Last fall, Boon Manakitivipart brought a student from Thailand to work with him at Shinpukuji Bonsai Museum. Removing leaves from a Chinese quince Some of the work involved removing leaves from deciduous varieties including quince and trident maple. Trident maple After removing the leaves Another trident maple with leaves removed Fall is also a great […]
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.
Shinpukuji Temple Bonsai Museum
Just outside the city of Okazaki, itself outside the larger city of Nagoya, lies Shinpukuji Temple, a complex first built in the 6th century and home to an impressive bonsai museum. The museum was started by Mr. Oomura, a prominent bonsai collector and enthusiast. Here are some highlights from the trees on display last fall […]
A visit to Daiju-en bonsai garden
I’ve always enjoyed photos from other people’s visits to great bonsai gardens. Sometimes I recognize the trees and can see how they’ve changed over the years. Other times I’m seeing them for the first time. Seeing trees in gardens is different than seeing them in exhibits. The trees are in growing pots, we can see […]
A bonsai garden in the rain
I’d like to return, for a bit, to Boon Manakitivipart’s visit to Japan this past fall. Among his photos were a handful from a familiar garden, that of Mr. Okamoto in Central Japan. Okamoto is among the top bonsai professionals in the area. Over the years he has produced and worked on many famous trees […]
More from the International Bonsai Arboretum
One of the first trees you spot at William N. Valavanis’ International Bonsai Arboretum is a wisteria planted unconventionally in an unconventional pot. Wisteria in Tokoname bucket Beyond it reside trees from the Valavanis Bonsai Collection – an impressive assortment of bonsai cultivated over many years. Below the collection one finds greenhouses and growing grounds […]