Tokoname Bonsai Pots

 Thanks to Bonsai Empire for sharing this great video on 'The Clay Masters of Tokoname.!

Clip attached below.

 The Magic of Bonsai Bark

Just thought I would share some closeup images of bark from some of the most famous Japanese bonsai. 

These images are cropped from pics from our Japan tour in 2016.

Can anyone identify this bonsai pot mark.?

I am having trouble identifying this mark.  The bonsai pot was purchased from the Koreshoff Bonsai Nursery ~45 years ago.

 Pot Quality Upgrade

The Australian Bonsai Gallery is committed to a process of continuous improvement in the overall quality of its exhibits.

These two Pines, one a Black Pine and the other a Red Pine, are part of this process and are deserving of some higher quality and better suited pots. 

The first has been repotted into a quality Kizan pot.  The second is potted in a fine Mazan Terahata pot.

Old Red Pine Bark

 When you see a bonsai like this one and marvel at the beauty of it's bark, what does it invoke.??...... Do you get a feeling of great age, a realisation of how such a simple and imperfect image can have such a satisfying effect on you.???

Your thoughts ...............

Old Azalea - Spring Shaping & Pruning

 This very old Azalea - Alba magnifica would have to be, conservatively, ~120 yrs old.  It was an 'urban yamadori' I dug over 40yrs ago from a very old garden.

It spent many years in our field beds recovering and being reduced to the height it is today.

Against all advise I potted it in Akadama, not Kanuma.  It is doing really well and it flowers profusely. !!!!  Pure white.

 Swamp cypress Forest Root Pruned

Just root pruned and re-composed this old Swamp cypress forest planting. Massive job to root prune as it had been on this rock slab for more than five years.

I always use a high proportion of Japanese Akadama in my Swamp cypress potting mix particularly with a rock planting.... No need for a tray of water under the pot if you use the right soil mix.!!!

Final Transformation on Black Pine

Although there is nothing really 'final' in the world of Bonsai, I think that this is the last transformation I will perform on this old Japanese Black Pine.

From 'Windswept' to 'Cascade' has been a few years in the making.  May just let this old tree settle in to it's new form.

 Black Pine Refinement

It is pleasing to see what can be achieved in just a few years.  This Japanese Black Pine has been a 'problem child' for some time now, after being developed from a one year old seedling more than four decades ago.!!

We are finally seeing some real results after pursuing a set program for all of our Japanese Black and Red Pines.  The program is deceptively simple and satisfyingly successful after so many years of trying a plethora of 'text book' techniques.!!

The Program Summary, pictured below, is part of a Black Pine Development & Refinement presentation on our website.  Link HERE. 

It has taken many years to settle on a simple and effective refinement program for the pines in the gallery collection.  We are more than comfortable in sharing this program as we know that it works.!!

Hotoke - 仏 - Buddha's Knee

This is the transforation of 'Hotoke';  an old Japanese Black Pine (mikawa).  It was named by it's previous owner (Ian Hearn) as 'Buddhas Knee'.

Originally styled as a 'Literati', I reversed the front, bent the apex forward and styled it as a Moyogi - 'migi katte'.

Please excuse the very long needles; two wet growing seasons have set back my needle reduction plans.!!

Lots of refinement ahead of it.!!!!

It is potten in a very nice Chinese ZhengLiang pot.