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Japanese Black Pine decandling and prep for styling
Timing and detail are everything when we deal with the Japanese Black Pine. And here comes a confession. Up til now, I haven’t supported the Japanese Black Pine for Shohin bonsai in Northern Europe, because the climate makes it really difficult to grow them healthy.…
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Satsuki Azalea flower on display
It´s flower time for Satsuki Azalea. This season two of them are showing changing colors. Usually, all flowers are white but some branches are more or less stepping back to a stronger genetic. Pots are Japanese, and accent pots are by the hands of Elsebeth…
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Cascade and semi-cascade bonsai and Azalea flower mutation
Cascade and semi-cascade bonsai are excellent styles for Shohin bonsai displays. cascade and semi-cascade add the possibility to elevate trees within the display area adding tension and balance. Both coniferous, deciduous, and even flowering species are all suitable for these styles but also have to…
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Summer drought in Mame bonsai depth
At the moment the sun is shining unstoppably from a clear sky and the heat is on. No rain in sight making it one of the driest periods in many seasons. The national weather office measures this in the top layer of the soil here…
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Kusamono and shitakusa for a summer play
It´s almost summertime and out of season for most bonsai collections. Therefore it’s time for some playing around with shitakusa and kusamono. Shitakusa is the softwood plant used to accompany a bonsai or part of a Shohin bonsai display. Kusamono is composed to be the…
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New Tokonoma in the studio
For a few years now a garden Tokonoma has been established in the Kisetsu-en bonsai garden. I always dreamed about having an indoor Tokonoma as well to display bonsai all year around. Our house isn’t that big though so it was first when my wife…
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Dragon Bonsai shohin workshop
Photos: Ming Moreland Thanks to everybody who attended the sold-out shohin workshop at Dragon Bonsai this weekend. Already rescheduled for next year and sold out within minutes plus reservations. Started with a talk about seasonal growth and how to get the best growth on shohin…
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18 years of a Japanese maple shohin bonsai
One of the most asked questions I get when presenting a mature Shohin bonsai is: “Is that always grown in a small pot”? The answer is yes. Because all small shohin bonsai need to stay in a narrow space to develop roots that do not…
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Bonsai mornings at Kisetsu-en
Although spring is busy for all bonsai pros and enthusiasts, repotting, starting up watering for real and controlling spring growth, there are still no excuses for not enjoying new growth and the shift from dormancy to life. Spring is here to be enjoyed. The regular routine here…
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Bonsai soil – avoid drainage layers
There is a well-settled myth in bonsai that is one of the hardest to kill. The use of so-called “drainage layers”. Drainage layer is a no go because it has the opposite effect as it is supposed to. The idea may seem logical and clear,…
