Kyushu bonsai enthusiast Mr. Iwakiri has been growing white pine for about as long as he’s been growing black pines. His garden provides plenty of evidence for this. Iwakiri’s pines Triple-trunk white pine Iwakiri reaches for a branch After pointing out a young white pine with a massive trunk, Iwakiri showed us the pot the […]
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In praise of colanders
I’ve been growing black pines in colanders for years. Thanks to Bonsai Today issue #20 and Boon Manakitivipart, many enthusiasts have been doing the same. Sizes are convenient, drainage is great, and the cost is reasonable. I have yet to find pots that make it easier to keep black pines healthy. In general, I’ve grown […]
Creating the trunk – charting future growth
Is there a way to determine whether or not my wiring is suitable for creating the bonsai in my mind’s eye? Yes! I learned about it in Mr. Iwakiri’s garden. Iwakiri recommends modeling the trunk line before wiring actual trees. He demonstrated the idea with newspaper and aluminum wire. The idea is to create a […]
A seedling-cutting with too many roots
My recent visit to Japan included a stop at the garden of one Mr. Iwakiri in Miyazaki, Kyushu. Iwakiri has been growing bonsai for more than 40 years and he has a wealth of knowledge on the topic, particularly when it comes to developing black pine. As I mentioned a few weeks ago (see “A […]
Large-sized bonsai from BABA’s 32nd annual exhibit
The larger bonsai displayed at the Bay Area Bonsai Associates’ 32nd annual exhibit filled the standalone displays in the exhibit hall. Each tree was shown with stand and accent and sometimes scroll. BABA’s 32nd annual exhibit The trees looked great – here’s a sample of the larger trees on display. Coast redwood California juniper Deadwood […]