Bonsai exhibits are our best opportunity to simply enjoy the trees. Every year during BIB’s annual exhibit, I make time to wander the hall as if I were a visitor. I study bark and branch placement, moss-work, accents, and display. It’s some of the best fun bonsai has to offer. One of the first things that […]
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BIB 11th annual exhibit – shohin
Shohin has a fun place in the bonsai repertoire. Like satsuki devotees, some artists limit their palate to the endeavor. Others find they focus on it but maintain “large” bonsai as well. Urushibata is a great example of this sort. They also host their own conventions. One of the best that I know about is […]
BIB 11th annual exhibit – deciduous and broadleaf trees
Why hold a bonsai exhibit in winter? Not to keep the visitors away. Despite the fact that half of the trees in the exhibit are without leaves and most of the other half are fighting off winter’s tendency to tinge foliage with a yellowish or bronze cast, many bonsai are at their best this time […]
BIB 11th annual exhibit – black pine
Last weekend, Bay Island Bonsai held its 11th annual exhibit in Pleasanton, CA. It was a huge success. After 10 years of hosting our exhibit in Hayward, we were uncertain about switching venues. Turns out this was our top-attended event. Thanks to all who visited and all who helped. I’ll be writing a number of […]
Repotting a Japanese black pine
Boon asked me to post an example of repotting a tree into a two-hole pot – my small pine is a good candidate. Here’s the rootball after removing it from the pot. Before root-work – one year of growth I was conservative with the root-work as I had yet to determine which pot would be […]