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Maintaining a beautiful bonsai garden

September 16, 2011 by Jonas Dupuich

Shinji Suzuki couldn’t possible maintain so many beautiful bonsai without help from several skilled apprentices. Gardens like this require a lot of effort.

Bonsai

Suzuki’s garden

Today Matt, Yusuke, and Tyler work at the Obuse garden, watering, wiring, and tirelessly carrying trees in and out of the workshop.

Yosuke

Yusuke watering

Fortunately not all of the trees require a lot of moving. The two red pines below have lived at Daiju-en and the Imperial Palace. They’ve been recuperating at Suzuki’s for at least the past two years. They’re looking great.

Akamatsu, Boon, Akamatsu

Akamatsu, Boon, Akamatsu

Here is a photo of the same two trees from my visit to the garden on 2009. The trees were very thin at the time – it’s nice to see so much improvement.

Red pines

Akamatsu – February 2009

Even the assorted accents around the garden looked great. Although they were likely intended for use at Kokufu or some other exhibit, they are another example of the level of care that went into everything at Suzuki’s garden.

Accents

Kusamono

Accent

Kusamono

Accent

Kusamono

With the one exception of the photo from 2009, all photos here are from Boon Manakitivipart’s February, 2011, visit to Japan.

Kaede

Kaede

Ezo matsu

Ezo matsu

Bonsai

Shimpaku

Bonsai

Bonsai

Bonsai

Bonsai

It’s nice to see that not all of the trees in Suzuki’s garden are show-ready. Grafting projects, escape branches, and freshly carved deadwood can be found on many of the benches. What sets the garden apart is that all of the material is outstanding.

Momiji

Momiji

Tosho

Tosho

Goyomatsu

Goyomatsu

Shimpaku

Shimpaku

Goyomatsu

Goyomatsu

Goyomatsu

Goyomatsu

Ezo matsu

Ezo matsu

Juniper

Shimpaku

Grafts

Shimpaku

Shimpaku

Shimpaku

Goyomatsu

Goyomatsu

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Filed Under: Excursions Tagged With: Japan, Shinji-Suzuki

Previous Post: « Suzuki’s bonsai workshop
Next Post: Mansai-en bonsai garden »

Reader Interactions

Comments

  1. Daniel Dolan says

    September 16, 2011 at 6:20 am

    Jonas:

    Fantastic pictures.
    In the first image one gets the sense that this greenhouse structure is very large.
    What would you say are the approximate dimensions of the enclosed area?
    Thanks,
    D/D

    • xwires says

      September 16, 2011 at 8:58 am

      Hi Daniel – I don’t remember exactly how big the enclosed area is at Suzuki’s. It’s been two years and the place was nearing the end of construction when I was there. It’s good sized and very tidy – that’s what stuck out to me.

  2. Scott Roxburght Roxburgh says

    September 19, 2011 at 2:57 am

    Hi Jonas,

    Do you know what the 2nd and last Kusamono are, that last one is great!

    Scott

    • xwires says

      September 20, 2011 at 2:27 pm

      Hi Scott – the penultimate might be a saxifraga, but I’m not familiar with the last one – maybe another reader knows.

  3. Boon says

    September 20, 2011 at 2:33 pm

    Scott.
    The second one is saxifrage
    The third one is horse tail shoots that start to come out in late winter. I used to go out and picked them up before the show. My teacher cut them into different length and arranged them one by one.

  4. William says

    September 22, 2011 at 1:58 pm

    Brilliant, I have never seen so much amazing material in one place (except some exhibitions). Wish I could visit Suzuki’s garden one day..

  5. Phil Lanceley says

    October 2, 2011 at 7:50 am

    Hi,is the Shimpaku with the small black pots having air layers or grafts? Phil

    • xwires says

      October 2, 2011 at 11:00 am

      Hi Phil – it looks like the black pots are supporting the plants used for approach grafts. My guess is that they’re swapping out the original foliage for new foliage.

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