Many businesses in Japan announce closing time by playing a song called Hotaru no Hikari – The Light of the Firefly. It’s based on the tune of Auld Lang Syne. When the tune begins, you know it’s time to wrap up whatever is going on. It’s hard to leave a good bonsai show at the […]
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.
Shimpaku at the Taikan-ten sales area
I’ve noted on a number occasions that juniper bonsai are primarily prized for two characteristics – the movement of the trunk and the quality of the deadwood. That’s a good starting point when evaluating junipers on display or in the sales area. At last year’s Taikan-ten in Kyoto I didn’t see many junipers that lacked […]
Shohin black pine extravaganza
No ado needed – here are some of the shohin black pines available at the 2015 Taikan-ten sales area. Black pine #1 Black pine #2 Black pine #3 Black pine #4 Black pine #5 Black pine #6 Black pine #7 Black pine #8 Black pine #9 Black pine #10 Black pine #11 Black pine #12 […]
Shohin bonsai from Gordon Deeg
During my visit to Gordon Deeg’s garden, I was struck by how many shohin bonsai I found. Small conifers, broadleaf evergreens and deciduous varieties filled narrow benches around the garden. Trident maple Shohin bonsai Knowing how hard it is to assemble a proper shohin display, I appreciated the sheer volume of little trees and the opportunities […]
A visit to Gordon Deeg’s garden
Gordon Deeg is a familiar name to Northern California bonsai enthusiasts. He has served more positions in more bonsai organizations than I can count. A former Chairman of the Bonsai Garden at Lake Merritt, Gordon is now its Garden Master and a teacher at its bonsai school. Gordon is also responsible for another impressive bonsai garden […]