Bonsai tree: Representation of accent plant

Last month’s California Shohin Seminar was a delight. Plenty of workshops, demonstrations, and vendors, plus a great exhibit of shohin bonsai. One display element that caught my attention was an accent plant – a wonderful mix of overflowing foliage on a relatively large slab.

Accent plant

I believe this accent would make a great compliment to many bonsai displays. I was curious which tree the accent was paired with when I noticed that the accent complemented not a tree but a scroll. Or the scroll complemented the accent – it’s hard to say which. Needless to say, the two work well together.

Accent/scroll display

I appreciate that the exhibit featured several less traditional displays like the one above and I look forward to seeing more of the like in the future. Read more!

Repotting a bonsai: Western juniper

While preparing a Western juniper for exhibition, I became curious as to why the tree was planted so far to one side of the pot. I was somehow concerned because I couldn’t show the tree as it appeared below.

Western juniper

My worry was that all of the roots came from a single spot at the far end of the pot. After removing the tree from pot, I have found out that the roots were healthy.

Western juniper roots – note new growth in December

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Deciduous and broadleaf trees

Despite the fact that half of the trees in the winter exhibit are without leaves and most of the other half are fighting off winters tendency to tinge foliage with a yellowish or bronze cast, many bonsai are at their best look this time of year. Late winter and early spring are great times to show flowering bonsai, but managnig the silhouettes of trees coverd with new growth is a challenge. Fall is a good time to show bonsai as pines are in check and fall color may be evident. But it is only in winter that we can clearly see the structure of deciduous trees.
With careful technique, leaves can be shrunk to fit the scale of tree. Leaves hide the degree to which a tree’s branches are ramified. Great branch structure is a source of pride for deciduous tree owners.
Although the tree is attractive in summer, it’s far more dramatic in winter. We experience the tree in three dimensions by examining the tree front to back and top to bottom. We can also get a better sense of its age without leaves. It was a pleasure to have this tree in the exhibit.

Chinese elm

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Pot show

In Japan, it’s common for bonsai profesionals to repot bonsai into show pots so they look their best during an exhibit. For some of the more prestigious shows. Shortly after the trees return from exhibition, they are returned to their growing pot.

Why not grow bonsai in show pots all year around? There are two reasons. Sometimes show pots are worth more than the trees they contain. Antique Chinese pots can cost over $100000. Growing trees in such expensive pots is an unnecesary risk when a hard freeze or an accidental slip can be so costly.

Show pots also tend to be a bit smaler than growing pots. While it is posible to keep trees healthy in small pots, it’s far easier to keep them happy in more generously sized containers.

I like to see what a tree looks like in a given container before making a final decision. I line up a variety of pots to see how the tree looks in each. Some pots emphasize a tree’s silhouete, others, the curve of the trunk. The color of the clay can complement the bark as well as the foliage, and even small details like a pot’s “feet” have a big effect on the ensemble.
Here are photos of eight of the pots I tried with a small pine (11″) I will be showing in two weeks. I was surprised how many work well with the tree.

Have any favorites? Would any make you want to stay home from the exhibit? Feel free to comment – I’ll post my selection in a few days.

Pot 1 – Chinese

Pot 2 – Yamaaki

Pot 3 – Chinese

Pot 4 – Sakura

Pot 5 – Chinese

Pot 6 – Japanese

Pot 7 – Bunzan

Pot 8 – Nanban

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Winter Silhouettes at the National Arboretum

More specifically at the National Bonsai and Penjing Museum (through Dec 20th)

Here’s what our good friends and colleagues at the NB&PM have to say about their Winter Silhouettes Exhibit: Winter is the best time to enjoy the true mastery of the art of bonsai by observing the “bare bones” of the trees. With no leaves, the structure of a deciduous bonsai reveals how well the artist has created his miniaturized version of nature. The bonsai curator has selected trees from the museum’s permanent collection for a formal display of these living artworks. Other trees from the permanent collection will be on view throughout the winter in the Chinese Pavilion and the Tropical Greenhouse. Free.

If you have a chance…

…go! It’s a great collection and if you are a citizen of the US, it’s yours and it’s excellent, so you might as well enjoy it. And if you are not a citizen, we’d love to have you visit! Read more!