I have a number of Japanese black pines that are transitioning from the development stage to the refinement stage. The trunk has thickened to the desired size and I’m starting to focus on branch development. As for the tree below, I’m happy with the trunk, but need to encourage the future leader to thicken. To […]
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Creating cascade Japanese black pine
After creating many Japanese black pines in a variety of styles, I realized, last year, that I hadn’t made many cascade pines. When it came time to wire a batch of young trees, I wired several trunks downward. A year later, they looked like this. Young pine The first thing I noticed when I sat […]
Award-winning bonsai at the 18th Noelanders Trophy
What can bonsai look like outside of Japan? The Noelanders Trophy provides a compelling answer: pretty great. This year’s award winners are a mix of European and Japanese varieties. The judges had many great bonsai to choose from – the winners were among the fullest and most meticulously prepared trees in the exhibit. Thanks to the Bonsai […]
The trees of Bonsai Shohin Japan
Bonsai Shohin Japan was one of the many traders at this year’s Noelanders Trophy. As their name suggests, the nursery specializes in small bonsai imported from Japan. Ume Shimpaku The nursery is run by the very friendly Guillaume and Alex. Guillaume and Alex I was impressed by their material. They work closely with a variety of […]
Traders at the 18th Noelanders Trophy
When I arrived at the Noelanders Trophy last Saturday, I headed straight for the exhibit. I was surprised, however, to find the exhibit hall fairly empty. Where were the hundreds of guests who waited in line to get in? Down the hall shopping. The big draw at the Noelanders Trophy is the vendor area. Over […]




