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Summer watering
Over the years I’ve heard a lot of admonitions about watering carefully in summer. And for good reason – trees can dry out quickly when its warm out. At a glance, it looked like most of my trees were...
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Wiring a Western juniper
I got around to wiring my Western juniper at a recent Bay Island Bonsai workshop. It doesn’t look like much now, but the main branches are in place and need only to lengthen and fill in. Here’s the...
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Developing olive bonsai from scratch
I’ve been working with the stump of a small olive this year. After removing most of the trunk in winter, I now have plenty of shoots from which to select new branches. While there’s not too much to...
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Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection
I recently had the pleasure of visiting Weyerhaeuser’s Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection in Federal Way, Washington, where curator David De Groot and volunteers maintain trees from six Pacific Rim...
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More from the Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection
Tuesday, I posted photos of trees from Weyerhaeuser’s Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection that were planted in less formal pots – ovals, a round pot, and slabs. Here are some of the trees on display in more...
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New American Masters – Michael Hagedorn
My recent visit to Weyerhaeuser’s Pacific Rim Bonsai Collection coincided with a special exhibit, New American Masters, featuring the work of Michael Hagedorn and Ryan Neil. The pairing is fitting –...
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New American Masters – Ryan Neil
Before you read any further, go outside and check your collection. Turn on a light if it’s dark out – one year from today marks the grand opening of the Artisans Cup of Portland Bonsai Exhibition. If...
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Artisans Cup of Portland Bonsai Exhibit
Reserve the date – on October 4-6, 2013, Michael Hagedorn and Ryan Neil will celebrate the inaugural Artisans Cup of Portland Bonsai Exhibition, the most exciting bonsai event on the horizon for 2013....
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Ishii
It was almost a year ago that I was preparing to visit Japan for what turned out to be my best vacation to date – a bonsai adventure that lasted almost two months. I shot far more photos on this trip...
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Ebihara’s maples
While Boon, Peter Tea and I were poking around Ishii’s nursery outside of Nagoya last year, we came across a number of great Japanese maples. They looked familiar to us, but we didn’t immediately...
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Bonsai nursery and environs
Bonsai nurseries are rarely found in high-rent districts. Many are isolated blocks within residential neighborhoods or semi-rural areas, especially those with agricultural activity nearby. Ishii’s...
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Fall Color in Central Japan
Just a few days into my visit to Japan last year, our host, Mr. Oomura, took me and Boon on a drive to see trees in fall color. The season had yet to hit the lower elevations, so we got in the car and...
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Beech – on top of the mountain
As we approached the pass near the top of White Mountain Forest Road, the flora signaled a change in elevation – fir gave way to pine, maples to beech. Maples added golden hues to beech-covered...
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Mr. Kita’s junipers
On our way to visit Ishii’s nursery last fall, Akio Kondo took Boon, Peter and myself to visit one of his customers – Mr. Kita. Kita has a small, but impressive, bonsai collection. Trees like the...
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Mr. Kita’s bonsai
Last fall’s visit to Mr. Kita’s bonsai collection was a real treat – I can only imagine how nice it would be to see such a scene in one’s own backyard. Boon Manakitivipart, a white pine, and Peter Tea...
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Highlights from Moriyama’s bonsai collection
Mr. Moriyama is prominent among Nagoya bonsai collectors for good reason. He has an outstanding collection and he is a great supporter of both local and regional bonsai events, his trees featuring in...
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Moriyama’s bonsai garden
My visit to Japan last fall included a number of visits to Mr. Moriyama’s garden. Often there were trees to pick up or drop off so we’d swing by on our way elsewhere. Other days we’d stay awhile – like...
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Shinpukuji Temple Complex
My visit last year to Japan began at Shinpukuji Temple. Not far from Okazaki, Aichi, Shinpukuji is a collection of buildings that includes a large temple and an old wooden shrine. A restaurant on the...
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Shinpukuji Bonsai Museum
The Shinpukuji Temple complex features a small bonsai museum that displays a rotating collection of trees belonging to Mr. Oomura. My first few visits to the garden were in winter. On these occasions...
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Terrific Tosho
The bonsai museum at Shinpukuji Temple features some great tosho, or needle juniper. Here are some of my favorites. Boon and tosho Many needle juniper bonsai are collected. Among the most prized...
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