The Kaizen Bonsai Blog by Graham Potter
Whether you are looking to master the basics of tree health or perform advanced structural styling, use the sections below to navigate our decades of experience in the art of bonsai.
Can’t find what you’re looking for? Scroll down for the latest updates, videos, and ramblings from the nursery.
Bonsai Tree Care
The foundation
Bonsai Tree Creation
Bonsai Restoration
Bonsai Technique
Video Masterclasses
Graham's Bonsai Trees
Stop ‘Doing’ Bonsai!
Stop 'Doing' Bonsai! Not a phrase I bet you were expecting to hear from me right? My mum always called me Tommy Opposite because I was such a belligerent and awkward little bastard incapable of doing what I was told. Every school report had words scrawled across it that amounted to "Graham can do this shit standing on his head but the awkward little cuss just WONT!" I might have mentioned that before. Now, I'm a working class lad. My dad dug holes and put gas mains in them for a living, my grandparents owned a village shop and butchers (Open All Hours style) whilst the Potter elders were...
The Summer That Was (not) & Upcoming Bonsai Projects
The Summer That Was (not) & Upcoming Bonsai Projects It NEVER ceases to amaze me how you lovely folk are (generally) so impressed with with my silly little blog. I was humbled during my recent visit to Peter Chan’s to receive so many comments on how my dear readers just love to peruse my ranting bullshit. This all started about 1998/9 when I took on the newsletter at our local bonsai club. Back then I didn’t know shit about shit as far as bonsai was concerned but, having got my little Bondi blue Imac hooked up to the interweb via a telephone modem I figured I could do my research and...
Top Posts
Recent Posts
Pretty Pictures
Seeing as I was having a good bitch and moan last week I thought it would be a good idea to redress the balance with a happy post. Sadly we are not able to trade trees like we have done in years past so the number in the garden is drastically reduced. However the...
A Smashing Time
This week I had several tons of Bonsai pots delivered. The experience got me thinking about where we find ourselves and what to expect going forwards. If strong language offends PLEASE do not read further. If you are a bone-idle tired hands please do NOT read further....
Defoliation – What You Need To Know
There are many mysterious techniques used in the world of bonsai tree creation and maintenance. In my experience, many of them are misunderstood and therefore incorrectly applied. In my own case it certainly took a long time to understand what defoliation of deciduous...
I Got Off The Subject
I sat down to write a diatribe expounding the virtues of defoliation. As usual I got off the subject and never got back. However what follows has proven to very cathartic. Please forgive the self indulgence but rather than consign this to the folder of a thousand...
My week at Kaizen Bonsai – A Good One!
This week has been a good one. Having completed more than THREE THOUSAND orders and about TEN THOUSAND parcels since January this year we finally got it all under control and I came up for air, f***ing cold air mind but that's another subject. So, I finally decided...
The Irony of My Life.
The irony of my life just now is the fact that my bonsai business prevents me from actually doing bonsai. The less bonsai I do the more ya'll can do because you have the stuff you need. That is unless you buy it of somebody else in which case stop reading at once!...