The most consistent fall color in my garden each year can be found on a red maple forest planting that was started by a friend’s father back in the early 80s. Once most of the leaves turn color, I remove them all and do fall pruning. Here’s the tree before I removed the leaves. Red […]
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Bonsai display basics
A number of conventions guide the way bonsai are displayed at exhibits around the world. This post covers the basics. The Space Bonsai displays at Japanese exhibits are commonly six feet wide – about the length of one tatami mat. As most bonsai are anywhere between a few inches tall and up to three or […]
Highlights from the 8th US National Bonsai Exhibition – part 3: Shohin edition
Our third installment of the US National Bonsai Exhibition wrap-up focuses on shohin. This year’s exhibit featured 120 of them! If you’re interested in learning about shohin and shohin display, check out the note following the post about registering for next year’s Shohin School Winter Seminar. 6-tree display by John Kirby Although it’s hard to […]
A visit to Bill Valavanis’ bonsai garden
The day after this year’s US National Bonsai Exhibition, Bill Valavanis hosted a workshop at his garden, The International Bonsai Arboretum, while volunteers unloaded trucks and visitors (like me) enjoyed the trees! Bill’s garden is one of the must see bonsai gardens in North America, and it’s been among my favorites since I first visited […]
Making a plan for a new bonsai
Two years ago, I saw a large Yaupon holly available in the vendor’s area at the US National Bonsai Exhibition. I’m a big fan of the species but for some reason I didn’t think about taking it home at the time. Two months ago, I saw the tree again at this year’s National Exhibition. As […]