For years, I drove by a hawthorn on my way to work. The tree wasn’t particularly striking, but the fine branches were very dense. In fall, however, the tree was covered with bright, red, fruit. One day I collected some of the fruit, and the following spring I planted them. A handful sprouted and I’m […]
Bonsai Development
Bonsai Development posts form the heart of Bonsai Tonight. Learn about varieties like Black Pine, Shimpaku and Japanese Maple, techniques like Decandling and Grafting and Air Layering, and bonsai features like Deadwood.
Tips for anchoring bonsai wire
At the outset of this series, I mentioned that nine of the ten items we’d cover are easy and that one is difficult. Number nine is difficult: learning what it means to properly anchor your wire. This is different from learning how to anchor your wire. Mastering wiring requires good instruction and lots of practice. […]
Bonsai club programs: what works in your club?
A lot of the work of teaching bonsai falls to the clubs – the organizations that make the meetings, workshops and exhibits from which we learn possible. I’ve been a member of several clubs over the years, but most of my experience has been with a single organization – Bay Island Bonsai (aka BIB). I […]
How did you learn bonsai?
Often an interest in bonsai is sparked when one sees or receives a tree that leaves an impression. Some research may lead to a book or two and possibly to a local club or nursery. Once in a club, one may see demos or take workshops. Books may be checked out from the club library. […]
Refining a black pine
This summer I recorded the process of refining a black pine for Bonsai: Journal of the American Bonsai Society. The resulting article appeared in Volume 50, Number 3. The work was a lot of fun. I took a few more photos than usual and wrote about decandling, cutback, needle pulling and wiring. Here’s a snapshot of […]