I have been developing this old Ficus for decades.  Finally in it's first bonsai pot.  Lots of refinement to be done now.

This very large, Hachi-Uye, bonsai has just been candle pruned.  Looking forward to the 'second flush' of many smaller candles.

I have been working on this trident maple from a cutting struck in the early 80's.  It should be more advanced, by now, but it has been a victim of my limited time.  It is finally getting some attention.  The final stage of (initial) development is to thicken the lower branch with these sacrificial growth.  The rest of the tree is being refined and the leaves and inter-nodes are reducing nicely.  See what is for sale in the Gallery Bonsai For Sale.

Just completed some initial 're-design' on this old Sequoia.  I started this bonsai as 'tube stock' from a local nursery in the late 70's.  It was field grown for a few years and spend ~5yrs in a large training pot before finally beint transfered to a bonsai pot.

The bonsai is shown here with one of the cuttings I took from this bonsai ~19yrs ago.  The 'cutting' has been in our garden for ~18yrs.  Quite a contrast!

This old Atlantic Cedar wa a 'swap' for one of my old Swamp Cypress some years ago.  I wanted to break up the very long-straight trunk and also to show off more of the dead wood now on the right.  At 105cm high it makes a real impact in the Bonsai Gallery here in Dorrigo. 

This old Trident Maple was grown from a cutting I struck more than 38yrs ago.  It was field grown to develop the nebari and trunk width.

I have just shortened the tree by ~17cm to maintain the focus on the nebari and trunk.  I need to reduce the leaf size so lots of pinching throughout the growing season is mandatory.   More buds, more branches, smaller leaves.

Resukyū  (レスキュー ) has been 're-worked' today.  Took me all day to needle pluck, bud select, and re-shape this White Pine.

SHUNKA-EN bonsai Museum offers us all the opportunity to study with Kobayashi San through his generosity in welcoming international apprentices.  The following is an extract from his website:

"As we believe the apprenticeship system in traditional manner is the best way to learn Bonsai, we offer chances for anybody to join us if you are really serious about Bonsai.  Here we accept people not as a guest nor as a student, but as one of our member.
This means while we do our own business, you have to learn by yourself through observing us, doing as we do, eating, sleeping, and working together with us. We recommend you to stay at least 1 month but shorter term is also acceptable.
The cost would be 5,000JPY per day or 100,000JPY per month, including accomondations and 3 meals per day. You'll work with Kunio Kobayashi and his apprentices everyday, and get certificate at the end."

Anyone can apply; you are then INVITED to join as a member !!...... We can all do this if we wish!!!

Shunka-en apprentices we talked to in 2016

 Time to repot some very pot-bound Taxodium.  Very fast growing roots require me to repot frequently.  I don't fertilise these bonsai very much at all.  They DO NOT need a tray of water under the pot; many will disagree but I have been growing Taxodium for 40+ years without water trays.

This post is a slight departure from my usual news items.  It raises the issue of Sensitive Design in bonsai.

The following image was taken in 2016 on our tour of the Omiya Bonsai Village.  This bonsai is one of Yamada san's finest bonsai.  As you can see there are no 'hard' foliage pads with 'spirit level' clipped bases; just soft, sensitive foliage.... so natural.

Another beautiful example comes from Kobayoshi san.  The second image here, one that Mr Kobayashi is justifiably proud of, demonstrates the beauty of this 'sensitive design'. Please excuse the image of the very nervous 'gaijin' in this image.

This sensitivity in design requires an understanding and 'deep knowledge' rarely seen in the world of bonsai.  Not sure if I will live long enough to achieve such a level.