Author Archive
Book
Classical Bonsai Art: A Half Century of Bonsai Study
William Valavanis has another book coming out in early June, he has personally asked me to do a review of his book that took 50 years to make. Knowing Bill and his efforts and accomplishments in the bonsai community and around ...
Contest
Entry: Wisteria Venusta ‘Alba’ – Wisteria – USA
Before The plant that I use for my cascading bonsai is Wisteria. It is a woody vine that can grow as 20′ x 20′ in size, well known for its beautiful , fragrant, cascading flowers and great looking leaves. Wisteria i...
Contest
Entry: Chinese Snow Flower – Deutzia scabra – Zambia
Before I dug this shrub from my old farm in January this year and planted it in the ground. It has a completely hollowed trunk. Almost like a vase open at the top, and open at the front too. It will be a challenging material to...
Contest
Entry: Pinus sp. – Pine – New Zealand
Before This Pine was collected from the roadside about a year ago. There is a bit of a swelling at the bottom which could be used as a good base. From collecting to now, the plant has grown well and has also back budded in plac...
Contest
Entry: Juniperus chinensis ‘San Jose’ – San Jose Juniper – Mexico
Before This plant comes also from a nursery. I liked this plant for the movement in its trunk, the conicity, enough branches to make a compact bonsai. One Quarter Progression The Lower Branches Were Worked As Jins To Give More ...
Contest
Entry: Juniperus chinensis ‘San Jose’ – San Jose Juniper – Mexico
Before This plant comes from a nursery. I choose this plant because as being a juniper coming from a nursery is very thick, healthy and vigours. My idea is to make a compact tree and the lower branches to be worked as dried woo...
Contest
Entry: Sequoia sempervirens – Coast Redwood – USA
Before This tree was collected on the northern California coast in old timber country. The wide trunk and the aged interesting decaying deadwood are testaments to the quality of such material. Coast Redwood bud back frequently ...
Contest
Entry: Buttonwood – Conocarpus erectus – USA
Before My tree that I am entering into the contest is a Buttonwood, the Scientific name is Conocarpus Erectus. The tree currently stands 43 inches not including the plastic nursery pot that has been cut down. The width is 29 in...
Contest
Entry: Verbena bush – Lantana camara – Zambia
Before Lantana is a invasive plant here in Africa. It self seeds everywhere. This one grew in my garden between some shrubs, in a tight spot. I dug it out for the competition. It took 3 hours of careful digging, so the next shr...
Contest
Entry: Golden duranta – Duranta erecta – Zambia
Before I grew this plant from a cutting for a hedge two and half years ago. They were around 50 of them. This one was in a packet and the roots escaped into the ground and it grew over 3 meters. I dug it out for the competition...
Contest
Entry: Chintok – Enriquebeltriana cretinifolia – Mexico
Before Esta especie es una Enriquebeltriana Cretinifolia con una altura de 74cm.(29″) recolectada a unos pocos kil. de donde vivo y donde hay muy buenos ejemplares de esta especie y algunos muy viejos con mucho potencial ...
Contest
Entry: Buxus microphylla var. koreana – Korean boxwood – USA
Before Korean boxwood is native to Japan, Korea, and presumably parts of Manchuria; certain cultivars are cold-hardy to USDA Zone 4. This specimen was part of a hedge for a number of years; when the hedge was removed, the owner...
Videos
OMIYA BONSAI ②
During William Valavanis’ last tour to Japan in February, NHK TV sent a film crew with them when they visited Omiya Bonsai Village, the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum, Masahiko Kimura and Seiji Morimae. He was surprised the crew...
