Mr. Moriyama is prominent among Nagoya bonsai collectors for good reason. He has an outstanding collection and he is a great supporter of both local and regional bonsai events, his trees featuring in at least five of the exhibits I visited last fall. At home, these trees are crowded into a beautiful garden setting. If […]
Japan
Mr. Kita’s bonsai
Last fall’s visit to Mr. Kita’s bonsai collection was a real treat – I can only imagine how nice it would be to see such a scene in one’s own backyard. Boon Manakitivipart, a white pine, and Peter Tea A towering hornbeam Few gardens include large Chojubai like the specimen below. Japanese quince ‘Chojubai’ Kita’s […]
Mr. Kita’s junipers
On our way to visit Ishii’s nursery last fall, Akio Kondo took Boon, Peter and myself to visit one of his customers – Mr. Kita. Kita has a small, but impressive, bonsai collection. Trees like the juniper below. Large shimpaku Impressive, yes, but was this the front? The other side, too, has great features. The […]
Beech – on top of the mountain
As we approached the pass near the top of White Mountain Forest Road, the flora signaled a change in elevation – fir gave way to pine, maples to beech. Maples added golden hues to beech-covered hillsides until they dropped away, leaving the silvery-bronze beech and a scattering of white pines. I found the beech impressive […]
Fall Color in Central Japan
Just a few days into my visit to Japan last year, our host, Mr. Oomura, took me and Boon on a drive to see trees in fall color. The season had yet to hit the lower elevations, so we got in the car and drove several hours from Shimpukuji Temple to traverse the White Mountain […]