It’s always a treat when I get to visit bonsai gardens that I don’t see very often. Although it’s thrilling to see great trees for the first time, revisiting favorites can be particularly satisfying. I had both experiences on a recent trip to Ryan Neil’s garden, Bonsai Mirai. Since my last visit seven years ago, […]
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Is bonsai getting harder?
In short, yes! This is an old question that comes up from time to time. Eric Schrader mentioned that he’s fielded the question more than once in recent weeks, and the idea has got me thinking. If it feels to you like bonsai is getting harder, here’s what might be going on. More experts = […]
Three repotting tips
This winter is turning out to be a big repotting year for me. Throughout the season, three themes are guiding the work. 1. Work in Batches To get through as many trees as quickly as I can, I’m repotting in batches. When the trees are young, I’ll prepare the pots, remove the trees from their […]
Highlights from the 41st BABA Exhibition
On January 14-15, 2023, the Bay Area Bonsai Associates held their 41st bonsai exhibition at the Lake Merritt Garden Center in Oakland, California. Here are some of the highlights, starting with the Best Conifer award winner from the Pacific Bonsai Expo. Grafted shimpaku Another tree you might recognize from the Expo is a large Coast […]
Small and medium displays at the Pacific Bonsai Expo
Let’s wrap up our initial tour of the Expo with some examples of medium and shohin displays. Given a standard exhibit space that’s six feet wide, it’s common to fill the area with two or more trees depending on their size. For medium-sized trees under 18″, we expect to see displays featuring two bonsai and […]