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As the second flush has hardened off it is time for the most important work on 'Two Flush' pines. If this work is neglected then your bonsai is 'terminal'...... not necessarily dead, but it will be doomed to become leggy or will require un-necessary Spring pruning resulting in masses of buds from the one point on extended branches.
We are currently holding Autumn Workshops with a focus on this work.
Scroll down for a short clip with some detail of the required work.
I thought it was about time I waded into the 'deep end' of the Bonsai Soil Mix debate.
We are constantly asked about our bonsai soil mix so I thought I would share my mix ingredients with you.
The health and vigor of the bonsai at The Australian Bonsai Gallery attest to the success of our bonsai soil mixes.
There are no tricky, hard to get ingredients here; most are readily available.
The following image is a sample tray we have set up for our Bonsai Workshop students.
We have just completed an intensive, two day, one-on-one workshop at the gallery.
Apart from some re-styling of a large Swamp cypress and a very nice Chinese elm, a great deal of time was spent on the refinement of a number of Japanese Black Pines.
We love our 'one-on-one' workshop format as it allows us to better advance a student quickly. Information overload is always a possibility so we spend the evenings going over the critical points of the days work.
This works very well and allows students to take key notes, for their records.
Many more workshops this month so if you would like to lock in a workshop date(s) please contact us HERE. ..... or contact us on 0417 655 247.
Another great day in the Bonsai Gallery working on one of the best quality bonsai I have ever worked on.
We aquired this bonsai from the collection of Ian Hearn 2 years ago. This 'Mikawa' variaty of the Japanese Black Pine had been propagated (from Japanese seed), developed and refined by Ian since the early 1970's.
I have noticed, over the past two years, that this variety is very different from the seedling Black Pines I have been developing over the past 4 decades. They have darker green needles, very dense foliage with lots of adventitious budding; but the standout feature of this variety is it's rough bark that builds up into thick layers.
Looking forward to many years of work with this one.!!
I could only describe this Japanese Black Pine as an 'Elephants Foot'.!! The base on this bonsai is so huge.!!
I have no idea what I did wrong with this one as it is one of the first group of seedlings I purchased many decades ago that I planted in our first field beds. All seedlings were treated the same but this one just went crazy developing this unsightly base.
I am at a loss as to how to correct this anomaly so, at this point in it's development, I have decided to simply go with it.!!
After a few years of neglect it has just been cleaned up, needle plucked, bud selected, and wired.
Note: Once this seasons needles have hardened off it is the best time for working on refining your Japanese Black and Red Pines. We are holding a number of Workshops in the gallery over the next few months with a focus on this work.
If you are interested in a 'one-on-one' workshop at the Australian Bonsai Gallery, then have a look at our Course Outline HERE.
Before ----------------- After
Kenrokuen (兼六園) in Kanazawa is justifiably classified as one of Japan's three most beautiful landscape gardens. The Niwaki within this very large garden, over 11 hectares, are sublime. Massive Kuro Matsu shaped as finely as any bonsai.
Well worth the visit on your next trip to Japan.
They are a common occurrence on Swamp cypress in their native habitat but rarely seen on bonsai.
The Australian Bonsai Gallery is offering a number of Bonsai Workshops for Beginner, Intermediate and Advanced levels.
All of our Bonsai Workshops are held in The Australian Bonsai Gallery among our collection developed over the last 46 years.
All workshops are 'one-on-one' private tuition sessions and are held over one day, from 10:00am till 4:00pm, at a cost of $250.
Click here for more information and 'Sign-up' details
Shinrin Yoku 森林浴 - Swamp Cypress GroupIt is always a pleasure to show visitors through The Australian Bonsai Gallery; and yesterday was no exception. Three fellows from very diverse vocations spent 11/2 hours exploring the finer points of the art of bonsai.
Today, to my delight, I received a very complementary email from one of the visitors, Gary Dodd, a self-taught, self-published Australian free-style poet, who sent us a delightful poem that focused mainly of our Swamp cypress forest planting. A copy is here for our enjoyment:-
As
you
look around.
You are
stopped
in your tracks.
By the majesty
of
the trees.
And
even though,
they are
miniature
in size.
They are
a true reflection
of life.
They also project
the majesty
of their creation.
Lovingly
nurtured
for hours,
days,
months
and
years.
Living
many hundreds,
if not
thousands
of years.
These Bonsai trees
capture
your imagination,
your visual senses,
your emotional connection
to a forest.
For they
have been
carefully crafted.
To create
something
profound,
yet simple,
striking
yet open,
breathtaking
yet inviting.
The profession
of
Bonsai trees.
Brings out
the best
in the people
who nurture them.
And touch
the souls,
the hearts,
and
the minds
of the people
everywhere.
They also
prove
the saying.
‘That good things
come
in small packages.’
Care
and attention
is
everything.
And
that love
and passion
can be seen
everywhere.
Thank you
to
Sakura Bonsai Gallery.
For
the privilege,
the honour,
the pleasure,
of
seeing
and
experiencing
your treasures.
Gary Dodd
16 January 2022
http://www.garydodd.com
We are kicking off 2022 with a couple of Gallery Collection bonsai, discounted for sale.
As with all of our bonsai, these trees are high quality and are in excellent quality pots.
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