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Bonsai World 2013
Kaizen Bonsai Ltd were very pleased to be able to sponsor this excellent event over the weekend of 10/11 August. I think the organising committee have put together one of the best quality events I have seen in the U.K over the last 20 years. I was told that without our contribution the event would not happen so, money well spent.
As well as a trade show the event hosted displays by many individuals and bonsai clubs. I have to say the club displays are amongst the best I have seen anywhere. It’s great for us to be able to put something back into the bonsai community. We hope to continue our relationship with this show and also hope that many more UK bonsai enthusiasts will make this a ‘must see’ event in the future. From a personal perspective I have to say that, until I began travelling to events like this, my bonsai journey was very painful and unfulfilling. Large exhibitions like this are a great opportunity to meet knowledgable folk and be inspired.
On Sunday morning before the show opened I had a moment to take a look around the bonsai on display. Below are a few pictures of bonsai that particularly attracted me. I was especially struck by the feeling of peace and serenity that pervaded these lovely little trees. Many folk are looking for a wow factor in bonsai but, as I get older I really appreciate the quiet serenity of mature bonsai trees many of which are easily overlooked in todays chaotic world.
Graham.
Muck & Bullocks
Ever since I was old enough to walk I have been getting covered in crap. No matter how hard I try everything I touch gets filthy. If I put on a pristine white shirt I can pretty much guarantee something close to hand will spontaneously explode within half an hour and that’ll be my thin veneer of cool right out the window.
I recently spent the afternoon cleaning out my van. My van works hard and my plan is to be buried in it when I go, it’s a piece of crap but it’s MY piece of crap and I kind of like it in a perverse sort of way. So in a spirit of neighbourly charity I thought a good clean would help raise the appearance of the surrounding area. She was looking pretty good when I got finished up. Less than 12 hours later I got a call from a guy I know asking if I wanted a privet hedge he was pulling out. I doubt I have to go into detail about what happened next…….
Whatever happened to the gentle art of bonsai ?
G.
Urgent Advice for a Heatwave
Britain has become laughably pathetic these days. We are currently enjoying a couple of nice warm days, it is mid-summer after all. The media is experiencing heat induced hysteria, apparently we are all going to die horribly…….yawn.
Kaizen Bonsai are happy to offer our own guidelines.
Put the sprinkler on your trees.
Re-potting Special Bonsai
A wiser man that I once said that in order to call a tree bonsai it needs to have spent 20+ years in a pot. A tree that has spent 20 years in a pot is not necessarily a bonsai but, a tree that has been worked and cultivated with care and skill over 20 years might, just, be worthy of the title.
Semantics aside it has to be said that re-potting very special bonsai is not easy. Choosing the right time, both in the development cycle of the tree and the time of year is not easy. Re-pot bonsai too often and the growth habit will be all wrong. Choose the wrong time of year and you run a risk of losing the tree altogether. Also choose the wrong soil mix for the development phase of the tree and you could easily make, or undo years of work.
Here at Kaizen Bonsai we re-pot around 500 trees every year. Most are here for a while then move on and are forgotten. Today however we had a special treat, it’s time to re-pot the famous “Plucking Yew”. And before someone points out the obvious, YES i do know it’s summer. That’s when taxus are re-potted on our nursery.
Our trade mark taxus (collected 1999) was last re-potted in 2008 into a fine little Gordon Duffet pot but, over the years the tree has filled out, much like me, and the old pot was just too small. In fact the pot was all wrong, it looked way to small and cultivating the tree in it was becoming increasingly difficult. I ordered a replacement with which I am very happy even though I have had both cars and motorcycles that cost less.
As you can see from the pictures the yew was pretty solid in it’s old pot. Taxus do very well in this condition but there does come a time when action is needed before the tree begins to suffer. A skilled eye will be able to recognise when the time is right for the work to be necessary.
So all done and fit for another 5+ years by which time maybe we can call it BONSAI.
To see the story of this tree see our gallery. http://www.kaizenbonsai.com/plucking_yew.htm
For more information on re-potting bonsai see http://www.kaizenbonsai.com/shop/repotting_guide.php
Sexy New Junipers Just Arrived
Just had the first batch of new yamadori junipers arrive. Some stunning material at least two seasons in their pots and ready to go. Drop us a line for details and prices.