How many can one man amass before he has too many bonsai? Sometimes I fear that I have too many trees in my collection. I have about 15 nice bonsai and 20 or 30 sticks in pots and in the ground. Even though I have that many bonsai I still have a list of ones that I want. (more…)
Penjing is where bonsai has it’s roots from. It is a landscape of rocks and trees instead of a single tree as the standard bonsai form. Put simply, it’s a landscape in miniature.
Penjing is very important to bonsai because bonsai is actually a refined version of the art. When we add rocks, models and accent plants to our pots we are actually crossing the boundary into another art form called penjing. Sometimes we cross into this art by accident in bonsai. I am not too sure about this, but it seems the Chinese call bonsai penjing as well as the penjing that we know. Over at Mai Lung Penjing they give a great explanation of how to create penjing and also a good example of junipers in the style on this page. It seems a good site to learn all about the art.
At the Chinese gardens of Yangzhou this have some very dramatic examples of penjing.
As you may have noticed, I am a little obsessed with bonsai and trees. Just how fanatical are you about your bonsai? For most of us it is a hobby which keeps us entertained (and out of trouble!). For others it is a way of life which includes working with them all day, going to shows, clubs and meets. (more…)
Bonsai have increased in popularity immensely recently. Every week there seems to be more and more on ebay for sale, some going for huge amounts of money. The bonsai population has certainly increased in my garden also, I think they are starting to take over. (more…)
Although bonsai is thought of being of a Japanese origin it is infact from a different region originally. The art of bonsai that we know today however was refined in Japan. (more…)
Is it right to stunt the growth of a tree? Many people think that it is wrong to create a reduce the size of a tree by placing it in a pot. (more…)
