How Much is my Bonsai Tree Worth?

January 1, 2024December 31, 2023Bonsaiplace 2 Comments

I have over the last few months been asked to value some Bonsai trees for various purposes. One was from a buyer who wanted to know if the seller’s prices were fair, one was for an insurance claim and the third one was a person questioning the price that I had on a Bonsai that I was selling. To cut to the chase, a Bonsai tree is worth what someone else is willing to pay for it. I have a few trees with extremely high prices on them and the reason is that I do not really want to sell the trees. We also know that a lot of people do not get involved in the pursuit of Bonsai as there is a perception that it is quite an expensive activity to participate in. Another observation that I have made over time is that when you do provide a valuation on a tree, the buyer is usually still skeptical and the seller think that you are doing them in. What the to look for when you value a Bonsai tree is quite diverse and multidimensional. Some things will add to the value and some thing will detract from the value. I am off-course talking about monetary value here but also do not want to throw the emotional value that a person might feel for a tree out of the picture. It is part of it, but hard to put a price on.

If you are reading this with the expectation that when you get to the end of the read you will know exactly what price to put on a tree, then you will be disappointed. What I can do is highlight those things that will add value to a tree and also point the things out that will detract from a tree. Now I know what you will do, if you are a seller, you will only highlight the things that will push the price up and when you are the buyer, you will only notice the things that will reduce the price. All is fair in love and war and Bonsai trading. So here we go.

One of the things that I always do is to troll through online markets where Bonsai is sold and also visit markets in person to get a feel of what the asking prices for different trees are and then in conversation with vendors, ask about what the tree sold for. There usually is a difference, especially at the higher end of the market. I have seen trees that sold for half the asking price and have also seen trees that were completely underpriced. Doing some research is the first point to take note of. Comparing prices across different species and ages is a good starting point.

The biggest factor is the aesthetic one. Does the tree look like a Bonsai and does it evoke an emotion? If it does, then lets start to look at how we can get to a suitable price. The number one price differentiation is age once the two points mentioned above are satisfied. With age comes the predictable themes of a well-developed Nebari, bark and ramification. A wide-based trunk with a good taper covered in thick bark platelets and branches that keep on ramifying with well-developed foliage pads or levels will immediately enforce a high asking price. Let us talk about a continuum or sliding scale for this purpose. What we are saying here is that a younger tree will be at the lower price end of the scale and the one as described above will be at the other end of the scale. Your country specifics or even district specifics will determine what the higher end of the scale looks like and what the lower end of the scale looks like. If the highest any tree has ever gone in a country ids $1,000 then that will be the high end and the low end will be zero, a free tree. On age, a tree will fit in somewhere along that scale. In a place where trees can be collected from the wild and where they have reached a very old age, Yamadori from these places will dictate a higher price than seedlings from the same mountain.

The next factor is specie. In some places Conifers will be more highly valued than broadleaf trees or deciduous trees. If you follow a few Bonsai experts on social media you will be under the impression that Pines and Junipers are the ultimate in Bonsai species. There are many others. Climate is important here as well and so is personal preference. I lived in a much colder place before and Maple trees were spectacular in their coloring during Autumn. Moving to a much warmer place with high humidity, Maples do not do as well and in my personal estimation has gone down a few notches for where I live now. For that reason I cannot pay a lot for a Maple tree that will never reach its full potential amongst my collection. They are still there, I am just not going to pay much for them and running the risk of a tree that throws tantrums.

In my country Privet is a pest tree and should be eradicated, the same with wilding pines. For that reason, these trees will always be at the lower end of the scale than a tree like a Japanese Black Pine or a sought after Juniper. Environmental status therefore will also play a role with pricing. A much sought after and in some cases, protected or native trees, will reach higher prices that the thousands of Radiata Pine that can be collected on the side of the road in my country. I am not saying that they are worthless, just that they will be lower down the price sliding scale than a Japanese White Pine or a Juniper with exquisite foliage.

A healthy tree will demand a higher price than a disease ridden tree. I have a filthy habit of checking under tree leaves for things like spider mite and even scratch around in the soil to see if there are any nasties hanging around there. Yellowing of leaves (do not get confused with Autumn coloring), flaking bark, dry or dead roots and a just generally sad appearance will let the slide slip to quite low on the scale.

The pot. This needs to be factored into the price as it can be quite a costly item. This is all about style, size, connection with the tree and then also the source of manufacturing. If you are into the valuation of Bonsai trees, you probably need to know a lot about pots, potters and their marks. It is definitely not just about the tree. On this topic, the growing medium is also a sign of care. Is it appropriate for the specie of tree? Is it Akadama, is it a proprietary mix and then a big question, when was it last repotted? While you are there, have a look at whether the tree is properly tied into the pot, check on drainage and also on chips and defects.

Then comes the hardest part. Valuing the effort, care, attention to detail and love that went into the tree to get it to where it is now. Labour costs over many years is indeterminable and this is the bit that makes the pricing of Bonsai more of an art than an exact science. That is the seller’s prerogative and in my mind, the only bit that is not clear cut and where haggling can take place. Just keep in mind that if a tree is priced right, it will be disrespectful towards the artist to diminish his or her work for the sake of a few dollars. In saying that, a high profile name is not necessarily a determinant of a high price. You must still be able to care for the tree with dedication and the correct techniques, no matter where the tree came from.

In ending it comes down to adding the plusses and subtracting the minuses, comparing it to the market (availability and price) and then figuring out the X-factor. Good luck and be prepared to be abused and ridiculed when you get involved in the business of valuing Bonsai trees, especially at the high end of the market. Last words is the same as in the first paragraph. A Bonsai tree is worth what someone else is prepared to pay for it. The asking price is not necessary the selling price.

Upskilling Bonsai Beginners

December 4, 2023December 4, 2023Bonsaiplace Leave a comment

A lot of posts are daily made on social media from people who are just starting out with Bonsai on where to start. There is a big difference between going off to your local nursery and buying your first Bonsai tree, create one from garden material (https://bonsaiplace.net/2021/05/30/garden-trees-to-bonsai/) or being gifted one, and then successfully maintaining and developing it further. What advice would one give to such a budding Bonsai artist?

A well-developed more mature Bonsai tree (left) and a very young starter tree (right)

The Advice

The first part would be to gain some knowledge and basic skills and to realise that Bonsai is an art form (https://bonsaiplace.net/2021/10/09/bonsai-culture-styles-and-isms/). One of the earlier blog posts on this website discusses what a Bonsai Curriculum could be like and it is worth reading. That was more written for Bonsai teachers whereas for the person just starting out, the advice will be different.

Ensure you understand what Bonsai is and what it is not. The first tree will probably be an under-developed and very young tree in a cost-effective pot with hopefully some care instructions. Whatever you have, it will take commitment and in most cases a daily commitment. It is very much the same as having a pet.
Secondly, get some knowledge on basic care. Things like most Bonsai need to be kept outdoors for optimum light conditions. They are trees after-all. Water requirements will depend on the type of tree, the size of the pot, climatic conditions and the soil mix. Nutritional knowledge will come later, but the basics of fertilization should be picked up early on.
For most people that will be the end of it, but for those wanting to take it up as a hobby, allow the addiction to flourish and before long, have a collection of trees, you will need some additional knowledge and some practical skills. This is where things like wiring, pruning techniques and repotting skills come in handy. Best at this stage is to join a club or at least regularly catch-up with like-minded people. Videos (see You Tube) will help, but it is still better to spend time with people and talking about your specific trees.
Through all of this a sizeable vocabulary will be added to the mix and before long, the starter will move into the intermediate phase where debates about nebari, branch structure (https://bonsaiplace.net/2021/04/26/branch-selection-101/), ramification and soil-medium debates dominate. Not to mention pots. Colors, shapes, sizes, textures and it goes on and on and on.
A later but very important part of personal development as a Bonsai artist is to know some of the history and especially some of the philosophical themes attached to Bonsai. That is where you start to understand the difference between Penjing and Bonsai and some of the styles like Literati.

On that last point, there are some golden themes running through all of Bonsai and these mainly relate to the philosophical concepts (Wabi-Sabi) regardless of the structure or style of the tree. It would be wise to get to know these as well. https://bonsaiplace.net/2023/06/17/bonsai-perfection-in-imperfection/

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Bonsai Perfection in Imperfection

June 17, 2023Bonsaiplace 1 Comment

A Bonsai friend recently commented on a social media post showing an AI-generated image of a Bonsai tree that it was too perfect and that it does not display the characteristics of true Bonsai identified through the concept of Wabi-sabi. This is not the first time that I am writing about Wabi-sabi, but in this blog I would like to dig a little bit deeper into the concept and then apply it to Bonsai. I would specifically like to explore the concept of Perfection in Imperfection, one of the meanings of Wabi-sabi.

Let’s recap quickly on what Wabi-sabi means. According to Wikipedia (Wikipedia link), the term refers to a world-view focused on the acceptance of transience and imperfection. It is at times described as appreciating beauty that is imperfect, impermanent and incomplete in nature. Further on it is quoted stating that “from an engineering or design point of view, wabi may be interpreted as the imperfect quality of any object, due to inevitable limitations in design and construction/manufacture especially with respect to unpredictable or changing usage conditions; in this instance, sabi could be interpreted as the aspect of imperfect reliability, or the limited mortality of any object, hence the phonological and etymological connection with the Japanese word sabi“.

This takes us to Bonsai as a living art form, one that is never finished, one that is constantly changing due to nature and the hand of humans impacting on its growth, design and health. It is not just the tree itself, but it can also incorporate the elements making up a traditional display, the pot, the soil cover, the stand, the accompanying plantings and then also the scroll or art work in the background. The paragraph above mentions the limitations in design as one example of impact. When it comes to Bonsai there are many others.

Not everything can be controlled when it comes to Bonsai cultivation. When a tree is harvested from nature, there will no doubt be imperfections caused by insect or mechanical damage, the direction of growth and the effect of wind, snow, animals, substrate and sun. This needs to be incorporated into the design and these features, if managed correctly, will become part of the tree’s aesthetic, its character and be part of the tree’s story. These imperfections add to its history, its aura and a kind of spiritual presence that cannot come from a “perfect” tree.

Another natural example illustrating this concept, is the changing nature of the art work. The colour changes due to seasonal changes, the appearance of flowers and fruit, and then these disappearing again. It is seen in deciduous trees through being cloaked in leaves during the warmer months and then being bare during the colder months. Development of bark (craggy, flaky), fissures, Jin, Shari and Uro are all examples of natural imperfections that adds to the aesthetic of the tree, showing the beauty through these imperfections, making it perfect.

The paragraph above mentioned things that can occur naturally and some of those and others can be done by human hand. The artist can purposefully create some imperfections in line with the characteristic of the tree to add beauty through these imperfections. Here we are thinking about jin, shari and uro, but then there is also the way in which the tree is displayed. Is the position in the pot off-set or in the middle, the style of the tree plays a leading part in this. Yes, we try to match the style of the tree with the pot, size, shape and colour, but is is very rare to get all of these elements to align perfectly. On top of that you will always have different opinions on shapes, size, colour of pots as well as the general flow of the tree in relation to the pot. We try to provide one picture, one whole, but on closer inspection, the “flaws” will be there. Are they flaws, no, they are imperfections, all adding up to the complete picture being perfect. And then the tree grows ……!

Carving on Bonsai: Sculpture

August 8, 2021Bonsaiplace 2 Comments

A previous blog post addressed sculpture as an art form and how it relates to Bonsai (https://bonsaiplace.net/2021/03/28/bonsai-as-sculpture-an-art-form/). This blog post will take an more practical approach by making use of photos to describe the process.

Carving is usually done to create or enhance jin, uro (holes), shari (stripped bark) or getting rid of areas where large branches were removed. In this case a large branch, about one inch thickness, had to be removed and it was decided to leave a 15cm piece of it and sculpt a jin (deadwood) out of it.

I use a die grinder with a carving bit to remove material fast and to roughly shape the dead straight branch by making grooves in curves and alternating the depth of the grooves. Once this is done I burn the jin to get rid of wood fibres and then repeat the process with the trusted Dremel and a smaller carving bit.

As mentioned, burning the jin with a butane torch gets rid of the loose fibres, but it also helps to get rid of sharp edges and tool marks. After a heavy torching, the jin is brushed with a copper brush and then with a nylon brush. Sand paper can be used to smooth areas that needs it, but I find that the brushing works well on its own.

To preserve the newly carved jin, I wash the whole tree off and then let it dry and rest for a few days. Lime sulphur or a wood hardener can then be applied. For a darker finish, mix some ash (burnt paper) in water and paint on. Some of the grooves can also be painted by making use of black ink. All fluids should be diluted. Lime sulphur is usually diluted with water 50/50%.

Safety aspects:

Wear safety glasses during the carving phase.
Use gloves when using the power tools.
When using the torch, protect the rest of the tree from the flame by using aluminium foil or a wet cloth around foliage and nearby parts.

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Horticultural Processes and Bonsai: Respiration

July 24, 2021Bonsaiplace 1 Comment

We have already looked at Photosynthesis https://bonsaiplace.net/2021/07/17/horticultural-processes-and-bonsai-photosynthesis/ and Transpiration https://bonsaiplace.net/2021/07/18/horticultural-processes-for-bonsai-transpiration/ as two processes that are very important for plants and your Bonsai to stay alive. There is a third such process which is as important as the other two, but because the structures responsible for this one are not that visible, it is not that well known. Respiration is something that is done by all living organisms. It basically comes down to the exchange of gasses that is needed to survive, just like in a human being. We breathe in and out to get Oxygen in and to release Carbon dioxide. Well, plants need to do the same thing as Oxygen is needed for plant cells to survive and they also release Carbon dioxide as a waste product.

Intuitively one would then wonder how Photosynthesis and Respiration is balanced so as to make sure that the plant produces more Oxygen than what it will use itself. Respiration can be classified as either Aerobic Respiration (enough Oxygen around) or Anaerobic Respiration (not enough or no Oxygen present). The latter one is a problem for plants and something the Bonsai grower needs to be very aware of. The best example of this is in Yeasts through the process of Fermentation.

Looking at the diagram below, we can see how the two processes interact. The one’s products become the other process’s raw material (input) and vice versa.

Important points for Bonsai growers:

Water logged soil do not allow a good flow of air through the soil which means that there is very little to no Oxygen available for root cells to take this gas in. Due to myriads of bacteria living in soil, and some of these can live anaerobically (in the absence of Oxygen), the chances that these bacteria can cause rot and other damage is large. Best to avoid water logged soil.
Drainage: This aspect is linked to the point above, but important enough to elaborate. Good drainage will promote good airflow through the soil. It is almost like a suction effect in the sense that as water runs through the soil, air will follow and in this way increase the air flow (ventilation) through the soil and the end result is that you have happy roots and happy roots equals happy Bonsai.
Pots: Bonsai pots can be very small in relation to the root mass of the tree planted in it. That means less soil compared to a plant in a garden and this can also lead to less air in the pot. Training pots especially are important. At Bonsaiplace when we use timber boxes or even plastic containers as training pots, we always drill extra holes, not just underneath for drainage purposes, but also from the sides to increase air flow for respiration.
Hothouses and covering Bonsai plants or cuttings with plastic. The main reason why we do this is to increase the humidity around the plant. That helps to prevent water loss through transpiration and increases the heat to promote growth. Just keep in mind that through photosynthesis the plant will produce Oxygen that in turn will be taken up for respiration purposes and Carbon dioxide will be produced for Photosynthesis to take place through Respiration. Where the problem comes in is when you do not have leaves on the plant, i.e., cuttings or a deciduous tree. That means no Photosynthesis and although Respiration needs are low, it still takes place. Just allow fresh air to get into the plastic covering at times and this problem will be sorted.

The next blog will look at Secondary Thickening. This is the process through which plants produce wood and bark. Exactly what we want for our Bonsai trees. To make sure that you do not miss this one, please subscribe to our website and like this post. It is all free.

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Horticultural Processes and Bonsai: Transpiration

July 18, 2021July 17, 2021Bonsaiplace 3 Comments

Have you ever wondered how water travels from the soil into the roots and then up the stem to the leaves? Well, here we go. The process is called transpiration and starts in the roots through a process called osmosis. This is the movement of water across a membrane from an area of higher pressure to an area of lower pressure.

Now I am going to confuse you completely. I already said that it starts in the roots, but the condition for the process to happen actually starts in the leaves. As the water accumulates in the leaves, the internal volume of the leaves now have a higher pressure internally compared to the atmospheric air. That means that the water leaves the leaves through a structure called a stoma. There are hundreds of these on the leaves and they can open and close depending on the plant’s water needs and the climate on the outside. Almost like little valves.

Now we have the picture on both ends of the tree. The water flows in through the roots due to water pressure in the soil, it moves up a bit in the tubes (xylem) as these are very thin and act like thin straws. Have you ever noticed how when you place a straw in water how the water level in the thinner straw is higher than the level in the water. That is called capillary pressure.

What now happens is all of these work together. The water is pushed into the roots, the narrowness of the tubes give it a bit of a head start and then the pull from the leaves draws it further up the stem or trunk and the flow happens. This can happen as fast or as slow as the conditions dictate. If everything is perfect, a continuous flow will happen, but as soon as something changes, the tree will adapt. Let’s say there is not enough water in the soil for the osmosis to take place. In other words the pressure is not high enough for the water to enter the roots through the different membranes, well, water will not be taken up and the tree will dry out.

At the other end things can go horribly wrong as well. Let’s say it is a very hot day and a dry warm wind is blowing. That means the pressure on the outside of the leaf is very low and if there is any water inside the leaf, this steep difference will cause water to evaporate or transpire through the stomata and if this happens rapidly and the cells lose their turgidity (pressure), it will wilt and lose structure. If this happens for too long, it is possible that the plant will dry out and leave this earth for Bonsai tree heaven.

Experiment demonstrating plant transpiration. A plastic bag has been secured over the branches of a pot plant. The inside of the bag has condensation on it from water transpired from the plant’s leaves. Transpiration is the evaporation of water from pores called stomata in leaves. The pores open to allow carbon dioxide to enter the plant for use in photosynthesis, but this also leads to the loss of water.

Before we get to the practical things to do and look out for, it is important to remember that water travelling through a plant will contain minerals and other chemicals that it absorbs from the soil. It therefore plays a very important role in the distribution of these minerals throughout the tree.

The practical things:

Watering is a very important part of keeping Bonsai and comes down to a balancing act to ensure that optimal conditions exist for the processes as described above to take place.
Make sure that your trees are placed in an environment that suits the watering needs of the tree. Plants with thin leaves that can dry out easily i.e., Maples and should be kept out of harsh sun and dry windy conditions.
Trees with smaller leaves or even needles (Pines) can withstand this a bit more as they have less stomata and a thick waxy cuticle that covers the leaf or needle to minimise the area exposed to sun and wind and therefore slow transpiration down.
Get to know the water requirements of your trees and if possible group trees with similar water requirements together.
Check the drainage of your trees regularly. This starts with ensuring that the potting medium / soil is correct for the type of plant. Plants that thrive in drier conditions will have to be planted in a coarser and free draining medium.
When watering, water from the top over the whole tree as it washes dirt off the leaves to enhance transpiration as well as photosynthesis. It also cools the plant down so not to lose too much water.
If the soil is too wet, root rot can occur. This is not necessarily due to something going wrong with transpiration, but more a case of the roots not being able to breathe. Yes, they have to breathe as roots consists of living cells and through the process of respiration, need to take in oxygen. More on this in the next article in this series. It is also a perfect living condition for fungus that causes root rot.
Other techniques to ensure the soil does not get too wet is to tilt the pot during long periods of rain for water to run off. You can also push a rod through the drainage holes through to the top to create a channel for water to run through. These are drastic measures only to be used in circumstances where you need to get rid of water quickly.
Soil can dry out very quickly in a small Bonsai pot. When you get to a situation where the soil is so dry that water on top just runs off the surface, break the surface up a bit and dunk the whole pot in a container of water. Wait until all air bubbles disappear and place it back on the bench.
Another thing to look out for is when the roots grow so fast that it basically replaces the soil in the pot and all you have in the pot is a ball of roots. It is difficult for the plant to absorb water under these circumstances. Prevention is better than the cure. Repot with fresh soil when necessary and treat your trees as if they are pets.
When pruning, cover the cuts with cut paste or something similar as you create a wound and in the context of this article, a leak. Plug the plumbing to support the flow of water through the tree.

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Horticultural Processes and Bonsai: Photosynthesis

July 17, 2021July 17, 2021Bonsaiplace 2 Comments

It is a well known fact that horticultural knowledge and skills should be on par with the creative side of Bonsai cultivation as a horticulturally neglected tree will never reach its full potential as a Bonsai. It is therefore important that some basic horticultural knowledge and skills are mastered early on the journey towards Bonsai mastery.

This series of articles has it as goal to highlight a few processes in horticultural science and linking this knowledge to Bonsai creation and maintenance. We will start off with the most important one and that is Photosynthesis. Others will follow in subsequent articles.

Photosynthesis

A bit of knowledge relating to cell science will help here. In plant cells, usually where there is a green colour, you will find cell organelles called chloroplasts. Inside these there is chlorophyll, a colour pigment, and this one is attributed to the green colour in plants. This is where photosynthesis takes place. Photosynthesis is the process through which plants use raw material to produce food. The raw materials are carbon dioxide and water and with the aid of energy from the sun, food is produced and oxygen is made as a by-product of this process.

What does this mean for Bonsai? The most important part here is the exposure to light. Without this natural light source not enough energy will be available for this process. The second part is that there should be enough chloroplasts available for this process to take place. The significance of this comes in at pruning time. It needs to be at the right time as there should be enough energy / food stored to carry the tree through the period with either no leaves or very few leaves, as at this time food production will be limited. This is crucial for evergreens as the food storage or energy storage side of these plants are not as well developed as what it is for deciduous plants. See the process of transpiration in another article as it plays a role with this as well.

In summary:

Your tree should have adequate light for food production.
Your tree should have adequate water for food production. Water plays a role in other processes as well which makes watering a crucial task for healthy Bonsai growing. See transpiration as an example.
Adequate ventilation is necessary to allow atmospheric carbon dioxide to get to your tree. This is usually not a problem in the outdoors, but something to think about when you cover trees with plastic to increase heat and humidity for growth purposes or other climatic defensive reasons.
Pruning and defoliating. Time this right. Never defoliate an evergreen completely unless it is just a branch or two for the purpose of creating deadwood / Jin.
When positioning branches and foliage pads, make sure that top branches do not cover lower branches too much.

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Bonsai Branch selection 101

April 26, 2021April 26, 2021Bonsaiplace 5 Comments

Which branches will you keep and which will you remove?

Have you noticed how most answers to Bonsai related questions starts with “It depends”. The main reason for this is that we are working with a living organism and it is very rare for generalisations to be applied across all trees. The list below are guidelines to use, especially when styling a new or starter Bonsai tree and applies very much to the more classical Bonsai styles. There will always be exceptions, but here goes.

Branches within the lower one third of the tree. These branches should generally be removed as it helps to show the trunk line. It will expose the nebari and allow a clear view of the bottom part of the trunk where hopefully is some great interest. This can be either well-developed bark, interesting roots or some type of movement lower down in the trunk. There is an exception (I told you so!) and that is when you deliberately wants to leave these branches as sacrifice branches to help with thickening the lower trunk.

Branches and growth too low down on the trunk.

Branches pointing directly at you. The main reason here again is to allow the main trunk line to be visible. The exception is in the top third of the trunk / tree, especially if these branches are part of the apex of the tree.

How about this Jin? Should it be removed? Maybe just a slight turn at the next repot and it is not pointing at you anymore.

Bar branches. These branches are ones that originate at the same level as other branches. If they are directly opposite each other, it is known as bar branches. Another issue with too many branches originating at more or less the same point is that a lot of sap will floe through that area which leads to an unsightly thickening in that area and could also be the reason for reverse taper. This is a thickening at that point with a narrower trunk below that point. Remove as many of these as you can, especially found in pines where the branches for a whorl, preferably leaving one as part of an alternately opposite branch scheme. Select the one that fits the rest of your design more naturally.

Look at the bottom two branches. Not on the same branch, but still opposite each other, forming a bar branch.

Parallel branches, usually originating close to each other, but directly above each other. This is more for aesthetics than growth patterns. The classical design of a branch to one side, then the next one up on the other side and then maybe a back branch and to be repeated as you move up the trunk, is the ideal and not always possible, but at least a good guideline to keep in mind.

Branches growing from almost the same point. This relates very much to the last two guidelines, but in this case refers to branches not necessarily growing parallel above each other or from the sight height, but just close enough for it to be unsightly. There is always the possibility that this will also lead to a situation where that area can thicken disproportionately compared to where other branches grow from to the increased sap flow.

Quite a few growing from the same point or level.

Unusually vigorously growing branches. These branches take energy away from other branches and can cast a shadow across other branches due to its faster growth. It is also possible for these branches to thicken disproportionally to other branches and interfere with normal taper or the notion that branches lower down the trunk should be thicker than branches higher up the trunk. These branches should be shortened or removed.

Secondary branches growing from primary branches where the growth is in the wrong direction. This could be branches growing straight up or straight down, branches growing outside of the main design contours or even in the opposite direction of the flow of the tree or just that part of the tree or branch.

Growing in direction not complimentary to the overall flow of the tree on the left. In this case the second branch was not removed, just wired and styled to follow the flow of the tree overall.

The leader. Older trees show a more rounded apex and this can be achieved by removing the leader, substituting it with a new leader or wiring it in such a way that it shows a more rounded form. This also helps with reducing apical dominance in trees and redistribute the energy in a tree.

As mentioned earlier, very few trees allow the opportunity to apply all of these guidelines, but it is still a good idea to keep these in mind as you work through the tree, selecting which branches to keep and which to remove. This is a video of the branch selection of a Camelia clump lifted from a garden. https://youtu.be/MeCBk-_ofEw

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Bonsai as Sculpture: An Art Form

March 28, 2021Bonsaiplace 2 Comments

Sculpture is defined as Three-dimensional art made by one of four basic processes: carving, modelling, casting, constructing, by http://www.tate.org.uk. A good friend and fellow Bonsai Artist, Greg Tuthill (http://gregtuthill.com/), is a sculpture artist who uses metal as his preferred material and, as mentioned, a very good Bonsai artist as well. That made me think about Bonsai not only as an art form, but specifically as Sculpture.

Let’s unpack the four basic processes as listed in the definition above.

Constructing – Modelling – Carving – Casting

Constructing: For me constructing is producing or making something out of raw material. Here we can argue that the raw material is represented by the starter Bonsai plant, the cutting, the Yamadori or nursery material. From this point you have to make decisions about direction, flow, what to keep and what to discard. You cut, you wire, you shape and you bend what you have in front of you into a design or shape that resembles your idea and vision of what a Bonsai tree should look like. At all times the material that you are working with will dictate how far you can go and what is possible, You construct and therefore Bonsai ticks the box for this element of sculpture.

Modelling: Modelling is shaping something based on a model and in Bonsai we have plenty of examples of this. The basic Bonsai forms of formal upright, informal upright, cascade, slanting and a whole lot more provides the models that we work from. This is used as background knowledge and applied to the material that you have in front of you to create something that might show elements of the model, but is unique in its own character. The act of wiring is also part of modelling.

Informal upright style model and a real tree.

Carving: This we see in Bonsai when we sculpt deadwood, Jin, Uro and Shari. For this we use various techniques and equipment just as a Sculptor would do.

Casting: I am not aware of a lot of casting going on in direct relation to the tree, but no Bonsai is complete without its frame which is represented by the pot. Various methods are used to produce or create Bonsai pots and casting is definitely one of these techniques. It is necessary to have a suitable container or pot to complete the full picture of what a Bonsai represents.

There is one major difference and that Sculpture is normally seen as something done with wood, clay, stone or other non-living materials. Bonsai is definitely done with living trees and can therefore by seen as a living art form. Is Bonsai a form of sculpture? In my opinion, yes, it is.

Yes, we are Sculptors as well as Bonsai Artists.

Critiquing of Bonsai Trees

February 21, 2021February 21, 2021Bonsaiplace 5 Comments

In Robert Steven’s book, Mission of Transformation (2009), he mentions in the Foreword that Critique has become a favorite tool of his as an effective way of teaching and learning. It is my experience that most clubs or Bonsai gatherings will include some or other Critique session, especially at large scale exhibitions or shows. It is customary for the head Judge or a visiting Demonstrator to undertake this task.

I have been witness to many of these and have also done my fair share of these Critique sessions. One of the most important aspects of these sessions is exactly what Robert points out in his book and that it should be an opportunity to learn. It is therefore very important that it is done in a constructive way to enable not only the owner of the tree, but all the spectators to walk away with more than just the negative aspects of the tree under discussion.

I like to start these sessions by asking the owner to tell the story of the tree. This gives you a good understanding of the history of the tree and by asking questions, dive into the aspects that really matter. Once this part is done, I like to first point out all the positives. Find something, even if there is very little to go with. There will always be a positive. As the focus is for this to be a teaching and a learning experience, lead the discussion by questioning. Use open-ended questions and allow as many people in the group as possible to answer and become part of the conversation. It becomes very boring if it is only the Commentator delivering the commentary. There is a danger here in that you at times have a very vocal participant who gets so excited that they tend to dominate the conversation. As you are leading the Critique, be aware of this possibility and gently bring the conversation back to focus on the tree and the whole group.

A good place to start is the overall picture or story that the tree on display tells. Look at the whole scene. After that, I prefer to start at the bottom and work my way up. Lead a discussion on the pot, then the surface soil and covering. After this it is the turn of the Nebari and then the trunk. From here, discuss the style and the appropriateness of that for the specific tree. The next part will be the branches and the foliage before the critique almost reaches its end with the apex. Once all aspects have been discussed, it is really important to summarise and come full circle to the positives and then end off with one or two actions for future development of the tree.

It is a time consuming exercise and in the case of a display with many trees, I prefer to only go with the three top trees and then also one or two Shohin displays. This way each discussion is more in depth and the value add is much more than just a walk through the exhibition and barely spending a minute or two with each tree. What I would like to see is that when it comes to multi-day shows, that the Critique is extended and broken up over more sessions across all days. This can be thematic i.e. each session focusses on only one style of tree (design) or split the trees in Evergreens and Deciduous trees or as mentioned above, do the Shohin separately. The main things is that there must be something new to learn for every participant and the owner needs to walk away with a feeling of accomplishment and also a few pointers on next steps for the tree.