Fuyu Momiji - 冬もみじ

Last day of Winter and this old Japanese Maple is still very dormant.  It needed some bud selection and thinning and some adjustments to the primary branches.

I often listen to Japanese Koto/Shakuhachi music when working on my bonsai and, in this case the music I was listening to today was called 'Fuyu Momiji' - Winter Maple.!!

This tree was purchased as small nursery stock from the Koreshoff Bonsai Nursery over 40yrs ago and has been developing ever since.  It has developed a good nebari and is really starting to show some refinement.

Bonsai Pot Upgrade

Another bonsai 'pot upgrade' for this old English Oak. The Australian Bonsai Gallery has been progressively upgrading the quality of the pots in the bonsai collection.

This bonsai looks so much better in this Tokoname Yamafusa pot.  

The connection between bonsai and pot is of great importance and requires considerable contemplation if the true character of the bonsai is to be realized.  

You can read more about the history of this bonsai HERE.

Black pine refinement

It is always a pleasure to reflect on the art of continuous improvement of your bonsai.

This old Mikawa Black Pine, from 1970 Japanese seed, is a great example of what can be achieved with time and a great deal of effort in needle thinning,  bud selection and wiring every year in Autumn/Winter.

Many of the workshop students at The Australian Bonsai Gallery are realizing the rewards of their efforts with their pines over time. 

The process is not a difficult one.  Most pine species are relatively easy to develop and refine.  All it takes is to sign yourself up for a series of Workshops with us, or any other reputable artist and see for yourself how easy and enjoyable pine bonsai can be.

Quality Bonsai Pot

The Australian Bonsai Gallery has been progressively upgrading the quality of the pots in the bonsai collection.

This one is no exception. Needle thinned, bud selected and wired, this black pine is now in a Bigei, Hirata Atsumi, Tokoname pot.  

First Repotting for the Season

The 2023 repotting season has begun at The Australian Bonsai Gallery with a pot upgrade for this old Swamp Cypress.

At over 100cm this old swampy is a real handful when it comes to repotting.  It only takes a few years in the pot for this species to produce a 'pot full' of roots.

We were fortunate enough to have acquired a superb oval Tokoname, Mazan bonsai pot of the right shape and colour for this old bonsai.

If you are interested in refining your repotting skills and learning about optimizing your bonsai soil mixes then sign up for one of our bonsai Workshops.

Black Pine 48 Years of Improvement

 Bonsai is a process of continuous improvement with the, knowingly, unachievable goal of perfect imperfection.

This is the notion of 'Wabi Sabi'; a focus on the perception of age and the transient nature of everything in life.  Bonsai is a true and tangible representation of this Japanese philosophy that goes beyond a single lifetime.

The bonsai that we so lovingly attend  can, if we are open to the philosopy, give us so much more than we put into their cultivation.

 Spring Bud Burst - Weeks Early

Spring is here.!!  Crazy bud burst on this old Chinese elm; it is getting earlier every year.!!  Even so we have some very even budding throughout the entire tree.  A testament to some accurate bud selection and vigour balancing done last Autumn.

Our Autumn/Winter workshops focus on this very important task.  It applies to all exotic bonsai species.

Progress on Bonsai Gallery

Great progress on our new Bonsai Gallery.!

The first phase of the build should be completed in a few weeks.  This pic only shows one part of the build.  Once finished we will share a short clip of the completed section.

The old Debate..... Copper or Aluminium

Frankly, I think there is no choice but to use copper wire when undertaking a full refinement project on an old bonsai.

There is no substitute for high quality, well softened copper wire.  Many of our students have been 'converted' to the exclusive use of copper for their bonsai work.

Used correctly, well softened copper wire is easy to apply, and most importantly, smaller gauges (than aluminium) can be applied with little or no impact on the look of a bonsai.

Winter Bonsai Workshops

Winter is a very busy time for the serious bonsai artist and there is no better time to add to the refinement of that special bonsai.

Pines should be needle plucked, bud selected and wired this time of the year.  Deciduous bonsai are much easier to refine in Winter, for obvious reasons; bare branches allow for easier wiring, bud selection and branch placement.

The Australian Bonsai Gallery workshops allow you to gain a clear understanding of these processes and give you the confidence to take your skills in bonsai to the next level.

Our workshops allow you to tap into more than 47 years of experience in the development and refinement of bonsai.

Details of our Workshop content can be found HERE.