisphere. They have attractive young foliage and normally display brilliant autumnal colour. The needle-shaped foliage is borne in loose spirals on long shoots and in whorls on short shoots. Larch is a…...
Nature guide
Inspired by nature, Kenichi Abe shows us how to work on a pine. Styling a pine into a bonsai is a balance between pruning and wiring, as Kenichi Abe, Master of pines from the Azuma Mountains explains. A simple and clear vision is what he stands for. Kenichi Abe lives…...
RAW…and too many branches
Solving the problems on a satsuki azalea Osamu Fukudate’s (Shunkaen Bonsai Museum) first entry into the Sakkafu-ten received the Satsuki award. He also won recognition from the judges at the 43rd Nippon Bonsai Sakkafu-ten. As a result, he now has the opportunity to show off his skills here. Osamu Fukudate…...
Celtis sinensis forest
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 with interesting and unusual species. With the help of illustrations we will see how to take a piece of material through to completion Years 1…...