With small bonsai display, the focus tends to be on the arrangement of elements as much as on the individual trees themselves. The great challenge, then, isn’t just developing trees that work on a small scale, but in having enough different trees from which selections can be mixed and matched to create compelling displays. Easier […]
Shohin
2018 California Shohin Seminar – selections from the exhibit
This past weekend the California Shohin Society hosted the 16th Biennial Shohin Seminar in Santa Nella, California. The event was a huge success. It revolves around a full day of workshops and features demos, a large vendor area and an exhibit of small-sized bonsai. Below is a selection of the trees on display in the exhibit. […]
Koju-en shohin bonsai nursery
I recently returned from a trip to Japan for the World Bonsai Convention. Before getting to the show, I was able to visit a number of bonsai and satsuki nurseries that were new to me. The first of these was Koju-en. Koju-en Koju-en is a Kyoto bonsai nursery run by Tomohiro Masumi. Masumi is a […]
Pinching spring buds on Japanese maple
Spring is a busy time for keeping after refined Japanese maples. In order to keep internodes short, I pinch new shoots as soon as they emerge. Shohin Japanese maple – 6.5″ tall, 13″ wide Because the buds open at different times, I check this tree daily to see if there are new shoots to pinch. […]
Shohin displays at BIB’s 18th annual exhibit
Two displays at this year’s Bay Island Bonsai exhibit featured mini-sized bonsai. The first used a narrow box stand that held five trees with a semi-cascade bittersweet and accent on the right side. Six-tree shohin display It was great to see such good contrast among the display elements. The tree varieties, foliage character and color, […]