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EL TIM

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EDITORIAL

Bonsai Focus

5

Who we are Publisher Bonsai Europe Publications Houtrustweg 96, 2566 GJ The Hague The Netherlands Europe: Tel.: +31 (0)85 90 20 900 Office hours: 9am - 5pm (CET) USA: Tel.:(+1) 703-738-9965 Office hours: 9am - 5pm (East Coast) E-mail: [email protected] Website:

Team work

www.bonsaifocus.com

In bonsai, as in art, ego can sometimes be

a stigma of being difficult and not suit-

an issue. Understandable, a bonsai artist's

able to style in different ways, just for the

Farrand Bloch

life is not always a bed of roses and many

flowering. Try to look beyond those flow-

[email protected]

others make a claim for fame, too. The

ers and let Osamu Fukudate convince you

Galician El Tim is something completely

that the satsuki is, indeed, great material

English edition: Ann Scutcher

different, however. The group, consist-

with which to do creative stuff.

French edition: Patrick Bosc, Mat-

ing of Alberto, Leo and Luis,

Chief Editor:

Editorial staff:

thieu Mavridis German edition: Jörg Derlien

work as one organism,

Dutch edition: Hein-Dik Barentsen

joyful together on

Italian edition: Erika Lakin

one tree without

Spanish edition: Ana Ricart Advertising & Marketing: René Rooswinkel [email protected] Subscriptions & Administration: Marja Heijmink [email protected]

A real bonsai friend is the Ficus, strong, flexible and vital, it can even grow indoors if you prefer. You can go wild on

any discussion or bad words.

creative ideas with it,

They don’t mind

as does Florida based

whose tree it is

Jerome Kellerhals.

that is worked

Not sub-tropical, but very native is Harry

on, a good result is

Harrington’s approach to

what counts. Quite Issn UK: 1874 - 6853 Issn US: 1876 - 6137 Price: € 12.95

refining feet with thread and

rare I think.

approach grafting on field maples.

Osamu Fukudate is an upcoming bonsai artist who studied at

Even more native, or local, are the suiseki

the garden of satsuki specialist Kunio

stones found in Britain’s river beds by

Bonsai Europe, world rights reserved. No

Kobayshi. So no wonder his first main

stone hunter Alan Harriman. His mission

part of this publication may be repro-

appearance is with this very same variety.

is to encourage you to go out and find

Though we have already shown some

suisekis for yourself.

stylings of satsukis, the variety still has

Enjoy the read.

© Copyright 2019

duced in any form without the written permission of the publisher. Bonsai Focus has a co-operation with Kinbon magazine, Kyoto, Japan Translations: Peter Warren

Farrand Bloch Chief editor

4

THIS ISSUE

Our Icons

Bonsai Focus

On the cover

Beginner

Beech, Fagus crenata Owner: Dario Mader, (Switzerland).

Video available bonsaifocus.com

Advanced

Scan the code with your phone

Expert

Photo: Bonsai Focus Studio

11 6 News

Various news items, agenda, events

8 Shohin

Morten Albek on shohin juniper

11 Gafu-ten, Kyoto

The best shohin from the Gafu-ten, Kyoto, Japan

16

14 Design sketch

Jan Culek examines the juniper of Drew Warner

16 Keep ideas flowing The pots of Walter Venne

20 Another vision

Chiharu Imai looks back on some of his remarkable works

24 Native bonsai

Angkor Wat inspired Jerome Kellerhals to create a 'root over statue'

20 27 Gallery

A selection of amazing bonsai

35 Raw and too many branches Osamu Fukudate solves the problems of a satsuki azalea

43 Tony's column

51

Tony dives into what is going on in the bonsai scene

44 The show stopper The bonsai passion of Nik Rozman

24

47 Fabulous feet Thread and approach grafting with Harry Harrington

51 The knot of El Tim Team work on a Pinus sylvestris

59 Gallery A selection of amazing bonsai

65 Grown from scratch A growing guide for Malus sieboldii

70 Suiseki Alan Harriman, the stone hunter

73 Part-time 'deshi' Paolo Nastasi travelled to the land of the rising sun

75 The bonsai friend As bonsai, the Ficus is just great

35

6

NEWS

Bonsai alongside famous sculptures When one thinks of art does the word bonsai come to mind? Does this living sculpture and ever-changing play with nature evoke the viewer to both feel and inspire? The trees typically don’t lend themselves to being placed in a museum exhibit alongside a Monet or Picasso. And yet this constantly evolving art that evokes so much from so many deserves a more permanent place of display. During the Milwaukee Bonsai Society's

For more international shows and events visit our website: www.bonsaifocus.com > Events April 7 Expo Bonsai UK Where: Harlington Sports Centre, Pinkwell Lane, Harlington, Middlesex. UB3 1PB Info: Mark Moreland 07850 771201 Email: [email protected]

Board was definitely interested. The bonsai would be on display on a daily basis, in an art facility, alongside traditional sculptures by world famous artists, like Alexander Archipenko, Henry Moore and many more. Three years later the bonsai exhibit at Lynden Sculpture annual exhibition, 2013, a fund raiser for a public bonsai collection was announced. A desire for such a collection had existed for several years, but this was the first concentrated effort to making it a reality. In Milwaukee (suburb of Wisconsin) there is no current permanent collection, nor was there a place to put one. However, over the next few months the local bonsai community took a huge leap of faith and raised a substantial amount of money toward establishing such a collection.

Garden opened its gates. Almost two hundred people, a mixture of bonsai enthusiasts and art lovers, attended the Grand Opening of the new bonsai exhibit.

April 11 – 14. Bonsai on the Bayou The Lone Star Bonsai Federation and American Bonsai Society’s Annual Convention, featuring Ryan Neil, Boon Manakitivipart, Will Baddeley, Enrique Castaño, Danny Coffey, Mike Serant. Where: Houston Marriott Westchase, 2900 Briar Park Drive, Houston, TX 77042 Info: www.facebook.com/HoustonBonsai/

May 10 – 12 EBA Annual Congress A special exhibition was arranged for the World Bonsai Day 2018. The members of the Milwaukee Bonsai Society had been extremely supportive of the efforts to establish the collection. The idea was to give them the opportunity to show their bonsai at Lynden. Bonsai artist Jennifer Price selected nineteen of the trees to be

In association with French Federation of Bonsai. Where: Albi, near Toulouse, Southern France Info: [email protected]

May 18 – 26 The 8th Satsuki Bonsai Festival A unique exhibition of the extraordinary satsuki azaleas, of the Satsuki Bonsai Association of Kanuma (Japan). Where: Crespi Bonsai, Parabiago (Milan), Italy Info: www.crespibonsai.com

included in the exhibit. Jennifer presented discuss each tree within the exhibit.

September 13 – 15. 13th International Bonsai & Suiseki Meeting - Crespi Cup, 2019 Bonsai, suiseki and pots of an exceptionally

The Lynden Sculpture Garden can serve

high-level. Exceptional guests: Master Shinji Suzuki, and Master Sadamitsu Kataoka. Where: Crespi Bonsai, Parabiago (Milan), Italy. Info: www.crespicup.it

a small demo along with a guided tour to

as a template for other exhibitions to While the fund raising was underway, possible locations were researched. One location, The Lynden Sculpture Garden, was the most intriguing possibility. A proposal was made to the Lynden Board of Directors: Bonsai is the art of Living Sculpture and epitomizes the Lynden slogan: 'Where Art Meets Nature'. Would you be interested in serving as the location for a public bonsai exhibit? The

emulate, where art can meet nature and bonsai, that ever-changing art form, will continue to grow. Info: www.lyndensculpturegarden.org

October 12-13 The 7th European Bonsai San Show Guest of honour: Mauro Stemberger. Demos: Bjorn Bjorholm, Jan Culek, Mauro Stemberger. Where: Parc des Expositions, Saulieu 21210, France. Info: www.europeanbonsai-san-show.com

NEWS

Bonsai Focus

7

European bonsai dinosaurs at Bonsai Generation, 2019 No, it's not a new Western being announced here, but a daring initiative by Michael Tran, the Generation Bonsai event, 2019. This year he has a very special set up, he has invited all the good 'oldies' of bonsai to gather so that the audience can lavish praise on their mature experience and expertise. It's like opening a very expensive, fine old wine. Sit back and enjoy all the good taste and flavour. Guest lecturers are Walter Pall, Luis Balino, Jorge Campos, Peter Krebs, Danny Use, Luis Vallejo and last, but not least, Serge Clémence. Similarities to the legendary movie, The Magnificent Seven are quite evident. There will be simultaneous demos and workshops during the weekend of May 11 - 12, 2019. More info: Michael Tran +49 176 20778488 Minoru Bonsai, Alter Bammentaler Weg 10, 69151 Neckargemünd, Germany.

7th edition of Saulieu The European Bonsai San Show, in short Saulieu 2019, will take place again in October from 12 – 13th, down in, yes, Saulieu France. Same place, same venue, with guest of honour, Mauro Stemberger's amazing collection on display at the 7th edition of this grand show. Then there's a demo with Bjorn Bjorholm. Jan Culek will be showing his skills, as well as Mauro who will also be giving an amazing demo.

The European Bonsai San Show, Parc des Exposition, Saulieu, France

Japanese love American pots By Jonas Dupuich (bonsaitonight.com) It was fantastic to visit a ceramics competition in Japan and to see Roy Minarai of Kawauso Pottery recognized for his work. Roy took second in the glazed category for this year's pottery competition at the 2019 Gafu-ten exhibit held in Kyoto, Japan. Roy entered three pots, a blue glazed mokko, a green oval and a red square. It’s quite an accomplishment for any potter, let alone one who started making pots just a few years ago. We congratulate Roy Minarai on this amazing achievement.

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SHOHIN

Bonsai Focus

Juniperus chinensis Morten Albek styles a shohin from raw material Text and photography: Morten Albek and Bonsai Empire

Juniperus chinensis itoigawa variety is a type of raw bonsai material often found at bonsai nurseries and shops. These trees tend to show little variation, or interest regarding form and movement. This tree, however, does show some very interesting design possibilities that will make it stand out from the crowd once developed further

Analysing the tree Let’s look at the good points in this tree. It shows very healthy growth with fresh new tips. Another good point is that there

At times no-one will see what you see. I felt it had some great features with its pre-worked deadwood and plenty of healthy growth to work with. Previous work is not overdone, so room left to make some personal styling and improvements

is no stressed juvenile foliage. Often shown as sticky needles, separating it from the soft typical kind of scale growth of this variety, a sign of either a weak tree, or a tree that has been pruned to rigid. Inside dense foliage, it is natural to discover weaker growth, shaded out by dense foliage. Therefore, it is time to open up and let in light, forcing new growth further back to keep the tree small and within shohin size, meaning that it must not exceed 20 cm in height measured from the rim of the pot. Nothing is perfect and imperfections are an important part of bonsai design, so let the trees look natural. Imperfections are the small details, where a branch has a sudden movement or break, making it look natural and less obviously formed by human hand. Such small details make a tree interesting.

Negative points, also important to look for, is the slight inverse tapering at the base of the tree. Natural looking trees show a tapering from the base towards the top. Inverse tapering is difficult to correct. In this case, I find the fault less dominant and roots replaced at the future repotting will make up for some of it. Deadwood work in the future will help overcome some of this, too

Above: Lifting the tree from the pot shows a very healthy root ball; also a root growth that claims repotting soon. Below: characteristic branch

SHOHIN

Bonsai Focus

9

Remove any small, weak growth placed in the inner parts of the tree

Selecting branches When cutting away any thick branches, First job to do is cleaning up

consider the possibility of turning these into jins (dead branches stripped of bark). Or cut them at the base. Unlike many

“

deciduous trees, juniper branches don't heal over the scars to completely cover

Oddly placed, or obviously unnecessary branches, are also removed, leaving a good number of short and long clean branches with foliage at the ends

The thick branch pointing towards you has been made into a jin

a wound. Junipers often draw back sap a little before growing callus, leaving the wound open. Have this in mind when you are cutting any larger branches.

Embrace the imperfections that make your tree look natural

Left: Aluminium wire is used to wire the many branches. Right: the main branch needs only to be wired at the tip

Wiring Wire is not removed before it bites slightly into the branch, because juniper branches won't hold position if they aren't beginning to swell around the wire. This is a delicate technique and branches have to be observed closely during the growing season to remove the wire as soon as thickening occurs. Waiting too long will make scars difficult to grow over. Removing wire too soon might result in the branch not staying in the desired position. If so, rewire the branch applying wire in the opposite direction of the first wiring, and give it another go.

10

SHOHIN

The main branch is given fan-shaped foliage pads

Bonsai Focus

Detail work is essential with shohin

Branch placement When I am shaping branches I ensure I leave enough foliage to cover the design solutions I take. Leaving a little more than necessary at the first initial styling also secures enough energy production by a good amount of foliage for photosynthesis. This will strengthen the tree and branches will hold the new position faster. When branches show good vigour through growth, they are later shortened more and foliage reduced further.

Before and after

Please compare the juniper before styling and after. Note how all branches are now facing down, just like an old conifer in nature. Branches on old conifers always come down, forced by the weight of snow

The original video lecture is part of the online 'Shohin Bonsai Course' created together with Bonsai Empire This juniper shohin bonsai tutorial is one of 16 lectures featured in Bonsai Empire’s 'Shohin Bonsai Course', in which Morten Albek explains a wide range of bonsai and shohin bonsai techniques. Two lectures can be previewed free at: www.bonsaiempire.com

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Bonsai Focus

Shohin Gafu Ten Juniperus, 22cm x 37cm Pot: Shudei Acer buergerianum, Pot: Ikkou Oval Cotoneaster, Pot: Heian Kosen Rectangle JSB Honorary Presidents Award Mr. Masashi Orihara of Yamato City Kanagawa Prefecture

Pinus thunbergi, 20cm, Pot: Shudei Chirimen Kazura, Pot: Kinyou Acer buergerianum, Pot: Soba Chojubai Kutani, Pot: Ikkou Fortunella Hindisii, Pot: Cochin Juniperus, Pot: Shudei Round Saxifrage, Pot: Oyama Minister of Education Award (Second Place) Mr. Atsushi Onishi of Mitoyo City Kagawa Prefecture

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Bonsai Focus Pinus thunbergi, 20cm Pot: Shudei Fortunella Hindisii Acer buergerianum, Pot: Toufukuji Chojubai quince, Pot: Yusen Gardenia Lapis Lazuli Chirimen Kazura / Trachelospermum asiaticum, Pot: Shukuhou Acorus gramineus, Pot: Kutani Minister of Agriculture award Mr. Ikuo Kawasaki of Toyooka City, Hyogo Pref.

Pinus thunbergi, 20cm, Pot: Shudei Gardenia, Pot: Kozan Rectangle Crataegus, Pot: White Cochin Acer buergerianum, Pot: Shukuhou Fortunella Hindisii Lapis Lazuli Pinus parviflora, Pot: Shudei Ardisia japonica, Pot: Imari

Ministry for Foreign Affairs award Mr. Hajime Suzuki of Machida, Tokyo

13

Bonsai Focus

Pinus thunbergi, 18cm, Pot: Shudei Crataegus, Pot: Toufukuji Acer buergerianum, Pot: Kouzan Chojubai quince Lapis Lazuli Fotunella Hindisii Kutani Ikkou, Pot: Mokko Juniperus, Pot: Shudei Mokko Farfugium japonicum, Pot: Mino

Minister for the Environment award Mr. Shinichi Sotomatsu of Maizuru City, Kyoto

Text and photography: Kinbon, Japan, Bob Ruitenberg

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DESIGN SKETCH

Bonsai Focus

The 'wire' tree Jan Culek sketches options for the juniper of Drew Warner Although it seemed completely wired and styled, this juniper still looks like a wild bush. What it needs is a totally different approach to get it just right. Jan Culek explains

F

or the possible future design of this juniper, I decided to tilt it to the right side. This new position improves the main trunk line and the position of

leans the design to the right. The counter balance branch on the left side should be closer to the trunk to avoid too wide a silhouette and rounded shape to the crown.

the main branches. Optically, the base of

Have your bonsai material judged on its qualities and future potential. The design sketches will help you visualise the potential of your tree.

the tree also gains a little more volume in

As the future pot, I have imagined an

this new position.

unglazed oval or rectangular container.

I would try completely removing the left portion of the foliage and turning it into a

Another option

jin. The left big branch competes with the

There is a second option for this tree that

rest of the tree and for such a small tree

can be considered. This focuses more on

there is too much foliage.

its cultivation and is planted into a much

The trunk would be gradually improved

bigger container. It could even be planted

with the creation of a shari as you will

to grow freely in the field for several years

see in the sketch opposite.

to gain much more volume to the trunk and gradually make a new shari on the

There is an abundance of branches on

trunk. After this, the tree would offer far

the trunk to create the main structure

more design options and features and

of the tree. The biggest most significant

completely new possibilities for creative

branch would create a main branch that

styling.

Details Juniper (Juniperus chinensis 'horizontalis') Owner: Drew Warner (USA) Origin: Kishu shimpaku grafted on to a San Jose juniper Height: 51 cm Estimated age: 25 years

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DESIGN SKETCH

Bonsai Focus

A

B A

B

The tree seen from various sides. Using branch A as the main branch and making branch B into a feature jin

The final design in an oval unglazed pot

The design showing a fine shakan style. Using almost only the right side branches. Branch A cascades gently downward. Branch B has been made into an elegant jin

Want to send your bonsai picture, too? If featured, you are rewarded with the signed original sketch. Send via e-mail a jpeg (minimum size 1mb) of your bonsai. Photographs should be taken against a light background and from all sides. Add in your e-mail a note of the age, height and the variety. Bear in mind that publication can take a long time. Bonsai Focus has the right to make a choice without further notice. The submitted material will not be returned. Send your e-mail and attached jpegs to: [email protected]

16

POTS

Bonsai Focus

Keep ideas flowing... Everything beautiful inspires Walter Venne Text and photography: Walter Venne

For Walter Venne every bonsai exhibition is like a gallery where an artist can exhibit their work. Through such exhibitions Walter's pots have found their way into the hands of many bonsai enthusiasts and Masters

How did it all start? It began via my hobby of bonsai, more than 40 years ago. I had a balcony with my first small apartment, decorated by flower pots with acorns and chestnuts. At some point they started to germinate, so I planted those in other flower pots and if they became too big I'd cut off the top. At that time, I had no knowledge of bonsai. Then you see a bonsai for the first time, are fascinated by it and the spark springs to life. I first went to the library for some information about bonsai. I started collecting everything that looked like a tree. Soon the space on the balcony was swamped by bonsai. I saw an announcement of an exhibition in Heidelberg, at the time, the only bonsai centre in Germany. So I went there and it was like a world trip to me. I stood in a bamboo forest with Japanese stone lanterns, water splashing and bonsai like I've never seen before, nor since, then it became my hobby.

Who was your teacher? I did not have a teacher. I have learned from all the mistakes one can make. The most important thing is patience just as with bonsai. If I had not been such a patient person, I would have given up very quickly.

Why ceramics, what makes it so fascinating? Clay is the oldest material on earth, at some stage everyone has held clay in their hands, or had Plasticine as a child at school. If you have some imagination, you can form something out of it by the simplest means. I think that's where the spark springs from. However, you cannot learn

POTS

Bonsai Focus

everything this way — a little talent and imagination is needed, too.

What is your philosophy on bonsai ceramics? I'm not sure that I can say that I have a philosophy on making bonsai pots. The whole thing just developed in this way. First, because there were no bonsai pots here, then because it's fun, now I cannot stop making them.

“

Do you make your own glazes?

I use finished glazes, but rather like to experiment with then. I run glazes into one another or, with additives, change the way they flow.

I have made pots that look like wood

What do think of the Japanese glazes, tones and shapes? Of course, when I started to make pottery many years ago I copied classic Japanese pots. Now I'm no longer interested in the classical Japanese shapes. I want to carry on in my way and make individual pots. Then I want to make more of my own creations. I've made pots that look like they're made from wood, or rock slabs that appear to be petrified wood, or pots the surface of which look like bronze.

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18

POTS

So I hope that I never run out of ideas and that my customers keep appreciating my work. Of course, I would like to visit Japan, but I don't think it would change my way of working.

What or who inspires you? Plenty of things. I see in nature wood, stones, plants and so on. From these I get ideas for the shapes and the surfaces of the pots. Anything with a beautiful shape inspires me, it can be furniture, works of art, or even cars!

Bonsai Focus

Moulds, slipcasts or hand shaped, which do you prefer? I don’t use any moulds for my pots, but I have some plaster casts of so-called ‘cloud feet’ that are added to the pot and shaped in such way that they don’t have a similarity to the cast.

Can you make a living from your pots?

I do not have to live from making pots. I'm now retired and if I wanted to make money, I would do something completely different. I see myself as a craftsman. For me every bonsai exhibition is like a gallery where the artist exhibits his works. At the start, I made pots for my own use, I didn't think it would become a trade. It's not about earning money, it's a pleasure to me if my pots are well received by the customers.

What do you like about bonsai and making pots for bonsai? Bonsai has always been a little escape from everyday life for me, a way to switch off and come to rest. When I make pots, I love it when I can fully exploit my imagination. I still have a lot of ideas. It does not matter if I cannot sell the pots created through my imagination. I am even happier when I see my pots at exhibitions, or in bonsai magazines.

So how do you see your future as a potter? I'd prefer not to do commissions in the future. I don't like using the calculator and making the same shape and glaze multiple times so that maybe one will suit the customer. It's like a curse, these pots always go wrong, or break. I could spend the same time making much more beautiful pots.

POTS

Bonsai Focus

Bonsai: Walter Pall

Which was the most difficult pot you made? This was a 6-angled pot, a commission from Walter Pall. Speaking of difficult, I do have bonsai myself and what much unnerved me was that you always, had to cover the drainage holes with netting before planting the tree. This netting then started to grow into the root ball. My pots have a grid with small holes at the base. These holes can be used to attach invisible anchoring wires. Another thing I found out is that the grid creates a fine sub-climate for the root ball.

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CASE HISTORY

Bonsai Focus

Another vision Chiharu Imai looks back on some of his remarkable works Text and photography: Kinbon, Japan

Chiharu Imai is a well-known bonsai Master in the west, famed for his sensitivity and excellence of technique. Here he looks back on some of his best work with junipers

1993: Rejuvenating a juniper that had become over grown The strength and power of the lower trunk is the most important feature; sadly the live vein is pretty straight and

After the work and repotting is finished. Height: 88 cm Width: 94 cm Pot: Shidei rectangle The foliage is now much tighter and compact and the powerful trunk much more impressive

rather uninteresting. Before beginning to work on the branches, Mr Imai plans a change of angle. There is now a sense of movement in the trunk. This changes the overall feel of the tree, which is then accentuated by the branch removal and compaction of the remaining branches. The lower right branch before work begins

Before work. Height: 107 cm Width: 104 cm Pot: Japanese rectangle

Front after angle change. There is now movement in the lower trunk

The apex branches before any are removed

The same after branch removal. How to fill the hole again is the challenge

Bonsai Focus

1994: Change of angle and front for a juniper In order to change the front, angle and

“

entire character of a tree dramatically,

CASE HISTORY

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To see the finished image before you start is the key to success

it is essential to not only have the skills to do so, but also artistic vision and the foresight. To see the finished image before you start is the key to success. When you are doing something as dramatic as this transformation, being able to consider if it will fit into a pot at that angle and position is essential as it is important to improve the tree rather than simply come up with a new and radical idea. With this transformation we can clearly see that Mr Imai has the skills to make his vision a reality.

Present front. It appears as if it will be created to become a vertical tree

After compressing the trunk down, the outline of a semi cascade can be seen

Using a ratchet to compress the trunk, the horizontal trunk line is moved down, with a wire pulling it to the lower jin

After the styling and repotting is finished. Pot: Flower shaped Shidei. The initial shape of the material is completely forgotten. An impressive semi cascade has been created

Mr Imai’s vision is somewhat different, a change of front and angle to make a semi cascade

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CASE HISTORY

1994: Juniper The main part of this transformation is to move the jin that is buried deep inside the tree so that it becomes a major part

Bonsai Focus

Front before work begins. The front is not bad in terms of making the most of the trunk, all it needs is to be tightened up

of the design. The jin is not being used to its fullest and to set it free will result

New front. Height: 52 cm Width: 50 cm. Using this as the new front, Mr Imai already has a new idea starting to form in his mind

in a much more impressive tree with even stronger character. Mr Imai uses his skills and technique to do the seemingly impossible.

Another front after a dramatic change. The tenjin pointing upwards brings a whole new character to the tree

To get the tenjin (top jin) to point out, a towel was put into boiling water and then wrapped around the deadwood for thirty seconds. Before the wood has time to cool down, the jin is flexible and can be slowly bent into position and held there with a guy wire. A month later it is possible to remove the wire once tension has been slowly removed to ensure the wood stays in place.

After final styling. Height: 83 cm (this includes the tenjin). Apex and remaining branches are styled and arranged to focus on the trunk. In just a short time, the juniper has been transformed, highlighting Mr Imai’s skills and artistic sense

Chiharu Imai's garden

CASE HISTORY

Bonsai Focus

In the 1944 publication 'Bonsai'

Photographed for the 'Ota Collection Commemorative Album' In 1959

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At the 2nd Sakkafu-ten in 1977 it was awarded the Prime Minister’s award under the care of Mr Hideo Chugun

Evolution of the famous juniper 'Yamato' Here we see Mr Imai using his skills not to transform a tree dramatically, but

not to transform it just for the sake of transformation. This tree, Yamato, has

to continue the natural evolution of a famous masterpiece. With a famous tree such as this it is important to preserve and improve on what has come before,

In 1995, before Mr Imai began to work on the tree. The transformation began here. Height: 72 cm Width: 73 cm

Same after Mr Imai’s work. Height: 69 cm Width: 76 cm Pot: Shidei rectangle

One year after Mr Imai’s work. The results can be seen with the new step in the evolution of a classic bonsai

a long documented history and Mr Imai applies his strict policy of protecting that history with this latest chapter.

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NATIVE BONSAI

Bonsai Focus

Ficus microphylla Angkor Wat inspired Jerome Kellerhals to create a 'root over statue' Text: Jerome Kellerhals, The Bonsai Supply. Photography: David Gordon

Jerome guides you through the techniques of wiring, defoliating, pruning, repotting and maintenance to achieve denser foliage and smaller leaves on a Ficus

T

his green mound Ficus (Ficus microphylla var. crassifolia 'Green Mound' ) has been in training for less than 4 years and has already started to develop some dense branching. I was inspired for this piece by Angkor Wat, a temple complex in Cambodia. Note that the statue is a Terracotta Warrior from Xi’an (China) and not a Buddha. It is very difficult to find a clay Buddha of this size with such detail. With bonsai you sometimes have to improvise a little. In a couple of years, once the statue is covered with roots and has weathered some more, nobody will notice the difference.

All year long So far south in Florida where I am, the trees can develop fairly quickly since we

The Ficus with the statue after wiring and leaf defoliation

have a growing season of about 9 months and it never really gets too cold. This allows us to work on tropical trees pretty much all year long, as well as repotting them all year round. The only challenge we face down here with Ficus are pests such as whiteflies, thrips, and scale, which get very bad in summer. The trees also grow extremely fast, which is nice, but it can be difficult to keep the ramification. A close eye has to be kept on the wire, which must be removed before it cuts into the bark of the tree. For your Ficus to develop fast, it requires a lot of sun, heat, good fertilizer and space to grow. Although the Ficus tolerates poor

CV NATIVE BONSAI

Bonsai Focus

Detail of the top section, the tree is being defoliated. Below: The new foliage develops very quickly

Detail of the roots and statue

25

Born in: Switzerland Married to: Mariannjely Marval Children: Our 3 dogs Education: The Hotel Management School, Switzerland

“

Profession: Bonsai artist and owner of The Bonsai Supply

Into bonsai since: Forever! I was born into bonsai, my Mom used to live in Japan and she studied bonsai and taught me

Favourite species:

Detail of the wiring, carried out with aluminium wire

Sea hibiscus, European olive, pomegranate, vitex, ficus, and Chinese pistachio

With bonsai you sometimes have to improvise The result so far. Further refinement and developing dense foliage is the next stage

growing and light conditions, they do so much better when properly grown in full sun. To achieve a dense canopy with smaller leaves, the following steps need to be taken:

Wiring Green mound Ficus (Ficus microphylla var. crassifolia 'Green Mound'), in particular, is a very forgiving and vigorous species for bonsai. It can be wired multiple times a year. During the growing season we have to keep a close eye on the wire that was applied to the branches as it cuts into the bark fairly quickly, sometimes even in just 2-3 weeks!

Pruning and defoliating A Ficus responds well to pruning as well

26

NATIVE BONSAI

as directional pruning. Since the leaves grow alternately, they can often be trimmed back to achieve a denser canopy. One of the most common ways to obtain a dense canopy is to defoliate the Ficus. In Florida we defoliate ours 2-3 times a year. Each time a Ficus is defoliated, it promotes new branch growth (particularly in inner and lower branches), back budding and smaller leaf growth. Please keep in mind that it is important to leave your tree in the shade for a couple of days following defoliation since, without leaves, the sun may burn the newly-exposed branches. And remember, a bonsai without any leaves requires less water.

Repotting and maintenance A Ficus is typically repotted every year, especially in tropical climates. As the tree becomes more developed, less repotting is needed. A Ficus that's planted into a shallower pot actually permits a wider and more dramatic root spread. The Ficus seen here was in a deep growing pot for the first two years to allow it to attach itself to the statue. The initial cut of the trunk was made about two years ago and the development began in a shallower pot to gain that wide root spread. To maintain your Ficus shape, let it grow in spring until the spring foliage is hardened, then defoliation can be done. Typically, I don’t start to fertilize until the spring growth has hardened. In summer I keep a close eye on my tree and make sure that I don’t allow it to grow too much. I keep it well-trimmed and make sure the tree is kept well-watered during its growing months. I then ease off in the autumn and winter. I usually do not allow my Ficus to fruit as

Bonsai Focus this, again, will slow down the growth of the tree since all its energy goes into producing the fruit. Another Ficus creation planted on rock. Below: Detail of the roots growing over the rock

The tree a couple of weeks after defoliation

Smaller leaves To acquire small leaves, they can be cut in half and shrunk to half the size. However, this technique should not be practiced until the tree has all its branches in place as this slows down growth tremendously. You can also reduce the size of the leaves by defoliating and the leaves will become smaller over time!

GALLERY

Photos: Bonsai Focus Studio

Bonsai Focus

Fagus crenata Guillaume Godderis Pot: Tokoname

27

Photos: Bonsai Focus Studio

Carpinus coreana Jean-Paul Polmans Pot: Bryan Albright

29

Bonsai Focus

Pinus uncinata Jose Luis Crespo Almanjano Pot: Tokoname

Pinus pentaphylla Matteo Dal Lago Pot: Tokoname

30

Bonsai Focus

Quercus robur Manuel Otero Abril

Buxus sempervirens François Gau

31

Photos: Bonsai Focus Studio

Bonsai Focus

Crataegus monogyna Warren Radford Pot: Koyo

Pinus sylvestris Xavier Massanet Pot: Tokoname

32

Photos: Bonsai Focus Studio

Bonsai Focus

Quercus pubescent Nicola crivelli

Juniperus rigida Alexandre Escudero Pot: China Ikko

33

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34

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Bonsai Focus

Raw Bonsai Focus

STYLING

35

...and too many branches

Solving the problems on a satsuki azalea

Text and photography: Kinbon, Japan

Osamu Fukudate’s (Shunkaen Bonsai Museum) first entry into the Sakkafu-ten received the Satsuki award. He also won recognition from the judges at the 43rd Nippon Bonsai Sakkafu-ten. As a result, he now has the opportunity to show off his skills here

O

samu Fukudate has prepared a field grown 'Satsuma-beni' multi-trunk tree. It is a very raw piece of material, which needs starting from scratch, giving us great insight into his skills and vision for the future. Around the back of the current front there is a section that has died off and some dead patches can be seen on the trunk. He will start by considering the front and planting angle.

Osamu Fukudate

How to style the tree? First of all, he starts by examining the front. He looks at the movement in the branches and either side could well be considered as the front; however, looking at what is likely to be the most important branch on the tree, it is clear that there are areas of damage and deadwood at the base. Osamu: 'It has begun to callus over and the dieback has stopped, so it will be okay to use it. Satsuma-beni is a very vigorous species.' As a result, the movement of the branch will decide the front. What was a clump-style tree will become a windswept style tree, with a dramatic change of angle. 'The trunk lines do not lend themselves to becoming a standard shaped tree, so it would be impossible to force it that way. The best character this tree has is the natural movement in the branches, so this will be the best way of maximising that character. I think it best to create the windswept style.' There appears to be a number of quite unnecessary branches and they will need to be removed, but first, some of the finer branches need to be thinned out so the

Material: Satsuma-beni. Before work. Height: 70 cm Width: 112 cm

36

CV

STYLING

The lower trunk peeking through. The movement and flow of what will be the main trunk is not bad

Bonsai Focus

In order to make the lower trunk easier to see, the really obvious branches are removed

Osamu Fukudate Born in: The Prefecture of Iwate. He is now 38 years old.

His bonsai story: He developed

“

Looking at the lower trunk from the back, the trunk with the best movement unfortunately has some damage in the base, but every effort will be taken to use it

By removing crossing branches and those getting in the way, the movement of the trunk and branches can be seen

The movement of that branch will decide the front. main structure can be seen. We asked Osamu to leave some of the unnecessary branches on the tree so we can discuss their removal and take photographs. 'I understand,' says Osamu as he starts to work.

Change of angle In order to create the windswept feel the tree is tipped over quite dramatically towards the right-hand side. By doing this and inclining slightly towards the front, that image is clear to see.

The tree is tipped to the right side

a love for bonsai and while having a part time job he would grow and work on many trees, especially junipers. He really started his bonsai activities in earnest six years ago when he became the apprentice of Mr Kunio Kobayashi, who describes him as being 'overly serious'. All the trees Osamu Fukudate had been working on during his early years of bonsai were washed away in the tsunami following the great Tohoku Earthquake in 2011. Throughout his apprenticeship he has managed to acquire some trees, which we look forward to seeing as his career progresses.

STYLING 37

Bonsai Focus

Lowering the character branch

“

Front after thinning out branches. A great character branch with movement has been hidden

Mr Fukudate tests the area to be bent by hand to get a feeling for how hard it is

First this area is wrapped in protective raffia

Metal bar is used to bend the satsuki's trunk

Two 6 mm thick aluminium wires are wrapped around the branch

In order to bend the branch down, a metal bar is to be used, so the positioning is studied carefully

The area to be bent is grasped firmly and then pulled towards the metal bar

So that there is no damage to the branch, the metal bar is fixed securely to the trunk

The thick branch is very difficult to move. so Osamu Fukudate decides to use a jack

38

STYLING

Bonsai Focus

More has to go As we asked for many of the unnecessary branches to be left in place, there are still many more to be removed, but they have been kept for the time being. The first important job is to lower the character branch. Satsuki are well known to have stiff branches that are very difficult to bend;

however 'I want to bend it to its limits', and so the branch was lowered using the techniques shown. As the branch has a section of deadwood, extra care was taken using raffia, thick aluminium wires doubled up and the metal bar.

Right-hand side after thinning out branches

“

The character branch has been lowered and now accentuates the movement even further. Due to the damage in the branch and the fact that it is nearly impossible to bend old thick branches on satsuki, this is the maximum it can be safely bent

Right-hand side after lowering the character branch

Why wire first and then cut?

After a rough wiring. Mr Fukudate wants to remove some of those unnecessary branches. Which of those branches are to be removed?

To extend our knowledge and to show how to make decisions, some of the branches that will need to be removed have been wired. Let us take a look at which of those are going to be cut off. In order to hide some of them, we asked for unnecessary branches to be wired.

STYLING 39

Bonsai Focus

The first branch to be removed is a thick, straight one which crosses and conceals the main character branch

It is cut off at the base

The front after the thick branch removal. There are still more branches to be taken away

“

After branch removal. The character branch is now far more apparent

Although already wired, some branches obstruct the view of the main trunk Although it has been wired, the branches on the left-hand side are the next to be removed

The lower trunk area is now much easier to see, and the movement to the right is obvious

40

STYLING

Bonsai Focus

The returning branch is turned into a jin

“

The branches on the left-hand side are cut off, but a small section is left

First the area to be turned into jin has the bark removed

The jin is shaped roughly using a pair of branch cutters, then polished up using a rotary carving tool

It now acts as a small accent point on the lower trunk, adding a sense of severity to the tree

It's not common to have jin on a satsuki . . .

The branch that was wired and lifted up goes against the natural flow of the tree and makes it look unbalanced

He decides that the branch lifted towards the left needs to be removed. To check this, it has been hidden by newspaper. It looks better without it After working on the jin, Mr Fukudate shows us even more of his determination

One more branch After creating the jin at the base, Osamu Fukudate tells us, wire cutters in hand, that 'there is one more branch I want to remove'. It is one of the thick branches that previously had been covered in raffia, then wired and lifted. 'I bet you didn’t think it would be one of the branches already covered in raffia and wired before removal,' he says with a laugh. Actually, this is exactly what we wanted him to do, to give us an insight into why branches are removed. With no hesitation, he removes it, once he's given the green light.

Some of the branches on the left are still not quite perfect, but first, it needs to be planted at the correct angle

STYLING

Bonsai Focus

A problem with the roots!

41

The Kurama stone that was prepared for planting the tree

Mr Fukudate starts to work on the root ball by removing the soil carefully. Then, his hands stop; 'in the core of the root ball there is no soil at the base of the trunk. I must root wash this. It will cause extra work, but it's necessary for the health of the tree'

Planting on a rock to accentuate the windswept style

After root washing, Osamu Fukudate shows us a Kurama stone that he previously selected for the tree. As it is crescent shaped, the entire root ball fits neatly into the space. The natural angle it sits at is good and the movement of the character branch is accentuated. There is still something that doesn't sit quite right and as the tree is planted, we see the artistic eye coming to the fore in order to solve the issue

Planting into a crescent rock

Considering the angle after placing it in the rock

It is fixed in the pot and a small chojubai accent planting is placed at the rear left side of the rock

Covering of green moss is used to give a good effect

The balancing branches Mr Fukudate is not happy with the way in which the apex appears to be quite flat.

Some of the branches on the left are removed and the final job is to rearrange the remaining branches

The branches that are growing upwards on the left-hand side are bent backwards and forwards to reduce their height

42 STYLING

Bonsai Focus

After work is finished. Height with stone: 66 cm Width: 102 cm Kurama stone

Empty space accentuates the movement

“

Main branch is the leader of the design

All comes clear once you see the main point If you can see one point, others start to

is understood the unnecessary branches

show themselves. At the end Mr Fukudate

start to become obvious. If I remove this

tells us 'this is what 'Oyakata' (as Kunio

branch, the main one then looks better

Kobayashi is known by his students)

and the windswept feel is accentuated.' It

always tells us, the main point of this tree

is certain that, to create a windswept tree,

is the strong angular movement in the

straight branches and those moving back

main character branch. Making the most

against the flow are quite unnecessary.

out of that branch and bringing out that

The space created on the left side is an

character is the starting point. Once that

essential part of the design.

Seen from right side

Rear side

. . .

Back

Bonsai Focus

COLUMN

43

Raising the potters’ bar beyond Japan By Tony Tickle, assistance of Banquo

I’m sure that I am not alone in having shelves of beautiful pots created by some of the best potters outside the boundaries of Japan, as well as a couple from Japan itself. My collection has generally been bought from potters selling their work at bonsai shows, although several have been very generously gifted to me. And, again like many others, I have fallen into that never-ending circle of acquiring a pot in the hope that one day I will have the perfect tree to sit in it and then having to craft a tree that is worthy of such a beautiful container. And so the collection grows. And grows. To the point where, again like many others, I consider myself to have a 'collection' of pots, just as I have a collection of trees – and even displayed as if the pot were an art object as well. Well, maybe that’s the answer – they are worthy of display on their own, as indeed happens at several shows both inside and outside of Japan. I think we are generally all moving away from the 'any pot will do as long as it’s the right size' mentality that has previously pervaded the UK bonsai scene. We now accept that pot and tree must combine to form an overall aesthetic and, indeed, many shows offer an award for best tree and pot combination to promote this ideal. Being part of the bonsai scene in Europe and latterly worldwide I have observed a growth in talent of bonsai pot makers. In the UK, the home of studio pottery, the increase in quality and availability is phenomenal. So why is it considered more prestigious to use an old Japanese, or Chinese pot when there are potters across Europe whose quality matches the pots that come from Japan? After all, the trees winning accolades and awards at major UK and European shows are as likely, if not more so, to be displayed in a Duffet, a Krebs, a Walsall, a Benda to name a few, as they are an antique, or indeed any form of Japanese pot.

or regional identity in bonsai, then surely that should include having our own potters create the pots as a must? Yes, it might be nice to have a Japanese pot, but is it essential? Surely with the sharp rise of the European potters, Japanese pots are not the sole pinnacle of bonsai pot creation? We only need remember that a mere three years ago, our own Andrew 'Stone Monkey' Pearson won a gold award in the prestigious Gafu-ten show in Japan. Clearly our potters are now supping at the top table. My personal choice when choosing a pot is to have it made specifically for the tree. I value the input and experience that a bonsai potter can bring to the selection and creation process and more often than not, this delivers a more suitable solution for the finished image. I have also been experimenting with planting trees on stone. I am really in favour of this natural look; however, it is difficult to get the right balance between the size and shape of the stone to complement the tree. It also makes for a heavy display. An enormous move forward of late is the emergence of handmade containers that give the appearance of stone and also handmade pots that look similar to stone, but are very abstract in their creation. I like the direction in which this is going, and some of the combinations have been very dramatic. Unsurprisingly, I see a lot of these presentations appearing more frequently in exhibitions worldwide. Such handmade structures have also allowed the creation of tall plantings with small bonsai to give the appearance of a mountain covered with small trees. Such creations would have been far too heavy before the new materials appeared.

A choice of container has for many years been set by Japanese principles and they have been a solid benchmark. That is fair enough. But having a Japanese pot to support your special tree has three major drawbacks in my opinion. First of all, owning such a pot is something that most people simply cannot afford, especially if the pot is antique. Second, finding a Japanese pot is pretty tricky in the first place. There are a number of importers in Europe and the US, but the process of importing adds yet a further cost to the whole affair.

Of course, the bottom line is that the final creation must be harmonious and the image pleasing to the eye. If the artist feels that means a Japanese pot then that is all well and good. However, when it comes to judging in a show being skewed because a particular judge favours Japanese ceramics over local production, I think this is unfair. Consideration has to be given to those unable to have access to or the ability to afford expensive imported old ceramics. Even more so, consideration has to be given to whether the overall aesthetic is correct or whether we are merely pandering to an outdated perception of 'how bonsai should be'.

Third, I’m still surprised that it is considered more valuable to have a Japanese pot to support your tree, even when the tree is native to your own country. If we are to create our own national

Stone Monkey has shown that the UK and European potters’ bar has been raised to the highest level. Why look any further afield?

44

PROFILE

Bonsai Focus

The showstopper The bonsai passion of Nik Rozman Text: Bonsai Focus Studio Photography: Nik Rozman

Nik Rozman has won big prizes at shows with his bonsai, but one of his major achievements so far is winning Best of Show at the recent edition of the Saulieu show with his mugo pine. His aim is to create the ultimate showstopper

What is your profession? With a diploma in landscape architecture, I currently have my own NikArt Bonsai Studio in which I hold workshops and beginner courses. I am also often on the road having been invited for workshops or demonstrations.

How did it all start? Funny enough I’m not really sure how it all started. One day when I was 10 years old I just wanted to have a bonsai, so luckily my parents bought me a Serissa from a garden centre. Then I got another and another and now I have a garden full of bonsai. I know one of my uncles had a few bonsai at one point, but I can’t say I picked it up from him.

Who is, or was, your bonsai teacher? I never had one bonsai teacher to whom I would go to for lectures. A few years after I discovered bonsai I joined the Slovenian bonsai club, of which I am now president. There I visited a number of workshops with Adriano Bonini, Vaclav Novak, Enrico Savini, Hans van Meer, Andrea Melloni and so on. I also tried to absorb as much information from the internet and books as I could and travelled to exhibitions where I would learn from the demos and from the exhibited bonsai. I would say the most important thing I have learned is to never stop trying to improve your skills. And don’t be afraid of trying out new things, even if you fail. It is also important in the learning process to see the varied approaches of as many different bonsai artists as possible.

Do you have plans to go to Japan to become an apprentice to one of the Masters? Do you think that is important? I have had the wish to go to Japan ever since I started with bonsai. Sadly I have not been there yet, but it is one of the first things on my wish list. As for a long-term apprenticeship in Japan, I think it's a bit too late for me now since I would have to leave too much of my life behind. But to go to Japan for just a few months is still an option. I do believe learning from the Japanese Masters would open a whole new world of knowledge, but I don’t believe it is an absolute necessity. There are many world known bonsai Masters who have never studied in Japan.

CV PROFILE

Bonsai Focus

What is your philosophy on bonsai? Always do bonsai for fun or relaxation and never out of necessity. Bonsai takes time so don’t try to rush things. Always be open to new things.

Do you have any other interests or hobbies besides bonsai? I really like walking in nature. Although now that I think about it, it's rarely without my collecting tools. I also like to travel, which is also mainly because of bonsai. So I could say bonsai is just the perfect hobby for me.

45

Nik Rozman Lives in: Kranj, Slovenia Relationship: In a happy relationship for 4

Which trees do you most like to work on? Why?

years now

Education: Landscape architect Profession: Bonsai Into bonsai since: 2001 Favourite species: Difficult to pinpoint

“

I prefer our native species of Slovenia. Sadly Slovenia is not very big, but its nature is diverse so we can find quite a number of different species such as pines, spruce, Prunus mahaleb, larch, hornbeam, beech, hawthorn and so on. I also really love olives, but the climate here in my area is too cold for them.

one species. I like to work with a variety of materials, but if I have to choose, I’d say pines.

Don’t be afraid of trying new things, even if you fail.

every tree is different and has something special about it.

What is your best achievement? My best achievement is one of the most recent when I was awarded a Best in

What is your worst mistake?

Show award at the last Bonsai-San exhibi-

That would be similar to most beginners,

to important bonsai events in China and

rushing things. It's often difficult in your

Do you have a bonsai that is your favourite?

early years of bonsai when you have only

I couldn’t point out one of my bonsai as being my favourite. Maybe I could narrow it down to five, but that is about it. I could never say which is my favourite since

to work on them a lot. So you over-work

a handful of trees and you naturally want

tion in Saulieu, France. Also being invited Brazil is quite high on this list.

Your dream comes true when? . . . I can develop a tree from collecting to exhibiting it in an important exhibition.

them and they die. I have lost quite a few

There is always a special charm when you

of my trees for that reason.

do all the work by yourself unlike some

46

PROFILE

Bonsai Focus trees and take a closer look. Then I know I have achieved my goal. I always try to make every tree a bit special, something that is a little different from other bonsai of the same style.

people who buy expensive trees and then just list their own name as the artist.

Do you favour the Japanese or Western bonsai style? I would say I prefer the Japanese style a little bit more. I like how refined it is. Sometimes Western style strays much too far from original bonsai 'rules' in my opinion and is seen in extravagant and unusual pots. Although I also like how the Western bonsai style is a little more loose and open-minded. So I have found a nice balance somewhere between the two, which suits me most.

Do you see the future of bonsai developing? We can all see how fast bonsai is developing in Europe and most recently in the USA. I think it is only a matter of time before we will catch up with the Japanese since the art in Japan is perhaps already at its peak and has only little room for further improvement. I am really glad that this great art has spread so nicely across the entire world.

What do you want to evoke with your trees? It’s not really that I would like to evoke anything with my bonsai. I just want to make people stop when the walk past my

Bonsai Focus

47

NATIVE BONSAI

Fabulous feet

Thread and approach grafting new roots to improve the nebari: Harry Harrington guides you through Text and photography: Harry Harrington

Many enthusiasts would like to improve the nebari of their bonsai. By using thread grafting and approach grafting techniques this can be easily done A young and pliable branch from either a separate plant, or the bonsai itself, is threaded through, or against, the trunk of the tree. As the shoot grows and fattens, the cambium layers of the branch and the trunk are forced together and eventually a joint or graft is made. Thread and approach grafts can also be used to attach new roots to a bonsai. This technique is most often used to improve the appearance of the nebari (surface root structure) of deciduous trees. Both thread and approach grafting new roots are equally viable techniques and should be seen as techniques that can be used individually or in conjunction with one another.

Preparing a scion for approach grafting new roots The scion, seedling or sapling to be approach grafted needs preparing and shaped in the months prior to grafting. This is necessary so that it will fit into position at the base of the main trunk.

The field maple displaying a total of a dozen approach and thread grafted saplings

Suitable scions can be obtained from seed, cuttings or air-layering.

The risks I believe it's a question of weighing up the risks of both die-back of channel edges as well as the possibility of poor or slow grafting, or the risk of exposing the roots of the seedling during the growing

An Acer campestre (field maple) that has had its roots trained over a rock. Approach and thread grafting saplings will help to increase the number of roots attached to the rock

season. Roots can be and are often approach grafted to many species in early spring; however, I would thoroughly recommend summer grafting for those species with poor callusing characteristics, or species with a tendency to die-back around the edges of wounds. In general, I prefer to carry out all my

A field maple sapling is approach grafted on the left of the tree, and a second sapling is thread grafted on the right

48 NATIVE BONSAI approach grafts during the summer. To minimise any risks to the scions, I ensure that they are root pruned as appropriate during the preceding spring and planted individually into small seed-pots so that the scion can be lifted from its container and planted (and grafted) to the main tree with minimum disturbance.

Bonsai Focus

Separating the newly grafted root The exit or 'top' of the scion will become noticeably thicker than the entry or 'bottom' of the scion. This allows one to determine that the scion has grafted to the trunk. Obviously, it is the base of the scion that

Preparing a scion for thread grafting new roots To thread graft a seedling or sapling into position, the scion will need to be straight and long enough to fit through a hole drilled into the trunk. Otherwise, the preparation and timing is that of approach grafting.

is kept and so the exit or 'top' is removed and dressed almost as though it were simply a low branch being removed. As for newly approach grafted roots on deciduous and broadleaf species, I find that there is a tendency for the scion to produce new buds and shoots for up to 2 years after grafting. These should be removed as and when they appear.

For the majority of approach grafts, the scion should be:

Bent so that there is an 'elbow' in the scion

Example 1: Acer palmatum (Japanese maple)

(a) Bent so that there is an 'elbow' in the scion that can be inserted into the channel in the main trunk (b) The part below the elbow grows into the soil surface at the same angle as the surrounding roots of the main tree. (c) The part above the elbow has room to grow freely allowing it to grow out, away from the trunk and branches of the main tree. (d) It's not essential, but if you have the opportunity, train the roots of the scion to spread as shown in the diagram. (e) Prune the scion roots in the spring before grafting so that they are reasonably compact and can be replanted into the soil of the main tree later on in the year. I would not recommend any root-pruning of the scion at midsummer.

A channel large enough to receive the sapling (scion) was cut into the front of the trunk base of the maple using a sharp knife to cut through bark and cambium layer. I then used a gouge to hollow out a little of the wood underneath it so that the scion would fit snugly. Soil was then

August 2007: After cutting a channel into the trunk base, ready to receive the scion. It is important to use a tree of exactly the same species and variety when approach grafting new roots. In theory, any type of Acer would have successfully grafted, but it was important that an identical variety

was used to ensure that the bark colour and texture would match those roots of the parent tree. It was fortunate that I had a suitable air-layered sapling from the very same tree in my garden that the maple had come from 5 years previously and so I was able to use this.

August 2007: Acer palmatum (Japanese maple)

The newly-grafted scion in place at the base of the maple.

NATIVE BONSAI

Bonsai Focus

49

removed from the area where the scion would be planted and causing as little disturbance possible to the surrounding roots of the main tree. The sapling was inserted into the channel I had made at the base of the maple and was securely fixed into position using a brass screw and aluminium wire staple to ensure it would not be accidentally knocked out of position while it grafted. As with newly approach grafted branches, and having sealed the graft with wound

November 2010: 3 years later and the approach graft had healed sufficiently to remove the upper section above the graft. What had once been a young sapling, was now part of the parent tree

sealant, the scion then needed to grow freely and vigorously until such time as the cambium layers of the scion and main trunk base grafted together.

March 2018: A further 8 years on, the approach graft can be seen in the nebari during the repotting of the parent tree

After repotting into a new bonsai pot (by Victor Harris of Erin Pottery). The base received a total of 4 approach grafts during 2007

Acer palmatum (mountain maple bonsai). Height: 55 cm Trunk diameter above the base: 6 cm Surface root spread: 25 cm

Example 2: Acer campestre (field maple) This Acer campestre started life as a pencil-thin sapling in 2000. It was planted into the ground and allowed to grow freely for 5 years in order to encourage rapid thickening of the trunk.

Spring 2005: After pruning the root system. The newly harvested maple was planted into a nursery container to allow the tree to recover, with a view to carrying out further work on the roots in the following spring.

50 NATIVE BONSAI

Spring 2006: A year later and the tree had recovered well from the previous year's harvesting and root pruning and as is typical with all Acer species, had rooted strongly through the year. Seen from the back of the tree with its surface roots uncovered during repotting. Although there are roots at the back of the trunk, they are too low and new roots are needed at the same elevation as the rest of the nebari

Bonsai Focus

In 2007 I approach grafted a further 4 saplings to the back of the trunk in order to produce completely uniform surface roots around the base of the trunk. It is possible to see a root that has been grafted, but not yet sealed and the tiny brass screw holding the sapling in place while it grafts into position

With all but one of the grafts having taken, I removed all traces of the original saplings and sealed the wounds. On the right of the picture it is possible to see where one of the grafts hadn't been secured tightly enough against the trunk base during the grafting process. It had therefore not successfully taken Spring 2010: 3 years later and the grafts at the back of the trunk have healed well. Having been allowed almost free growth since 2006 to encourage a strong graft union, the graft scions were then pruned back hard in early 2009 to encourage the sap to flow into the main trunk rather than continuing into the top of each grafted sapling

January 2014: Approach grafted roots at the back of the bonsai continue to develop well; however, it will be a number of years before the scars entirely disappear.

The field maple bonsai seen in 2016. Acer campestre (field maple) Height: 35 cm Trunk diameter: 5 cm above the nebari Developed from a sapling since 2001. Pot by Victor Harris of Erin Pottery

MASTERCLASS

Bonsai Focus

The knot of El Tim Text and photography: Farrand Bloch

Like smooth machinery, El Tim (The Team, consisting of Leo, Alberto and Luis) work on amazing material and produce stunning bonsai. Initially, the Scots pine specially donated by Michael Tran's Minoru bonsai, looks like a bunch of tangled branches

El Tim Alberto tends to serve as the spokesman of the group. ‘It all started when we, as friends, wanted to make some very good bonsai and did not yet know our way of achieving this. We come from Galicia, Spain and to ask Masters to visit seemed out of our reach. One of us knew more about the deadwood and another had good sense on styling, so we joined forces and have worked as a team ever since. The team has three main members: Leo Blanco Freire, Luis Vila González and Alberto Baleato Pumar. Each one of us has his specialty. Leo is very good in the styling, Luis is fabulous with the wiring. And me? I mostly do the deadwood. But we all work on the tree together, things just go in a very good flow. It is mainly fun time when we work on trees, but we are very serious in our aim to achieve the best result. For us it's not important who owns

Teamwork on a Pinus sylvestris

The situation just before El Tim begins work

the tree, so long as it's done in the best possible way,' Alberto explains. 'El Tim is a kind of joke; in Spanish it means team and that is what we do, work as a team.'

The Scots pine The first impression is of a tree with very long branches that all seem to droop down from the top. The other problem is that the foliage is only to be found at the tips of these long branches. Then at the base it is quite thick with some stumps that are rough and messy. Evidence of some wire scars shows that the tree has been worked on before and then abandoned. Today El Tim will work on this tree and, bolstered by their team spirit, will give new life to this interesting Scots pine

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MASTERCLASS

Bonsai Focus

The preparative work First we examine the tree closely and then work on cleaning the needles and removing those branches that are really in the way of any good plan.

Old needles are plucked

A

Alberto and Luis work on the preparative tasks: old needle plucking and removal by Luis of a dead branch

Alberto makes a jin of the dead branch

Team work makes things go fast; in no time all major branches are being wrapped tightly in raffia. Extra assistance from Alberto's Dad, Manolo Baleato.

Wiring soon follows, which is carried out at a very fast pace

MASTERCLASS

Bonsai Focus

The plan We want to make an elegant tree. The base is a bit bulky. It has an old branch stump, which we'll reduce in size. Later we can add a shari that runs up the trunk joining the jin at the top.

Side branches come from just two spots The branch made into a jin

A

The result after raffia and the main wires have been applied

The idea is to bend up the left branch (red) and create a top. Then the right branch (blue) will go down further to make a first branch.

A

Almost like an octopus its branches spread out in all directions. It's clearly visible that there are two groups of branches a) and b)

B

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MASTERCLASS

Bonsai Focus

Wet raffia The jin at the base is a bit too dominant, so Alberto uses a chisel to carve it into a smaller jin. 'Later we can add a shari to connect with the jin in the top,' Alberto explains

The situation seen from above

Raffia is essential here for this kind of work, we really need to wrap it tightly around all the branches because we have to bend these long branches in order to create compact foliage pads. It might look a bit strange in the beginning, but in a few years' time the foliage will grow denser, covering the tangled branches.

The earlier needle plucking makes wiring the twigs easy

After a few hours the detail wiring is finished

The big moment of placing the branches in the desired position; a screw is needed to help anchor a guy wire

The first branch is pulled in and downward

Next we wire all the smaller side branches

One of the very long branches is pulled down as far as possible. It will serve as the main branch

The jin serves as an anchor for guy wires

MASTERCLASS

Bonsai Focus

Branches are set into place Bending the branches of the Scots pine is

55

Hold the coil with the pincers and carefully bend the wire

almost limitless; however, when you work in the spring, the sap flow is very strong and so breakage and damage can occur. Ideal time to do this kind of bending is in the dormant period. Raffia helps to

“

reduce the damage. We work a lot with pines and through experience we know the limits.

We give interesting bends to the branch, using a pincers. As you can see the wire is bent, not the branch Detail of the main branch seen from the side

Extreme bending yes, but we know when to stop

This part will be bent to the right

Main branch has been put in position

The jin has been made a little smaller

Branches seem to be tangled

56

Bonsai Focus Alberto adds some more screws. These are needed to get the other branches in position with guy wires

Guy wires The guy wires are used to pull all the branches in position and are essential. Wiring is important, too. You can give movement and bends to the very flexible branches, but placing them in position needs the help of guy wires.

To create a more compact top it is necessary to bend some of the branches in a curl to shorten them. Guy wires are again of great help

Although Scots pines are very flexible some caution is necessary even if the branches are wrapped in raffia

Tightening the guy wire, the branch is then fixed

MASTERCLASS

Bonsai Focus

“

Branch by branch the plan of El Tim comes into being. Leo concentrates on making sure that the branch is in the right position

57

The branches are bent over and entwined, but all according the plan

The three guys work as one organism

Eye for detail is essential, so care is taken that every single pine tip is placed upright

The top branch is being bent into position

The branch is sprayed with water to keep the raffia moist while bending

58

MASTERCLASS

“

Bonsai Focus

The untieable knot is untangled

Seen from the back

Compare the situation before work with this newly-styled tree. A dramatic change

Leo, Alberto and Luis are happy with the result after a few hours' work

The final result. The tree has been slightly tilted to the right to bring the trunk's movement further upward. The pot is a Photoshop montage

GALLERY

Photos: Bonsai Focus Studio

Bonsai Focus

Tilia Pascal Houdusse Pot: Klika & Kuratova

Pinus parviflora Tomas Bustamente Pot: Gyouzan

Pinus sylvestris Alexandre Wemaere Pot: China

59

Photos: Bonsai Focus Studio

Pinus uncinata Juan Linares Pot: Carles Vives

Forsythia intermedia Bernd Lang Pot: Klika & Kuratkova

Photos: Bonsai Focus Studio

Bonsai Focus

Quercus ilex Salvatore Liporace Pot: Bryan Albright

GALLERY

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62

Photos: Bonsai Focus Studio

Bonsai Focus

Olea sylvestris Jorge Campos Pot: China

Pseudo cydonia German Gomez Soler Pot: Antique Tokoname

GALLERY

Bonsai Focus

Pinus parviflora Bruno Heller Pot: Tokoname

Juniperus sabina Luis Vila Pot: Yixing

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64

Photos: Bonsai Focus Studio

Bonsai Focus

Picea jezoensis Danny Use Pot: Tokoname

Juniperus chinensis Russ Farley Pot: Walsall Ceramics

Bonsai Focus

65

TECHNIQUE

Malus sieboldii The challenge is to create a finished tree starting from scratch

Text: Kinbon, Japan. Illustrations: Kiyosuke Gun

In this series we look at creating bonsai from cuttings, grafting and other methods using interesting and unusual species. With the help of illustrations, we will see how to take a piece of material through to completion

Malus sieboldii, or Toringo crab apple, is a

Years 1 - 4

member of the apple family, a deciduous tree that can be found growing throughout

Flower formation

Flowers are white when they open

They are pink when they are still flower buds

Japan. Botanically speaking, 'Miyama Kaido' is the

4 - 8 flowers form at the end of short branches

same, the difference lies in the colour of the fruit, either red or yellow. In the world of bonsai, yellow

Shape of flower 1 - 1.5 cm

fruiting trees are called 'Zumi', red fruiting trees are known as Miyama Kaido'; these names can, however, be interchanged. Historically any tree, including Zumi, with yellow

5 rounded petals

fruit has always been highly prized within the bonsai world, with many people appreciating the brilliantly coloured fruit. In the case of Zumi, they are best viewed from December after the leaves have dropped

Fruit formation

and, given the correct care, they will hold their fruit

September to October

until February when the largest bonsai exhibition in Japan, the Kokufu-ten is held. Any tree that keeps its

Yellow fruit

fruit until then is always very highly appreciated.

Shape of fruit 6 - 10 mm

At the tips of the short side branches, new growth shoots will begin to open and extend outwards. At the

Next year’s leaf buds

base of leaves on that new growth, a number of white petaled flowers will form.

Cuttings

Shape of leaf

June to July: Elongated shoots are cut back to leave just four nodes

Leaves that form on main branches Leaves that form on sacrificial branches grow rapidly

Petiole: 1 - 3 cm

Elongated oval or egg shaped oval

Scar from the fruit

Leaf blade is 3 - 8 cm

Write the name on the tag 3 lobes

Leaf width is 2 - 4 cm

66 TECHNIQUE

Bonsai Focus

Taking cuttings

Malus - HUSBANDRY

Cut the leaves in half to reduce the surface area

Propagate: With cuttings, air layer or seed.

Placement: In winter, protect well from freezing conditions. In summer it likes full sun, but protect from the heat.

Remove the lower leaves Put into the soil at an angle around the pot so they all get sunlight

Use Akadama as the main soil mixture

Push the cutting into the soil

Pruning: Creating plenty of short twigs in order to develop flowers and fruit is the key. No flowers or fruit will form on elongating vigorous growth, only on those short branches that have been cut back. To assist flower formation, pinch back any of the fresh new growth to four leaves. This will control growth. After stopping the first flush of growth, a second flush will start at the base of leaf axils; this doesn't usually extend rapidly.

Cut in a V-shape with a knife

Wiring the trunk Following year in June - July

Put movement in the trunk with wire

Transplanting Two years later in March

If the wire has been effective you can remove it

Fix the tree into the pot with a piece of string tied crosswise

Prune back the second flush of growth. If this is done repeatedly over the years, lots of twigs will be created easily, flower buds will form and the likelihood of fruit is much higher. Cut back short any of the long roots and plant them into individual pots

Soil mixture: Akadama 7 Kiryu 3 Charcoal 0.5

Push the roots outwards in all four directions

If you want a branch to thicken, it must be allowed to grow vigorously while the tree is still young and in development and before being cut back short. Before cutting back, ensure that movement is put into the base of the branch early in the development.

Fertiliser

Watering: It is a species that likes water and so care must be taken not to allow it to dry out at any time, especially when it is flowering, or when fruit has formed.

Repotting: Malus is a vigorous species that sends out plenty of roots. It requires transplanting every other year, either in the spring or the autumn.

TECHNIQUE 67

Bonsai Focus

Prune the top section

Young cutting When you want fruit to form quickly

Dormant period

Graft a branch from an older, fruit-bearing tree on to a 2 year old cutting

Wire the long branches and put movement into them

Protection after grafting

Cut back short

Encourage adventitious budding

Very easy to thicken and become straight

Grafted tree

The stock must be from a tree of the same species

Years 5 - 7

Transplanting September or March Cut any upward growing roots

Branch creation and pruning Branches are generally quite fine, so allow them to grow long in order to thicken them

Dormant period

Remove some of the surface soil

Cut back any long roots

Leave 3 - 4 nodes and then cut

Planting method Transplant into a pot one size larger

Flatten out the branches. June - July

Wire the upward growing shoots

Tie down

Cut the downward pointing branches Fertiliser

Soil mix: Akadama 8 Kiryu 2 Charcoal 0.5

68 TECHNIQUE

Bonsai Focus

Crown root gall

Mix in surfactant solution

Crown root gall

If crown root gall is found, place the plant in a bath of bactericide (Agrimycin) for 5 to 10 minutes

Bactericide

Diluted to 1:300

Surfactant

Remove all the old soil by root washing

Tree begins to form fruit September to October Aim to give the tree an overall triangular shape

Branch and twig characteristics The twigs will get slightly bigger each year

Flowers and fruit form on the twigs

2 year old twig

5 - 6 years after growing from cutting or seed, it will start to fruit 1 year old twig

It takes some time for the trunk to thicken up Fertilising regime: Place fertiliser about a thumb space apart, once or twice in April - June, and two - three times in September Fertilise using liquid feed during July and August

Cut back to a bud that is facing in desired direction of growth

The shoots at the tips will grow very rapidly

TECHNIQUE 69

Bonsai Focus

Maintaining branch structure Outline of the branch structure

Pruning back to create a new leader

Prune back any branches

Dormant period Leader is growing too strongly in one direction

Years 8 - 10

Branch to become the new leader Cutting back to change the direction

Shape when fruiting

Cut back the upward growing branches

September to October Malus sieboldii Height: 45 cm

An arc-shaped, rounded apex is starting to form

Remove the downward growing branches entirely

This is the position where cut was made Cut any branches from the inside of curves

Leave branches on the outside of curves

Branch pruning Dormant period

A well-balanced fruit formation is desirable

Movement in the trunk will become less as it thickens

Cut back extending branches to 3 - 4 nodes

A pot that matches yellow or red fruit well

Planting method Plant into a shallow pot

Tie down

Tie down Fertiliser Soil mix: Akadama 8 Kiryu 2 Charcoal 0.5

Branches will slowly stop extending. Shorter twigs will form flowers and fruit easily

70 SUISEKI

Bonsai Focus

Ice-age suiseki Alan Harriman: the stone hunter of Britain Text and photography: Alan Harriman

Here Alan Harriman reveals the various aspects of suiseki in a way that will encourage you to regard it as a hobby. Hunting for stones yourself will provide you with quality stones, while testing your patience, imagination, practical skills and stamina. Are you up for it?

T

here was a time in Japan, about 600 years ago, when it became fashionable to shape garden trees into smaller stylized versions adding interesting rocks alongside and creating mini landscapes in the garden. Over time, some of these trees were grown in pots and taken into the houses, along with their corresponding rocks — bonsai and suiseki united. But how does a suiseki differ from a pebble, or any lump of rock? The answer to this can be found by applying a few simple criteria and the more stones you look at using the criteria, the easier it becomes.

Hardness: Granite is hard. Good. Most lime stone is soft. Poor. It is not necessary to know the geological name and origin of the stone. Judging the hardness is not difficult.

Texture:

Smooth is good. Rough, poor. For example sandstone is always rough in texture and will never develop a patina. A patina is smooth to the touch with a slight gloss.

Water aging:

Corners rounded. Sides smooth. Sharp corners are usually a sign of recent breakage.

Shape:

While hunting for your fantastic suiseki, you will pick up dozens of stones in an hour. Hopefully you will know by the location that they will be hard, so you are now looking for irregular shapes among the unsuitable rocks and pebbles. Be patient. You will

A rocky stream ideal to look for stones

find it there somewhere.

Is it a suiseki? A pebble can tick most of the above criteria, but is it a suiseki? It may be a very pretty pebble, but it has no character because it has been shaped by rolling up and down a beach. Collect and display pebbles by all means, but please don’t call them suiseki.

Presentation. Even at this early stage, while holding a stone on the beach, or by the stream, you will be looking at how this potential suiseki could be presented. A mountain stone will need to have a flattish base for showing the mountain to best effect, whereas most other styles will have the daiza fitted around the bottom of the

SUISEKI 71

Bonsai Focus Being more down to earth, where once there were volcanos there will be igneous rocks; where there were shallow seas, you'll find sedimentary rocks. In between, you will find pockets of ironstone, shale and so on. Seek out a local shallow river or stream that has stones on the banks, particularly at corners, and have a go. You will soon learn what to look for.

Typical rocky river banks, were one might find the perfect stone

shape. If a stone has an interesting shape, take your time before discarding it. A good stone is easily missed.

To cut, or not? The cutting of a stone's base to make it flat and subsequently easier to make the daiza, should not be an option. A suiseki should be 100% natural in shape. Cutting or shaping a stone will devalue it and it will not be suiseki. But note, this is my opinion and is not shared by all enthusiasts.

Hunting sites I’m sure that you will agree with me when I say that the UK is a beautiful and diverse island, surrounded by beaches, harbours, cliffs, criss crossed by rivers and a multitude of streams, but we have had three ice-ages, that we know about, where ice more than a mile deep has enveloped everything as it marched across the country. When, eventually, the ice melted, its contents were deposited in that spot. Hence large rocks can be found in the middle of an otherwise rock less field, in addition to the multitude of smaller stones that we assume have always lived in that place. I mention this since, throughout the country, you can find different types of rock together at one site. I find it interesting that the red sandstone of Yorkshire was formed initially from a desert, when the position of the UK was south of the Equator. Get your head around that one!

Cleaning your stone Depending on where your stone was found, it may be quite clean, or may have some form of deposit on it. Start by using warm water, detergent and a scrubbing brush. Remove anything adhering to the stone, like barnacles or hard clay, with a piece of wood. Obviously, a metal tool could leave a mark. If the stone is still not clean, and it is not limestone, immerse it in a proprietary dry cleaning liquid, leaving it there for half an hour. Repeat the process, if necessary. If it still won’t come clean, live with it! Wash the stone in clean water and allow it to dry. Most stones, however good the patina, will dry with a dull surface. If this is the case, a little baby oil or wax polish will remedy the situation.

72 SUISEKI

Bonsai Focus

Always take rubber boots. You might need them

Making the daiza This is the stumbling block for lots of budding suiseki collectors. This isn't the time and place to explain the process in detail, but I can give you a rough idea of how I get started. For stones with flat bases, draw around the stone. For stones with irregular base, it’s not so easy. I start off by making a Plasticine daiza, pressed

on to the stone, standing it in the correct position. Make this replica, exactly as you want it to look: depth and profile of sides, position of feet, and so on. When finished, allow the Plasticine get cold. Carefully remove the stone, and cut a piece of card to the exact shape of the inside rim of the daiza. Take care with this and it will save

A Plasticine impression to help make the daiza when the base is not flat

The irregular based stone used with the Plasticine

time later. Draw around this card on to a piece of wood that is slightly thicker than the depth of the recess to be cut out. Use a hardwood with a fine grain. Mahogany is good. You're now ready to make your daiza. Alternatively, you can ask someone to make it for you.

A rocky beach is a very good source for finding stones

Card template, made from the top of the Plasticine impression, is used to draw around on the wood

With the outline drawn on to the wood and with the impression by the side of the vice, the initial wood removal becomes easier. The serious fitting is done with chalk on the stone

I hope these few notes have whetted your appetite for the art of stones. So do you have patience to search for a few hours? The imagination to spot suiseki among the rocks? Stamina for the long walk to your chosen site? Practical skills to make your Daiza? The Northern Suiseki Group was formed 5 years ago. It's always good to contact other groups or people, so find us at: www.suisekiuk.com

TRAVEL

Bonsai Focus

73

Part-time 'deshi' Paolo Nastasi travelled to the land of the rising sun to deepen his knowledge Text and photography: Paolo Nastasi

Years ago there was no tradition of going to Japan to improve one's knowledge. However, times have changed...

T

aisho-en, run by Masters Nobuichi Urushibata and his son Taiga, was one of the first to give foreign students the opportunity for short-term apprenticeships. Master Nobuichi, famous for advanced techniques like thread grafts on maples, sent his 20 year old son Taiga, on a 6-year apprenticeship with Master Masahiko Kimura. When Taiga returned to his home town, Shizuoka, he began his professional career in his father's nursery. From this union came Taisho-en Nursery where I went to deepen my knowledge. And so I had the opportunity to refine my abilities. My first trip to Japan dates back to February 2015 and lasted 5 weeks. But before that I worked many years alongside my teacher, Salvatore Liporace, as a professional apprentice, becoming an instructor myself. I started my bonsai interest at 16 and there were times that, instead of going to school, I went to look for yamadori. All the time I obsessed about improving my knowledge.

The deshi At Taisho-en, the working days are very intense. The apprentice, or full time student, must do everything; clean the garden, welcome customers and prepare tea, arrange the tokonoma, perform the day's work. Masters expect maximum concentration from the student and under all circumstances to do the best they can. The Master generally has one or more disciples (Deshi) who will have to undertake a long period of apprenticeship of generally 5 years. There are also the so-called part-time students (Gakusei) who attend the bonsai school for one or more short periods. In

At work on one of the junipers, which has a number of grafts

An itoigawa juniper that I worked on

Getting my certificate from Taiga (left) and Nobuichi Urushibata

The result after my work

In the workshop of the Taisho-en

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TRAVEL

Bonsai Focus

the absence of the Master, students will be guided by the senior Deshi. I worked for 12-14 hours a day with an hour of rest. I started at 8:00 with the cleaning of the garden (each student has his own tasks to do). After that you do the work assigned to you by the Master: restyling, cleaning needles, processing shari, grafts, etc. In

The Zuisho pine as it was before the work

the meantime, you must always be ready to help the teacher.

No days off At 12 noon we go to lunch, one hour later we start again with the watering and

Wire had severely bit into the bark

controling the state of health of all the bonsai at Taisho-en. We then resume the work assigned on that day until 18:00. But

The deep scars have to heal over

The first Zuisho pine after my work

Zuisho pines

the plan of the day is variable as it might

On my latest trip I had the chance to work on different pines, or

be necessary to prepare plants to be sent

'Goyomatsu'. The 'Zuisho' variety especially struck me the most

abroad, or prepare for an exhibition.

because it's a tree variety with an elegant

Generally there are no days off, except in

posture, appreciated for the very short

unusual circumstances.

needles and the fine, thick branching. The

Wonderful Because our work is being judged you always try to gain the trust of the Master. I consider every formative step a starting point and I will make at least one trip a year to the rising sun to retain the link with my Masters. The best thing is to be in a wonderful place full of valuable specimens. The one downside during my trip is the distance from my amazing family. Daniela, my life partner and our little Leonardo are my

“

formal-style pine tree, originating from the garden of Master Kimura, had arrived at Taisho-en for a few months. It was totally out of shape.

The second Zuisho was in need of a different approach

The best thing is that you are in a wonderful place among amazing bonsai

number one supporters. In Japan, bonsai is taught in a different way, but my Master Salvatore Liporace, who has also had a Japanese education, helped me to better understand the way the Japanese do things. What I learned is that you need a lot of discipline, dedication and passion, these are essential to enter the Japanese world of bonsai.

Care must be taken with the selection of the buds. Try not to rejuvenate the tree with too aggressive pruning and use as little wire as possible

Nobuichi Urushibata checks the work carried out by students

Bonsai Focus

75

TREE GUIDE

The bonsai friend As bonsai the Ficus is just great Text and photography: Vladimir Ondejcík, Alena Ondejc íková and Bonsai Focus Studio

Figs are keystone species in many tropical forest ecosystems. Figs have figured prominently in some human cultures, such as Buddhism, objects of worship and many practical uses. For bonsai they are a great source of material with many style options

Majestic appearance Ficus are exceptionally interesting trees. Their appearance grabs our attention with their growth and majestic stature. They are considered trees that are very adaptable, resistant and energetic. Those who travel to tropical countries can often see old churches, grotto entrances, or houses engulfed by these giant plants. Ficus belong to the colourful botany of the Oriental countries. However, we also find these trees in many other regions from

Ficus benjamina

southern America to the Mediterranean. In nature there are about 2,000 species of Ficus, the majority being consistently green. Typical for Ficus are the long air roots, which start growing downwards from the branches and, over time, create a strange, braided trunk that will contrast

Ficus retusa

with colourful fauna and flora.

In your home Ficus are among the most appreciated of tropical deciduous trees that can be grown very well indoors. If you start growing bonsai in your apartment, we recommend resistant and good looking Ficus retusa. This is easy to propagate as well. If it has enough light, it can easily bear pruning and wiring. Other suitable species to cultivate are Ficus benjamina, F. carica, F. pumila and the varieties of F. retusa such as panda and kimen. The succulents have F. petiolaris, F. palmeri, F. arnotiana, as suitable varieties.

Ficus indica

76 TREE GUIDE

Bonsai Focus

Inside of the huge Ficus on the island of Sri Lanka

Ficus - HUSBANDRY Propagate: With cuttings, or air layer.

Placement: Plenty of light is a must for the Ficus. It can thrive in extreme heat if its soil is kept moist. When Ficus is grown indoors it is a good thing to put them out in the garden in spring when the night temperatures stay above 15 ° C. In winter, we have to watch the heating, because dry air from a hot radiator will kill all living plants.

The mushroom tree In the Royal Botanical Garden at Peradeniya, on the island Sri Lanka grows a huge old fig tree (Ficus benjamina). The extent of its crown stretches 2,500 m2. From a

Pruning: Easy to shape with the cut and clip method. It's really a very vigorous plant and that's why they can grow back branches really quickly, even if you make a mistake. After each cut you make in the tree it will create a flow of wound 'milk'. This will stop and the wounds will soon heal over.

distance, it looks like a flat mushroom. But when you

“

go under its voluminous crown, you find yourself in an extraordinary thread of old branches, which Ficus benjamina. (Photo Peter Thali)

are growing far and wide from the short trunk.

Ficus: adaptive, resistant and energetic

Repotting: Ficus are not demanding of the soil type you use, but it is necessary to use an airy substrate. For this you can try crushed zeolite. Repot the tree at the time of full growth, preferably in April, May.

Watering: Ficus likes water. It cannot bear to be soaking wet though, when its roots are likely to rot. It is necessary to water it well, then let the soil drain a bit so that the bonsai is not standing in the water.

Ficus in the Wann Ying Garden, Taiwan. Excessive heat is not a problem so long as it is kept moist

Wiring: Very easy to wire. However, when using wire you need to take great care that, because of its rapid growth, the wire doesn't bite into the bark.

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In Taiwan women work on preparing the grafts for Ficus

Gede Merta from Bali creates thick trunks with small Ficus twigs. (Photo Peter Thali)

Many young Ficus twigs are bound together. In a few years' time they will create a single massive branch. (Photo Peter Thali)

A double trunk 'sokan' style. In the Wann Ying Garden, Taiwan you can see this big Ficus tree trained as bonsai

Above: A fantastic cascading Ficus in Wann Ying garden Taiwan. Left: Defoliated Ficus shows a very refined branch system

Ficus - SPECIES Common name: Ficus

F. retusa F. indica

Genus: Ficus

Skill level: Beginners and advanced.

Higher taxon: Moraceae

Soil type: Likes a soil mix which has good drainage qualities. Volcanic rock or kiryu sand improves drainage.

Species: F. benghalensis F. benjamina F. carica

Flower and fruit:

Fig plants can be monoecious (hermaphrodite) or gynodioecious (hermaphrodite and female) Foliage: Various sizes and shapes from oval to almost rounded. Bark: In general grey/brown, with shallow fissures.

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NEXT ISSUE

Issue 158 - 181 May / June

Delicate and rugged Nik Rozman dives into the world of the Larix, a feminine, but rugged variety in one.

Master of the pines Shohin style Techniques in refining shohin with Alexandre Escudero.

Cascading branches Todd Schlafer, a very ambitious, upcoming bonsai artist from Colorado, works on Scots pine.

Kenichi Abe is the real master of the pines from the Azuma Mountains of Japan.

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