Toward the end of 2014, I picked up an old cork oak bonsai that belonged to a former member of Bay Island Bonsai. The tree hadn’t been repotted for maybe 5-10 years. Getting it out of the pot took several hours – the whole repotting took more than a day. At the time, the tree […]
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Repotting a collected Sierra juniper
When everything goes just right, a tree collected from the mountains begins to grow and gain vigor. After a while, it’s ready to begin the journey of becoming a bonsai. The Sierra juniper below is showing strong signs of vigor. Although it’s strong enough to begin styling work, I wanted to know what I was […]
Bonsai displays at the 16th biennial Shohin Seminar
With small bonsai display, the focus tends to be on the arrangement of elements as much as on the individual trees themselves. The great challenge, then, isn’t just developing trees that work on a small scale, but in having enough different trees from which selections can be mixed and matched to create compelling displays. Easier […]
2018 California Shohin Seminar – selections from the exhibit
This past weekend the California Shohin Society hosted the 16th Biennial Shohin Seminar in Santa Nella, California. The event was a huge success. It revolves around a full day of workshops and features demos, a large vendor area and an exhibit of small-sized bonsai. Below is a selection of the trees on display in the exhibit. […]
Bonsai on display at BIB’s 19th annual exhibit
One thing I’ve appreciated about Bay Island Bonsai’s annual exhibits is the use of moss to cover the surface of the soil. The convention is common among bonsai exhibits in Japan and elsewhere. It gives the trees a clean look and provides some life in the case of dormant deciduous varieties like the corkbark elm […]