Although Kimura is best known for juniper bonsai, his pine work is very good. The black pine below, for example, took the top prize at the 2015 Taikan-ten exhibit in Kyoto, Japan. Black pine The tree is imposing – large trunk, full canopy – and has clear movement to the right side with the apex and […]
Excursions
Excursion posts feature visits to bonsai gardens in the U.S. and in Japan, visits to the Kyoto's Most Renown Gardens, and trips into the mountains to see junipers and pines in their natural setting.
Kimura’s shimpaku bonsai
I didn’t get a chance to share many of the great bonsai I saw in Japan this past winter and thought now would be a good time for it. We can start with some junipers from Kimura’s garden. The shimpaku below is a great example of a well-balanced bonsai. The trunk starts by moving up and […]
Exposed root black pines at the Green Club
A number of the Japanese black pines I’ve grown from seed have been developed in the exposed root style. It’s a fun style to work with as roots offer possibilities that aren’t always available for specimens whose roots are firmly secured in the pot. My first exposure to the style was at the Green Club […]
Great bonsai at Mirai
My recent trip to Portland included a stop at Ryan Neil’s garden. I’d last visited a year ago (see “Pines” and “Junipers” for details). This year I was struck by how different the trees looked before I’d finished making my way through the gate. In a word, they were full – really full. Twelve months […]
Highlights from Michael Hagedorn’s garden
My recent trip to Portland began with a visit to Michael Hagedorn’s garden. His trees are looking great this time of year – the junipers are covered in new growth and the deciduous bonsai are full and healthy. The junipers in particular caught my attention on this visit, likely because I’ve been enjoying them more and more in my […]