Bonsai tree

This Oriental bittersweet belongs to Mario Komsta who is frequently featured on this blog. I found the photo on Morten Albek’s Shohin Bonsai Europe blog. It’s part of a shohin gallery from Noelanders Trophy 2012 Exhibition. The photo is by Mark Cooper, as are all the photos in this post.

A little antidote

Today is Super Bowl Sunday. A time of almost insane hyperbole and wild passions run amuck. A time when big, loud and violent is the norm and our connections with our more refined sensibilities are put aside in favor of baser impulses. On such a strange and bewildering day, I thought it might be helpful for those of us who are susceptible to such unrestrained and even dangerous impulses (Go Pats!), to take a deep breath and enjoy a little shohin bonsai elegance.

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A sweet, stumpy little Honeysuckle. Artist unlisted.

This little Shimpaku displays a near perfect mix of wild and refined. Artist unlisted.

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It’s hard to say without contrasting perspective, but at a glance this Boxwood (Buxus harlandii Chubin) appears on the big side to be called a shohin. Still, shohin it must be, and no matter, it’s still a powerful little tree. And BTW, have you ever seen a boxwood with such a profusion of flowers? Artist unlisted.

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