www.en.esprit-bonsai.

com
#83
Esprit Bonsai International #83

INTERNATIONAL
Intern

 The mag z n i enthusiasts  August/September 2016

P
Preparing
f your
for
h
holiday p. 34

Working
W
on an azale
p.
p 52

VISITING EUROPEAN
EXHIBITIONS
Bonsai
Bons
Basics ork
k d i ary J ull y A ugustt 29 Price:
P i €11.50
€€11
11 50 - USD13.50
£8.90
 4th EUROPEAN
BONSAI-SAN Under the patronage OCTOBER 15th-16th
SHOW 2016 of the Nippon Bonsai Association SAULIEU FRANCE

Masayukki FUJIKAWA
Marco INVERNIZZI
I
Taiga URUSHIBATA
RUSHIBATA
Hiroaki SUZUKI
Edition

4 Disciples of KIMURA
Best of show awards
www.european-bonsai-san-show.com – info@bonsai-san.com – Parc des expositions 21210 Saulieu

VILLE DE
SAULIEU
#83 Contents

p. 8 p. 38

p. 34 p. 52

Techniques in Detail
Editorial
4 News and resources
44 A Scots pine over
The Spirit of Bonsai
7 Bonsai for Martians 48
rock takes shape
Replacing pesticides
Bonsai holiday
Exhibitions with natural remedies
Spotlight on Broadleaves
time
8 The EBA and ESA For many people summer is synonymous
Convention: Bonsai 52 Refining semi-raw satsuki with holidays. The sun is out – or should
rises in the East and post-flowering pruning
be – and we can take a break, recharge
the batteries, and get away from the
14 Fédération Française Spotlight on Conifers
grind of daily life. Some people will go
de bonsaï: A friendly away, and others will stay, according
congress in the Nord 58 Off the beaten track to mood, budget and availability.
department in France Re-Imagining a Tree But then, there are the bonsai. Summer
is a time of rest for the trees in terms
Trees and People 64 Casuarina equisetifolia: of work, which will resume in autumn
20 Miura Baiju-en : A very natural tree when the focus will be on pruning and
Japan’s Pioneering Shohin Nursery other interventions. Nevertheless, they
Potters and Pots still need to be looked after and protected
Task of the Month
66 Tony Remington from the heat and the sun, which in just
26 Watering in summer Playing with textures a few hours could annihilate years of care
and attention devoted to these little trees.
Bonsai Basics Besides Bonsai Owning bonsai is a continuous
29 Work calendar: July and August
70 Create a kusamono step by step
responsibility throughout the year, from
which there is not even a day’s respite,
Getting Off to a Good Start Ikebana particularly in summer! And the smaller
34 Peace of mind when 74 Senshin-Ikenobo, For all the tree, the more vulnerable it is, and
you go on holiday will rapidly dry out with the heat.
special occasions
For those who are going away, there
Treegazing 76 Ohara, Bunjin-ike: a scholarly art are certain precautions that can be
Clubs and Enthusiasts taken before leaving, and which will
36 Clinging on for dear life allow a few days absence. Mutual aid
Shohin: Small Bonsaï
78 A club comeback:
would be ideal to ensure the necessary
Bonsaï Toulouse
watering and to check that the trees
38 General maintenance are not too thirsty or too hot. Indeed,
for shohin bonsai
there are solutions that will give you
enough peace of mind to make the
most of the pleasures of summer.
Publishing Director: Christian Fournereau – Editor in Chief: Michèle Corbihan – Art Director: Antoine Simon – Sub editor: Anne
Royer – Designers to Layout: Charlène Destrebecq, Stéphanie Grevet, Benjamin Madelainne – Design Intern : Margaux Drouin,
Tania Péan – Translators: Abigail Grater, Nichola Lewis – Contributors to this issue: Cinthya Arenas, BonsaiTranslations, Jean- Enjoy your holidays and happy reading!
François Busquet, Xavier Dreux, François Jeker, Jérôme Hay, Gilbert Labrid, Bruno Mazza, Marette Renaudin, Anne Royer, Marcel Vrignaud,
Peter Warren – Advertising: Manon Foustoul +33297 248152 – Retail and Professional: Magalie Rous +33297593766 – Accounts:
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– Setting and Printing: Rectiligne – ISSN: 1761-662X CPPAP : 0618K83283 – “Printed in France/Imprimé en France”. ESPRIT
BONSAI INTERNATIONAL is published by LR Presse sarl: BP 30104, F-56401 AURAY Cedex, FRANCE – Registered office: “Le
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B.381289719 – Tel. +33 297 240 165 – Fax: +33 297 242 830 – E-mail: info@esprit-bonsai.com – Website: http://www.en.esprit-
bonsai.com – Subscriptions: 6 issues per year – Legal deposit on the date of publication – Cover: Thymus vulgaris, Barbara and
Herbert Obermayer. Photo: Michèle Corbihan, design: Antoine Simon.
#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 3
News and
resources
On the Web 5th Annual
National Bonsai
Exhibition in
Rochester
Once again, the international
bonsai community will be
GROUPE BONSAI QUÉBEC enriched by the display of
https://groupebonsaiquebec.com/ bonsai gathered together
from across the United States
The Québécois club is made up of bonsai at the 5th US National Bonsai
committed enthusiasts who place their Exhibition on September 10
meetings and sharing among the highest – 11, 2016, in Rochester, NY.
values in the practice of the art. It all started A diverse pallet of North
twenty years ago at the 1996 Expo-Plantes American trees will be shown:
when the seven founder members of the group made their first from the large bonsai from the
contact with bonsai. The club has held an annual exhibition north-west to the hardy trees
since 2011, which will take place on 22 and 23 October 2016. from the Rockies, as well as
Its particular feature: all their trees are displayed against a black tropical bonsai from the south,
backdrop. Does this remind you of a famous French exhibition? or the very refined deciduous
trees from the north-east.
VALAVANIS BONSAI BLOG A great event organised by
https://valavanisbonsaiblog.com/ William N. Valavanis, who has
invited some of the most
This is a bonsai blog by William N. Valavanis, talented artists in Europe
the owner of the Internal Bonsai Arboretum – Bjorn Bjorholm, David De
in Rochester, New York State. He is a Groot, Kora Kalager, Boon
passionate bonsai practitioner and has Manakitivipart, Larry and Nina
travelled fifty times to Japan where he has Ragle, Michael Ryan Bell, Sean
learnt the art of bonsai. He writes regular articles for his blog, which Smith, Kathy Shaner, Suthin
is illustrated with superb photographs taken in Japanese nurseries Sukosolvisit – as well as Peter
and at American exhibitions. The site’s design is simple and all the Warren and Tony Tickle from
articles can be found on the home page in a continuous scroll. the United Kingdom, Minoru
Akiyama from Japan, David
SHOHIN-BONSAI Easterbrook from Canada and
http://www.bonsaiten.com/ Enrique Castano from Mexico.
Over thirty bonsai sellers
I discovered shohin and the incredible will be present.
beauty of this type of bonsai on this site, ¡ Total Sports Experience
which has a collection of photos from (TSE) 435 West Commercial
Shuga-ten exhibitions, one of the most Street, East Rochester,
interesting autumn exhibitions held NY 14445, USA
annually in Tokyo. You can now see all the photos taken of the http://www.
compositions from the last eight exhibitions – from which to usnationalbonsai.com
learn and get one’s eye in as to how to exhibit our shohin in
upcoming exhibitions, whatever type of stand is used. This 36thTaikan-ten
should inspire you, as it did me, to go to this great event at annual exhibition
the Ueno Green Club at the beginning of November. The 36th Taikan-ten annual
exhibition will be held on
21–24 November. This large
exhibition that takes place
By Guillaume Billaud, bonsai-shohin.com every autumn in Kyoto consists
4 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
of 200 tree exhibits each
as beautiful as the other.
There will also be a sales area.
¡ Miyakomesse, Kyoto (9-1),
Okazaki Seisyoji-cho,Sakyo-
ku, Kyoto, 606-8343
Annual meeting
of the Swedish
Bonsai Association
The Swedish Bonsai
Association will hold its annual
meeting 3–4 September.
Apart from the display
of the members’ trees,
Mauro Stemberger will be
the guest of honour. He
will give a demonstration
and lead a workshop.
¡ East Asiatic Museum,
Tyghusplan, 111 49
Stockholm, Sweden
http://www.bonsaisallskapet.se
North London
Bonsai Autumn
Show
The North London Bonsai
Group are organising an
autumn exhibition for 25
September. About twenty
of the most beautiful trees
in the country belonging
to club members, the
organiser and four other
bonsai clubs will be shown.
Sales area with bonsai and
bonsai accessories.
Will Baddeley will give
the demonstrations
¡ Capel Manor, Bullsmoor lane,
Enfield, Middlesex EN1 4RQ
From 10 a.m. to 4.00 p.m.
http://northlondonbonsai.
wix.com/home#!
The Black Scissors
bonsai convention
The international Black
Scissors convention will be
held from 2 to 4 September

at Altyus in Lithuania together
with the 5th Japanese Culture
Festival. The Black Scissors
aim is to unleash creativity and
find new ways of presenting
bonsai. The exhibition will
display trees by members of
the Black Scissor movement.
Luca Bragazzi (Italy),
Chiara Padrini (Italy) and
Kathy Coffman (Italy) will
give talks. Robert Stevens
(Indonesia), Vaclav Novak
(Czech Republic), Kunio
Kobayashi (Japan), Robert
Kempinsky (USA),Carlos Van
der Vaart (Netherlands),
Salvatore Liporace (Italy)
and Wang Xuan Ming (China)
will be demonstrating.
¡ Alytus Theater,
Rotušės str.
2, Alytus LT-62141, Lithuania
Contact: info@bonsai.lt
robertbonsai@hotmail.com
blackscissors.lithuania@
gmail.com
http://www.bonsai.lt/
convention-2016/
The Fédération
Française de
bonsai congress
2017
The Montpellier club will
organise the Fédération
Française de Bonsai congress,
to be held on 27 and 28
May 2017 at Prades-le-lez a
French commune situated
about 25 km north of the
outskirts of Montpellier.
http://www.ffbonsai.com/
www.en.esprit-bonsai.com
Find news in real time on our blog
and on the Esprit Bonsai FACEBOOK page.
GATHERINGS
The mame and shohin exhibition
T he annual mame and shohin
exhibition put on by the
Fédération Française de bonsai will
About fifteen traders will offer pottery,
tools of the trade, presentation
tables, bonsai, pre-bonsai and
take place this year at Couzeix, in other necessary accessories to
Haute-Vienne in France, on 24 and cultivate and train a bonsai.
25 September. This meeting has Centre culturel municipal (municipal
become an unmissable event in cultural centre)
the world of small bonsai which will Allée du Stade
take pride of place here. The Bonsai 87270 Couzeix,
Club du Limousin, will organise the France
event with Koji Hiramatsu as guest Horaires : 10 a.m.
of honour. A specialist in small to 6.00 p.m.
bonsai, the Japanese master is a Entrance fee: €3,
frequent visitor to this event. He will FFB member €2,
offer workshops on registration and students €1.
lecture tours of the exhibition. Some http://www.
level three (N3) members of the ffbonsai.com/
Fédération Française de bonsai will
also give lecture tours to visitors.
The Maulévrier National Bonsai Show
The annual national bonsai show in Maulévrier, Maine-et-Loire in France, exhibits
about 50 high-quality trees carefully selected by the organisers at the Parc
Oriental in Maulévrier. The show takes place on 11–12 September 2016. Its first
objective is to promote the art of bonsai by giving ardent bonsai lovers the chance
to attend a quality event held in the exceptional setting of the Oriental park.
The guest of honour at this year’s show will be Alexandre Escudero, who specialises
in the art of presentation or “kazari” in Japanese and is passionate about shohin
(trees that are less than 21 cm (8¼ in.) high. He will display a number of trees from his
collection, some of which have not yet been seen in France. He will also be present
with his Bonsai-Do “The bonsai way” school, and will run workshops all weekend.
The Japanese master Hiroyoshi Yamaji, will be special guest of honour at this
show. A professional bonsai artist, producer and exporter, he is the second-
generation owner of the Yamaji Sanshoen Garden in Takamatsu. The
master Yamaji is a graduate of the Kansai Gaidai Junior College and
runs regular workshops in France, Europe and the United States.
He will also supervise and run workshops during the weekend.
On the agenda, is a lecture on “kazari” by Alexandre Escudero,
demonstrations on a bonsai by members of the Union du bonsai
français (French Bonsai Union), a stone-cutting demonstration,
the creation of a Japanese lantern by Olivier Dupé, an ishizuki
demonstration, and a lecture tour of the exhibition.
Parc Oriental - Route de Mauléon
49360 Maulévrier, France
http://www.parc-oriental.com/
#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 5
 News and
resources

Exhibition and convention

HAMPTON
RHS Hampton Court Palace Flower Show
COURT, UK 5–10 July
Hampton Court Palace, East Molesey, Surrey

Hyper Japan Festival. Summer fiesta will ofer the quality Japanese and
Japan-centric exhibitors and activities; all under one roof and back in the
LONDON, UK 11–17 July heart of London. Federation of British Bonsai Societies will be exhibiting.
Kensington Olympia Grand, London.
http://hyperjapan.co.uk

2016 Lithuania – International Black Scissors Bonsai Convention,

in collaboration with 5th Japanese Culture Festival.
ALYTUS,
2–4 September Info: info@bonsai.lt and robertbonsai@hotmail.
LITHUANIA
com or blackscissors.lithuania@gmail.com
www.bonsai.lt/convention-2016

Annual meeting of the Swedish Bonsai Association.

STOCKHOLM,
3–4 September East Asiatic Museum, Stockholm.
SWEDEN
www.bonsaisallskapet.se

Salon National du Bonsaï (National bonsai Show)

MAULÉVRIER, Special guests: Alexandre Escudero and Hiroyoshi Yamaji
10–11 September
FRANCE Salles des Fêtes, route de Mauléon 49360 Maulévrier
www.parc-oriental.com

BEVEREN, Vlaamse Bonsaivereniging autumn meeting.

17–18 September
BELGIUM www.vlaamsebonsai.be

The mame and shohin exhibition

of the Fédération française de bonsaï
COUZEIX,
24–25 September Centre culturel municipal, Allée du Stade, 87270 Couzeix
FRANCE
Hours: 10 a.m.–6.00 p.m.
www.fbonsai.com

The Bonsai Shohin of Puerto Rico previously known

SAN JUAN, 30 September– as the “Puerto Rico Shohin Study Group”
PUERTO RICO 2 October The main speaker will be Suthin Sukosolvisit.
www.facebook.com/PRSSG

Celebration of:
- the 40th anniversary of the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum
WASHINGTON, - the reopening of the renovated Japanese Pavilion
14–16 October
DC, USA - World Bonsai Day, and
- the Annual US National Arboretum Bonsai Festival.
3501 New York Ave NE, Washington, DC. 20002

4th European Bonsai San Show

Demonstrations by four disciples of Masahiko Kimura: Marco
SAULIEU,
15–16 October Invernizzi, Taiga Urushibata, Masayuki Fujikawa, Hiroaki Suzuki.
FRANCE
Parc des expositions (exhibition park) Jean Bertin, rue de la gare, 21210 Saulieu
www.european-bonsai-san-show.com

Sakka Ten – Autumn trees

Exhibition of Nippon Bonsai Sakka Kyookai Europe
ROME, ITALY 28–30 October Guest of honour: Kunio kobayashi
Botanic Gardens Museum
www.sakkakyookai-e.com

36th Taikan-Ten, Miyakomesse, Kyoto

KYOTO, JAPAN 21–24 November 200 displays and sales area.
9-1, Okazaki Seisyoji-cho, Sakyo-ku, Kyoto

6 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
 The spirit
of Bonsaï

BONSAI FOR
MARTIANS
A Japanese team have invented a system of
“loating” bonsai. How appropriate is this sort of thing
to the bonsai world? a country that is in thrall to nuclear ener-
gy, a very strong magnetic field, pollution
Text: Jérôme Hay inside the home. There are also questions
Illustration: Tania Péan to be asked on the health of the tree and
of the people around it, all exposed to the

I
t begins like an April fool that
pops up in your email inbox
to make you smile. Is bonsai
about to undergo a renais-
sance through technology? Following on
from the relative optimisation of indoor
bonsai in the West and the appearance
of artificial flowers on cactuses, here is a
new invention to help bonsai take off. You
have probably seen it already, or at least
heard about it: “flying bonsai” – oops, sor-
ry! – “floating bonsai”. Does technology
know no bounds?
A question of ethics
magnetic field.
Also questionable is whether or how
system the might be set up outdoors.
I have my doubts about the outcome!
Another aspect that undermines the
indoor plant’s potential for longevity.
Excessive stress
Why are technological advances being
developed that may be invisibly harming
our everyday environment? I can’t even
begin to imagine the number of scien-
tists and patents that it took to produce
this result. So much intellectual energy AN
PÉ
expended for a fantasy that makes no TA
NIA

As a general rule, scientific advanc- contribution to the improvement of bon-

es are supposed to be useful and to
improve daily life. However, over the last
few decades, technology has linked up
with merchandising to feed into a society
that is ever hungrier for novelty, in an era
when mobile phones are equipped with
all sorts of apps that grow more innova-
tive by the day but that stray completely
from the phone’s primary function: that
of communication. The impact of this
equipment on health has been called into
question, as some scientists have already
raised the alarm over prolonged expo-
sure to electromagnetic sources. Wifi and
bluetooth are invading our homes and our
cars. How long before we see connected
bonsai?
It sounds like something from a sci-
ence-fiction film, except that it will soon
be a commercial reality. This bonsai
UFO makes me wonder about ethics
and about where bonsai is headed. Zero
ecology, 100% electrical materials from
sai life. I would be less critical if the same
level of attention had been paid to the
tree’s wellbeing and respecting its per-
manent traits – obvious, unpretentious
things.
I don’t want to appear backward-look-
ing. But bonsai has represented harmony,
beauty and inner peace for millennia. It is
spiritually uplifting. Now it is suddenly the
bonsai that are being “uplifted”, made to
twist around in the air by artificial means.
Can such a hypnotic energy be consid-
ered calming? In a world that is constantly
on the move, won’t it just contribute to
excessive stress levels?
It may tempt some new followers, and
this may lead them to discover a new pas-
sion. Or perhaps this presentation will dis-
appoint a public that is uninformed as to
the needs of living things. This procedure
could be applied to countless decorative
objects; but it is bonsai, that Japanese
cultural symbol, which was chosen by this
Japanese company. A traditional sure bet
revisited by innovation. But is this what
people are looking for? Only time will tell.
Pots for Martians
In any case, the project will soon be
arriving on the market, judging by the suc-
cess of the crowd-funding scheme which
has raised more than the sum originally
sought. It may be impossible to ignore.
For as long as the majority contribute to
the realisation of concepts without know-
ing all the rules that govern living things,
bonsai will be at the mercy of the latest
fantasies. It is those who know nothing
about bonsai who are now reinventing
it, to escape the realities that don’t suit
them. Unfortunately, sooner or later, real-
ity will catch up with them!
As a potter friend has said to me: “All I
have to do now is make pots for Mar-
tians …” 

#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 7
Exhibitions

Hungary hosted the 2016

convention of the European

THE EBA AND ESA CONVENTION

Bonsai Association (EBA)
and the European Suiseki
Association (ESA) in May. An
opportunity to be immersed

Bonsai rises in the East

in Eastern European bonsai.

The convention of the European Bonsai Association (EBA)

and European Suiseki Association (ESA) – held in May
2016 in Székesfehérvár, Hungary – was a meeting point
for European bonsai and suiseki lovers. Eastern European
bonsai is starting to make its mark on the European scene.
Author: Michèle Corbihan

The bonsaists of Hungary and Eas-

The convention was held at the Szent István Community Centre in
Székesfehérvár, around 60 kilometres (37 miles) south-west of Budapest.
tern Europe certainly aren’t lacking in talent! They
made this clear at the 32nd convention of the Euro-
pean Bonsai Association (EBA) and European Suiseki
Association (ESA), which was held in Hungary from
20 to 22 May 2016.
Although European bonsai and suiseki conventions
ought to bring together a selection of trees from bonsai
lovers all over Europe, they often mainly showcase the
skill of one country, and a few of its neighbours, in the

8 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83

Crataegus monogyna, Tirpák Bálint. Pot:
Japan. Award of Taiwan Bonsai Association.
art of bonsai. This scenario was repeated for the
2016 edition. It was a fine, well-organised event,
and the demonstrations and talks had a richly Eu-
ropean flavour. However, despite its beauty, the
display of trees was not representative of the diver-
sity and expertise of all countries that are members
of the EBA – of which there are 19 in total.
Largely local attendance
It was a very warm May weekend in Székes-
fehérvár, a delightful city steeped in history that is
situated some 60 kilometres (37 miles) south-west
Lagerstomia indica,
Marczika Bonsai
Studio. Styling:
Taiga Urushibata.
Beautiful bonsai of
Hungarian Bonsai
Association award.
Pinus sylvestris,
Josef Valuch.
EBA Merit Award.
Shohin composition: Pinus thunbergii, Juniperus
chinensis, Acer palmatum “Deshojo”, Punica granatum,
Juniperis chinensis “Sargentii”, Berberis thunbergii. René
Lempel. Pots: Yixing and Isabelia. EBA Merit Award.
Prizewinners
• Bonsai • Suiseki
EBA Merit Award: ESA award for the most beautiful
Pinus sylvestris, Josef Valuch, stone of the annual exhibition: Land-
Acer buergerianum, Mario Pedrazetti, scape stone – San sui kei seki, Sarka
Shohin display, René Lempel. Cermáková.
EBA Merit Award for best Hungarian ESA Merit Award: Human Shaped
tree: Pyrus pyraster, Ràcz György stone – Sugata-ishi, Elle Gornerová.
Beautiful bonsai of Hungarian Bonsai President’s Award of the Associazione
Association award: Lagerstomia ind- Italiana Amatori Suiseki: Water Pool
ica, Marczika Bonsai Studio. stone – Mizutamari-ishi, Michal Sebo.
Taiwan Bonsai Association award: BCI Excellence Award: Suiseki col-
Crataegus monogyna, Tirpák Bálint. lection three small stones, Martina
BCI Excellence Award: Vyhlidalová.
Thymus vulgaris, Barbara
and Herbert Obermayer.
of Budapest, to the north-east of Lake Balaton. The
convention was held in the city’s historical quarter,
at the Szent István Community Centre – an attrac-
tive late 19th-century building. At the same time
in this pedestrianised area there was a chocolate
festival: an additional opportunity to savour local
specialities, and not only chocolate ones. 
#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 9
 Exhibitions
Thymus vulgaris.
Barbara and
Herbert Obermayer.
Pot: Andrea
Melloni. Styling:
Andrea Melloni.
BCI Excellence
Award for an
outstanding bonsai.
Larix decidua, Nick Rozman. Pot: Erik Krizovensky.
 The weekend of the convention began
on the Friday evening with the opening ceremony
attended by the city’s mayor, Dr András Cser-Pal-
kovics, an EBA representative, the president of the
ESA, Igor Bárta, and the president of the Hunga-
rian Bonsai Association, Attila Baumann. A won-
derful concert of Japanese drumming opened the
ceremony, which comprised the usual speeches.
Visitors thronged the aisles of the exhibition
over the three days of the event: enlightened en-
thusiasts and novices alike. Most were from Hun-
gary or its bordering countries. Likewise the trees
displayed in the exhibition: although their natio-
nalities were not specified, it was noticeable that
the majority of the owners’ names had an Eastern
European ring to them. Not many members from
Western Europe made the journey, either to show
their trees or to visit the exhibition. Having said
that, there were two French bonsai that deserve
a mention: a mountain pine (Pinus mugo subsp.
uncinata) from Marie-Hélène Brenn and a shohin
display by Florence Bardot.
10 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
Water Pool stone – Mizutamari-ishi, Michal Sebo. Origin: China.
President’s Award of the Associazione Italiana Amatori Suiseki.
Landscape stone – San sui kei seki, Sarka Cermáková.
Origin: Czech Republic. ESA award for the most
beautiful stone of the annual exhibition.
Picea jezoensis, Juraj Szabó. Pot: Pravoslav Dorda.
Emerging talent
It is hard not to be surprised at a convention of
a European federation being so poorly attended
by its various members, including at the highest
level of representatives.
Even so, coming here was an opportunity to
admire the standard that the art of bonsai has rea-
ched in Hungary and neighbouring countries. Al-
though Western countries have had a head start,
bonsai has also been developing well here for seve-
ral years, and new talent is emerging.
Conifers were in the minority, with larches more
numerous than junipers and pines. There was a
wide range of broadleaves, both native and im-
ported from Asia: dogwood trees (Mas) brushed
branches with hawthorns (Crataegus), apple trees
(Malus), Prunus domestica subsp. Insititia and ho-
neysuckle (Lonicera). There were almost 80 bon-
sai for visitors to admire, most of them beautifully
structured.
Various prizes were awarded by the EBA and
also by Bonsai Club International, the Hungarian

Acer platanoides, Putz Vince. Pot: Dile Zoltán
Acer buergerianum.
Mario Pedrazzetti.
EBA Merit Award.
Pyrus communis,
Rácz György. Pot:
China. EBA Merit
Award for best
Hungarian tree.
Bonsai Association and the Taiwan Bonsai Asso-
ciation. Similarly, for suiseki, the ESA gave a few
prizes, as did the Bonsai Club International and
the Associazione Italiana Amatori Suiseki.
The traditional “New Talent” contest took place
on the Saturday afternoon on one of the building’s
terraces, in scorching sunlight. Thirteen contenders
– from Belgium, France, Germany, the UK, Austria,
Switzerland, Slovakia, Slovenia, the Czech Repu-
blic, the Netherlands, Hungary, Poland and Italy –
were pitted against each other. The first prize 
#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 11
 Exhibitions

A Hungarian professional
Based in Érd, about 20 kilometres means to buy good-quality material
(12 miles) south of Budapest, to work with. Marczika András is the
Marczika András has been a bonsai only professional in the Budapest
enthusiast since childhood. He trai- area.
ned in the UK under Harry Thomlin- He therefore ofers bonsai for all
son, among others, and set up in budgets, to satisfy the demands of
business in 1990 after studying at the general public and – why not? –
university. also try to win over new enthusiasts.
The market in Hungary isn’t easy, At his nursery, bonsai imported
because there are still relatively few since last year from China, Korea
bonsai lovers. The comparatively and Japan mingle with yamadori –
low standard of living in Hungary there is lots of Crataegus monogyna Attila Baumann (right), president of the
Hungarian Bonsai Association, passes on the
is also an obstacle to practising here.
torch for the 2017 EBA convention to Christian
bonsai, as hobbyists rarely have the He has little time to form a private Vos of the Bonsai Association Belgium.
collection, and even when he does
find time to do so, he still sells his
finest examples if the opportunity
arises. The weekend unfolded in a very friendly at-
Diversifying can be necessary in mosphere, almost like a big family, encompassing
order to survive, and for Marc- exhibitors, organisers and the general public alike.
zika András this includes growing The whole experience was much more than just
orchids and Tillandsia, among a visit to a European bonsai convention. It was
others. an immersion in the art of bonsai as practised in
He has ten salaried employees, one Eastern Europe where, though the same codes are
of whom is Sándor Papp, a talented followed as far as the trees are concerned, there
young artist, who looks after the is not the same availability of tools and materials
trees in the nursery. or indeed finances as in the region that is more
Marczika András, a bonsai professional familiar to us – that is, the West. This is always an
in the Budapest region, won a prize for interesting way to open yourself up to the practise
one of his trees at the EBA convention. of your art.
A young Hungarian bonsai artist whom I met
elsewhere in the autumn told me that bonsai is
booming here; and having seen the exhibition and
demonstrations, I have no doubt that this was not
 was awarded to Dan Snipes, a North Ameri- mere proselytism.
can living in the Netherlands. René Sukar, of Aus- For its first European convention, the Hungarian
tria, came second, and the third place went to a Bonsai Association offered the public and bonsai
woman: Andrea Junger, of Germany. lovers an enjoyable event – a delightful celebration
of bonsai and suiseki. 
Nine international demonstrators
There were nine demonstrators and they came
from Japan, Germany, Poland, Hungary, the UK
and Slovenia. Visiting members of the public were
given a choice of five simultaneous demonstrations
on the Saturday and six on the Sunday.
The talks, workshops and other events gave
visitors the opportunity to discover the art of ku-
samono, the tea ceremony, origami and Japanese
combat sports.
Bonsai professionals are few and far between
in Hungary, and this was evident from the num-
ber of trade stands present. Even so, visitors could New European talent 2016. From right to left: Dan
browse stalls whose wares included specialist pu- Snipes (Netherlands) was placed first, René Sukar
blications, bonsai, Japanese objects and pots. (Austria) second and Andrea Junger (Germany) third.

12 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
Koji Hiramatsu, Japan. Gergö Schmidt,
Hungary.

Valentin Brose, Germany.

DEMONSTRATORS

Rácz György, Hungary.

Andrea Melloni (right), assisted

by Herbert Obermayer, Germany.
Nick Rozman,
Slovenia.
Bartosz Koblanski, Poland.

William
Baddeley,
UK.

Sándor Papp, Hungary.

#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 13
Exhibitions

The Palacium at
Villeneuve d’Ascq,
played host to the

FÉDÉRATION FRANÇAISE DE BONSAÏ

2016 congress of
the Féderation
Française de
bonsai (FFB) in

A friendly congress in the

May. It was a
great show, but
there were too
few visitors.

Nord department in France

Author: Michèle Corbihan
The Fédération Française de bonsai at
Villeneuve d’Ascq, near Lille, continued
with tradition at its congress held
in May 2016. Beautiful trees, suiseki,
demonstrations and other activities all
A “real” congress was held by
the Fédération Française de bonsai (FFB), not only
added up to a successful event. was it an exhibition with demonstrations and other
activities, but it also included its annual general mee-
ting – the federation’s pulse – which assembles all its
members together for important decision-making. So
the 2016 annual exhibition, at the Palacium in Ville-
neuve D’Ascq, was a vintage year that combined all
the ingredients required for a congress. Furthermore,
Philippe Massard was elected as the new president
Danielle Grégoire and will succeed Jean-Marc Pouillon.
receiving the EBA It’s a pity that there were too few visitors of the sort
merit prize for her one hoped to see at this type of meeting. No doubt,
common yew, from
Jean-Marc Pouillon, it was the scarcity of petrol during the various strikes
the outgoing that disrupted France at this time that discouraged
president of the FFB. people from taking to the road. 

14 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
Danielle Grégoire’s common yew
received the “Outstanding tree”
(outstanding tree) award and
also won the (EBA) European
Bonsai Association’s merit
prize. Height: 76 cm (30 in.).

#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 15
 Exhibitions

The Arbre dans la Main Association

organised the congress. The president,
Eric Desplanques (in shirtsleeves and
tie) stands next to Jean-Marc Pouillon,
outgoing president of the FFB. Calligraphy demonstration given
at the prize-giving ceremony.

The “Outstanding tree” award to Danielle Grégoire

for her Japanese maple. Height: 70 cm (27½ in.).

The “Outstanding tree” award to Jean-Luc

Gueusquin for his elm. Height: 50 cm (19¾ in.).
The “Outstanding
tree” award to Jean-
Bernard Gallais for
his red pine. Height:
120 cm (47¼ in.).
 This was the second time
that the Arbre dans la Main (A tree
in the Hand) Association organized
and hosted the FFB congress. The first
was in 2006, and the organisers with
a wealth of experience behind them,
put on an event rich in exhibitions,
demonstrations and related activities.
An abundance
of deciduous trees
The display of trees belonging to
members of the federation, and selec-
ted at regional exhibitions last year,
were without doubt, the first port of
call for bonsai enthusiasts. It showed
a “very marked evolution in the qua-
lity of the trees”, commented Jean-
Marc Pouillon, the outgoing president
after nine years in office. There were
over 80 trees on show, and the nume-
rous deciduous trees displayed were
namely, the classic St Lucie cherry, oak, spindle,
maple, hawthorn, hornbeam and beech, which
rubbed shoulders with rarer trees such as chest-
nut, pear, hibiscus and sumac (Rhus). Jean-Marc
Pouillon affirmed that they were at the heart of
the federation and were the result of many years’
The “Outstanding tree” award to
Patrick Dujardin for his St Lucie
cherry tree. Height: 90cm (35½ in.).
work. “Over the last ten years, the emphasis we
have laid on deciduous trees has paid off, as a
large majority of trees in the exhibition this year
are deciduous.”
Although there were fewer conifers than in pre-
vious exhibitions, they were of the highest qua-
lity. The panel of judges presided over by Michel
Augeix, bestowed 11 “outstanding tree” awards,
of which seven were conifers. The spotlight was
on the Danielle Grégoire’s success with two of
her trees that received the award, and which won
her the European Bonsai Association (EBA) merit
prize for her common yew.
Trees from French-speaking clubs
As Belgium is so close, the organisers invited
neighbouring French-speaking clubs to exhibit
their trees, particularly as two level 3 (N3) mem-
bers of the FFB are Belgian – Michel Brohet and
Ruud Halink. This resulted in an exhibition of
trees called the “Avenue du peuple belge” a nod
to a street of the same name in Lille.

16 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
 Chestnut, a The Belgian
rare species in clubs, who were
bonsai, holds no not part of the
secrets for Yves oficial exhibition,
Ingels. Height: displayed their
70 cm (27½ in.). trees in the
“Avenue du
peuple belge”.
The “Outstanding tree” award to Pierre-Yves Lidec for
his Japanese euonymus. Height: 75 cm (29½ in.).
The “Outstanding
tree” award went
to Pierre Rudelle
for his pentaphylla
(five-needle) pine.

The “Outstanding trees”

Red pine, Jean-Bernard Gallais
St Lucie cherry, Patrick Dujardin
Japanese euonymus, Pierre-Yves Lidec
Common Yew, Danielle Grégoire
Scots pine, Gilles Thomas
Pentaphylla Pine, Pierre Rudelle
Japanese maple, Danielle Grégoire
Spruce, David Viger
Black pine, Angélique Bourceau
Shohin composition with juniper
and berberis, Ronan Le Bras
Elm, Jean-Luc Gueusquin

The “Outstanding tree” award to Angélique Bourceau

for her Japanese black pine. Height: 40 cm (15¾ in.).
The Arbre dans la Main Club also presented a
very didactic exhibition of how bonsai are crea-
ted, showing work done on hornbeam, yew and
chestnut. It should be noted that Yves Ingels, a
member of the club, is no doubt, the leading spe-
cialist in chestnut bonsai in France.
Demonstrations, talks and activities of all kinds
abounded; some were open to the public and
others were reserved for the congress participants.
For the demonstrations, we met up again with
Japanese Koji Hiramatsu – a well-known figure
on the French and European scene – Udo Fischer,
from Germany, Oscar Roncari from Switzerland,
Franciso Ferreira from France and Ruud Halink
from Belgium.
FFB members gave talks on hornbeam, chest-
nut, ash, tree vigour, tree over rock compositions,
Japanese gardens and more besides. Visitors were
also agreeably entertained by calligraphy displays
and demonstrations, Japanese folklore, Aikido
demonstrations, and tea ceremonies.
The New Talent competition took place on Sa-
turday afternoon with six contestants who had
won the New Talent competition in their respec-
tive regions. The principle was simple; each was
given a small juniper to work on for several hours.
Jean-Philippe Faurie convinced the judges with
his project, and he will represent France at the
EBA competition next February in Belgium during
the Noelanders Trophy. Julien Decalonne, from
the Nord region, came second, after a fine per-
formance, which presages well for his future as
a bonsai artist, as he is only sixteen years old!
The professionals were in the next-door buil-
ding and made up a true village – a specialist
market if ever there was one. 

#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 17
 Exhibitions Philippe Massard,
the newly elected
president of the
Fédération Française
de bonsai, will be in
ofice for three years.

Jean-Philippe
Faurie from
the south-west
The new president’s projects
won the 2016 Apart from his determination to
New Talent continue with ongoing activities,
competition. Philippe Massard, the new FFB
president has many projects in mind.
“I should like to open up the FFB’s
communication lines on every level. It
can be done since we have the means
to do it through an interactive site, a
Facebook page, and a forum. I should
like to appoint someone to follow all
FFB activities – in France, Belgium and
Switzerland – at every level and ensure
that they are communicated generally.
On an international level, at least in
Europe, we are not widely enough
Oscar Roncari and Francisco Ferreira
working on a juniper. recognised. The FFB is one of the
largest bonsai associations in Europe,
and must have its place. I shall
appoint someone to take care of the
international side of things, the first
step being the EBA congress in 2017.
My third big task will be to push for
and maximise training, to encourage
new members and to mentor them, in
order to get more people at level 3. For
this we need capable as well as high-
level trainers.
These must be across-the-board
decisions. I should like there to be a
feeling of freedom during my tenure,
so that everyone can have their say.
We must also attract other French
clubs who are not members to join,
and we should raise the question as
to why have they not joined. On the
Belgian side, the federation is being
eaten up by the Noelanders. They
are French-speaking, so why not
encourage some of them to join the
FFB.”

The Japanese
master Koji
Hiramatsu
working on a
pine during a
demonstration. We tightened up a bit on the working methods
of the federation’s administrative boards and pro-
ceedings which needed transparency and a tra-
ceable path.
I clarified the federation’s communication sys-
tem; we opened a Facebook account, set up a
newsletter, built a new website and broke away a
bit from the written side of France Bonsai, as we
are no longer partners except for communication.
We still have our forum on parlonsbonsai.com.
There are things that were not achieved: the
training of judges and of participating instruc-
tors. Another small downside is that the number
Udo Fischer of members has stabilised at between 1750 and
meticulously 1800 per year – I think this figure could have
shaping
a pine.
Training and communication increased somewhat.
The annual general meeting of the Fédération I am very happy to hand the baton on; we
Française de bonsai was held on Sunday morning. need fresh energy, and I am going to concentrate
It marked the end of Jean-Marc Pouillon’s nine- on my trees.”
year tenure as president – an unruffled president Newly elected, Philippe Massard comes to the
who serenely handed on the baton and recorded table with many projects and a wish to conti-
his years in office. “I found the federation in tur- nue with the same energy as his predecessor (see
moil and I tried to sort out the situation and to boxed text).
restructure the focus on work: mostly training, The next congress of the Fédération Française
and better organisation for regional exhibitions de bonsai will be held 27–28 May, 2017 at Prades-
and congresses and so forth. le-Lez near Montpellier. 

18 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
The “Outstanding tree” award went to Ronan Le Bras
for this shohin composition of juniper and berberis.

The “Outstanding tree” award went to Gilles Thomas The “Outstanding tree” award for this spruce
for this Scots pine. Height: 70 cm (27½ in.). went to David Viger. Height: 45 cm (17¾ in.).

#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 19
Spotlight
on Broadleaves

Miura
Baiju-en
Japan’s Pioneering
Shohin Nursery
In the 1970s, Katsushi Miura (right)
founded his nursery Baiju-en
which specialises in shohin. Hiroki
Miura, his 40-year-old son, is the
current owner of the nursery. Photos and interview:
BonsaiTranslations

Mr Katsushi Miura, founder of Baiju-

en and vice-chairman of the All Japan
Esprit Bonsai International - When did you start
Shohin Bonsai Association, has dedicated Bonsai?
his life to the creation and expansion Katsushi Miura – I was the second son of a farming
family in eastern Hyogo Prefecture. My father grew
of shohin bonsai culture in Japan. His garden trees and flowers. In Japan, traditionally, the
first son inherits a family business, so I had to think
nursery Baiju-en is located at Toyono- of ways of becoming independent from my fami-
gun, in Osaka Prefecture. ly’s work. After graduating from Osaka prefectural
horticulture high school, I worked as a salesman
for a food colouring and flavouring company for 11
months. I quickly realised I couldn’t become pres-
ident of that company because I didn’t go to uni-
versity. In Japan, it is very hard to advance in one’s
career with only a high school diploma. I always
liked horticulture, and when I was 19, I worked in a
big flower shop called Sato, in Osaka. That job was
quite interesting. Sato flower shop was a very big
chain. At that time, they had more than 20 shops
in Japan. My work was flower arrangement. I made
arrangementsforhotels,restaurants,weddingsand
for television. Three years in, I was really enjoying
my work but I wanted to start my own business. I
was thinking of opening my own flower shop but
it was very expensive and flowers die quickly. One
of my co-workers was from Tokyo. His father did
bonsai as a hobby and recommended I become
an apprentice of his bonsai master. That was a
Celastrus orbiculatus. Height: 10 cm (4 in). Width: 10 cm (4 in). very good opportunity. I was 22 when I moved to

20 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
Nestled in the mountains north of Osaka, Baiju-en
has the widest variety, greatest quantity and
highest quality of shohin bonsai in Japan.

Tokyo to start my bonsai career. My experience in

flower arrangement led me to bonsai. Today, I still
Keeping trees in the
cooperate with the industry and supply bonsai or shohin size requires
grass arrangements for hotels. great technique.
Katsushi Miura
E.B.I. – How did you establish your nursery? has done a lot of
K.M. - I met my wife while I was in bonsai training. research over the
years to perfect
My wife has two sisters and her father was a farmer his techniques.
in the north of Osaka. So after we married, I was
called upon to take care of her family’s land. At the
age of 25, I started Baiju-en at my in-laws’ house
which I later inherited. The first few years were the
hardest. I didn’t have any material or money. So
I started to plant from seed, cuttings, grafts and
even collected from the mountains. I needed to
do everything from scratch. But bonsai was not
enough for my family to survive. So I started far-
ming, making strawberries, rice and charcoal.

E.B.I. - Why did you decide to specialise in

shohin?
K.M. - When I was an apprentice, I didn’t think that
I would be focusing on shohin. I always knew  Eleagnus pungens. Height: 20 cm (7⅞ in). Width: 28 cm (11 in).

#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 21
 Spotlight
on Broadleaves
Chaenomeles japonica.
Height: 20 cm (7⅞ in).
Width: 30 cm (11¾ in).
Large bonsai stand
alongside the shohin,
illustrating the Miura  that big trees took a lot of time to grow and
family’s know-how. to work on. Mountain collecting, which I have done,
was also very exhausting work. And since I did not
have money to buy a lot of big old trees, I decided
to focus on keeping my trees as small as possible.
I think I made a good decision in choosing shohin.
The 70s was an era with high economic growth in
Japan. It was also the beginning of a shohin bonsai
boom. Japanese people were getting richer, and
spending on hobbies was getting more frequent.
In the big cities, where people have limited space,
shohin became very popular. My business there-
fore became very big.
E.B.I. - How did you create the All Japan Shohin
Bonsai Association?
K.M. - I started a bonsai club in Osaka when I was
27 years old. When it began it was very small, only
a few people. But it soon got big. I was the teacher
22 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
Mr Miura’s sense of aesthetics can be
felt throughout the nursery, in the grass
plantings, rocks and water basins.
and pretty soon I had so many students that we
needed to use a camera and projector to do my
demonstrations on a big screen for everyone to
see. There were many clubs like this created all over
Japan at this time. I called them all and decided to
make an association of amateurs. We did our first
exhibition in 1976. At the same time we set up the
JSB (Japan Shohin Bonsai) – a union of professio-
nals. It was only ten years later that the amateur
association was named “All Japan Shohin Bonsai
Association” (AJSBA) in 1988.
E.B.I. - What has been the most difficult aspect
of your life in bonsai?
K.M. - We couldn’t go away in summer with the kids.
I have one daughter and one son. Their friends went
to the beach or camping in summer but, because
of my responsibilities towards my bonsai and with
nobody dependable around, we could not go away.
This is one of my regrets.
E.B.I. - What is the bonsai nursery business like?
K.M. - The 70s and 80s were a very good time. If a
tree had roots, it was sold. It was kind of a crazy era.
But now, it has calmed down. A nursery is a busi-
ness which requires one to maintain a large amount
of trees. If we didn’t have a lot of trees, customer
wouldn’t show up. So we have to constantly buy
material and maintain them correctly. Of course
we think that these trees will sell at higher prices,
but sometimes one branch just dies off. So some-
times we have to sell them at a cheaper price than
what we paid. It’s a little like the stock market. When
 This 7 cm
(2¾ in) Hinoki
cypress is quite
healthy despite
its tiny pot.

I began, I grew material myself from scratch, but Netherlands with us at that time. Mr Hotsumi Tera-
today it’s not worth doing. Instead, we buy raw kawa was living in the Netherlands at that time and
material from dependable growers and merchants he maintained and sold these trees.
to save many years. These days, Japanese far- I like to travel, I go abroad at least once a year. Last
mers are getting very old and their numbers are year I went to Sweden and Norway with my wife. It was
dwindling. I am worried about future supply. fantastic. There are very interesting kinds of trees.
Because of my job, I always check regional kinds of
E.B.I. – How did you diversify your bonsai acti- trees. I want to encourage regional bonsai too! I’m
vities? very happy to hear that bonsai is getting popular
K.M. - We changed our focus from selling expensive in Europe. My son went to Italy to do bonsai 
trees to a more reasonable price range and tea-
ching techniques. We currently have 35 students
of shohin bonsai. Everybody brings their trees and
we teach them how to treat them. Many of my
students bring their trees to big competitions like
Shunga-ten, Shuga-ten and Gafu-ten – these are
the biggest exhibitions of shohin bonsai in Japan.
One of my students planted seeds 35 years ago
and he won a prize at Gafu-ten. A quarter of the
winning trees from Shunga-ten were my students’.
I want them to enjoy taking care of their trees!
We hold bonsai auctions too. One of my students
sold three of his trees at the auction and he and his
family went on a trip to Europe with the money. I
want to support people who want to enjoy bonsai.
In Japan, people have a lot of hobbies but I think
bonsai will survive forever.

E.B.I. - What do you think of the bonsai boom

in Europe?
K.M. - When I was chairman of the union, I visited
the Netherlands during a flower expo. I exchanged
thoughts about bonsai with the Dutch and at that
moment I felt a bonsai boom coming to Europe.
There were 14 Japanese people on that trip and
we brought around 100 trees from Japan to the Ligustrum obtusifolium. Height: 15 cm (5⅞ in). Width: 25 cm (9⅞ in).

#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 23
 Spotlight
on Broadleaves

The growing area of Baiju-en.

Pinus thunbergii,
approximately 40 years
old. Height: 20 cm (7⅞ in).
Width: 23 cm (9 in).
Depth: 21 cm (8¼ in).

 demonstrations a few years ago. I know lan-
guage is the biggest barrier between our cultures.
Thus, I hope the younger generation learns more
languages in order to exchange with the world. Our
bonsai nursery receives around ten foreign custo-
mers per month. I wish I could speak their language
to communicate with them!
Another important thing is to look at nice bonsai.
If you don’t see nice bonsai frequently, you will be
confused when shaping. Look through magazines,
exhibitions and books. For shohin bonsai, Miyabi is
the reference book. It is the 30th anniversary book
of the AJSBA.
Most importantly, try and enjoy bonsai!

E.B.I. - What do you recommend for foreign

bonsai lovers?
K.M. - Don’t spend your energy and time on
hopeless trees! Getting good material is the most
important thing. If the trunk and base aren’t inte-
resting, don’t waste your time. For Europeans, it
might be harder to get good old material. But even
when you start from seeds, you shouldn’t spend
a lot of time on hopeless trees. When you buy
a bonsai, you have to imagine how the tree will
be after you spend five or ten years on it. If you
can’t imagine how it will be, don’t buy it. Maybe
you can’t buy big old bonsai material, but you have
the opportunity to enjoy growing nice bonsai from
scratch. This is a very special feeling. These expe-
riences are priceless and make you feel something
that you couldn’t by buying expensive trees. Also,
remember that expensive old materials are fragile.
Treatment is much more difficult. So when starting Acer palmatum var. matsumurae (yama momiji). Height:
bonsai, you should start with young bonsai. 23 cm (9 in). Length: 28 cm (11 in). Width: 25 cm (9⅞ in).

24 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
 This Malus prunifolia is an exceptional
shohin-sized tree. It is around 60 years
old and produces wonderful fruit
every year. A relatively rare species in
shohin. Height: 20 cm (7⅞ in). Length:
30 cm (11¾ in). Width: 20 cm (7⅞ in).

Practical information
Biaju-en
111, Uesugi, Nose-cho,Toyono-
gun, Osaka, 563-0365 Japan
www.miurabaijuen.com

#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 25
Task of
the Month
Watering
in summer
Summer is when bonsai need to be watered
the most. It is also a time when people go on
holiday – a diicult equation to resolve.
W atering throughout the year is a
principal concern for bonsai artists.
Each season and every geographical
climate requires a thought-out process
to ensure unproblematic cultivation. It is
for the individual bonsai owner to assess
the quantity and frequency of watering
needed for the species being cultivated.
Summer is often the most difficult
season because it has the longest,
hottest days of the year, and also
because it is holiday time when people
go away for varying lengths of time.
So, one has to find an alternative
to the usual watering schedule to
ensure the collection’s survival.
Automatic watering systems offer an
alternative for a limited time, because
although their regularity is reliable,
mechanical regularity can also pose
a problem. If they were to remain in
place too long it could be fatal because
weather conditions are not constant
and needs change accordingly.
Ideally, the best answer would be to
train someone close to take on the
thankless task of watering to avoid
disaster. One could also adjust one’s
perception of summer and not go away...
First of all, trees in summer adapt to
very hot spells by limiting transpiration
at mid-day, the hottest time of the day,
and the roots can no longer absorb
water from the soil. Consequently, if
one waters in the middle of the day, the
roots get soaked in burning heat, which
26 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
Author: Gilbert Labrid
will cause them to rot rapidly. It is best to
water very early in the morning or fairly
late in the evening. Understanding the
1 If there are many trees to be watered, you can
use a hosepipe with a fine spray nozzle. In summer,
be careful when storing the hose – don’t leave it in
interaction between light and need for full sunlight, as you risk burning the bonsai trees if
water is fundamental to plant survival. the water is not run out of the hose first.
Managing this relationship will enable
cultivation without major problems
between two repottings. One has to
remember the two fundamental laws:
- too little light and too much water will
cause root rot and the plant will die
- too much light and not enough
water will kill a plant by dehydration
Note that insufficient watering is less
dangerous than overwatering, because
it is “easier” (it is all relative!) to help
a recently dried-out tree to recover
than one than that has rotted!
Watering often but little will enable
the surface roots to grow. However,
with the least break in a regular
schedule, they will dry out and destroy
the structure of the tree. The soil
beneath will not be moist enough
and direct sunlight could be fatal.
The best ally for effective watering, and 2 A good way to store rain water is to set up a
to avoid health issues, is to ensure the large container, which can be connected to the roof
quality of the substrate used during guttering. Tap water, which has the disadvantage of
potting. Knowing that a bonsai tree is being chlorinated, can also be stored in this way until
repotted every three to five years, one it is usable.
has to take into account the importance
of choosing the right substrate for the
tree’s survival. Sufficient water retention
and good root aeration are the essential
criteria for healthy cultivation. 
 3 4 A detail that should not be overlooked, to avoid
Ideally, one should make room for a tank to collect
rainwater, which is non-calcareous and unchlorinated. disappointing results, is that fine regular rain is sometimes not
enough to really soak into the soil. Apart from which, the trees’
crowns act as a protective umbrella over the soil. It is often
necessary to finish of the illusory efect of drizzle with a serious
watering.

Other things to do

5 The large leaves of certain species (beech, oak etc.) can be reduced to restrict 6 New shoots from the crown are regularly removed. This
evaporation. This also limits the sap flow to these areas and allows for a reduction in does not involve pinching as in spring, but keeping the
the size of terminal buds. shape by stopping untidy growth at the tips.

Fertiliser is only used on tropical species to encourage continuous growth. For other
species, it is discontinued in very hot spells, and resumed in autumn.

#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 27
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28 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
Bonsai
Basics
Work calendar
July and August
Author: Bruno Mazza
T
he growing season is alrea-
dy well advanced. Budding
has produced new foliage,
roots have developed and the tree
has “grown”. The intense activity
period of the plant’s annual cycle
is drawing to a close.
Depending on how the season
progresses, particularly if tempera-
tures are between 32°C and 35°C,
the various organs slow down and
to a greater or lesser extent, any
significant activity will be halted.
The plant’s activities are transmu-
ted, but will return to normal at the
beginning of autumn when tempe-
ratures drop.
Any interventions that have not
yet been made can be carried out
this month to return the tree to the
required shape.
Interventions
It can never be stressed enough
that intervention must only be car-
ried out on robust trees. Intervening
on weak or sick trees, will inevitably
lead to weakening them even fur-
ther.
Only the ramifications that have
grown to the required size can be
pruned or pinched, otherwise they
must be left to grow freely. Quite
hard pruning and pinching can help
to slow or to boost the growth of a
small branch to bring it in line pro-
portionately with the others.
The purpose of intervention
during this period is the same for
deciduous trees as for conifers,
namely:
- densifying fine ramification
- balancing branch strength
- reducing leaf or needle size.
Each situation needs to be
assessed individually, as it is also
possible to use different techniques
at the same time.
Intervention on
deciduous trees
Summer is the ideal time to
reduce spring shoots to two leaves
– to one leaf in particularly vigorous
areas – and to three leaves in wea-
ker areas. Leaf reduction is carried
out on species whose new shoots
lengthen throughout the season 1 This trident maple – 18 cm (71/16 in.) high – was
(hornbeam, elm, maple etc.), the grown in my garden. The seeds were allowed to
objective being: grow freely for two years. In the following spring,
the seedlings were repotted; the roots were
- to densify ramification. By pru- selected and the trees were wired for shape. Two
ning the branch, the buds will grow in years later, the wire was removed and the roots
the axils of the remaining leaves and properly distributed. The seedling was replanted in
generate a fine ramification the ground to grow bigger, without being pruned,
- to reduce leaf size. for three years. It was then pruned and repotted
in a low pot for the trunk’s base to grow larger.
On species such as beech, which Repotting, and pruning to construct its ramification,
only has one budding season, after followed every two years until it reached its present
preventing new branches from  stage after twelve years of care and attention.
#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 29
 Bonsai
Basics

3 One can shorten down the branches to just

above a fork to create a compact shape.

4 In three years’ time, the plant should be

ready to be finished. No defoliation, nor
inch-by-inch pruning yet, as it has not yet
been fertilised and the tree is not strong
enough. Its leaves are still small and there
2 In spring 2016, the maple was repotted and is plenty of light reaching the interior.
allowed to grow freely for strength. In mid-
The tree will be fertilised, sheltered from strong
June, one can select developed branches.
sun for two weeks and carefully watered.

 lengthening by cutting them
back to two leaves in April, if now the
leaves are a little too large they can
only be reduced by pruning them
with scissors. The aim is to balance
bud strength in readiness for the
next season and to let light through
to the interior branches.
Very robust species such as tri-
dent maple can be defoliated par-
ticularly at the construction stage.
Dependingonwhatisenvisagedand
the health of the plant, it can be par-
tially or completely defoliated, and
thiscanbedonetwiceintheseason.
This intervention encourages a fine
multi-ramification and allows light
to penetrate easily into the leafy
interior.
Defoliation consists of cutting
the leafstalk in half with a pair of very
sharp scissors. At the same time,
one can also prune and, if neces-
sary, wire the small branches, to tidy
the pads.
In three to four weeks, new buds
will sprout and will produce a new
ramification.
The Japanese maple (Acer pal-
matum) is not as strong as the tri-
dent maple and reacts differently,
so it is preferable – particularly if the
tree has already been partly sha-
ped – to only reduce the foliage in
the most vigorous areas by remo-
ving one leaf out of two (a reduc-
tion of 50%). This will let the light into
the foliage, will encourage interior
budding and a fine ramification to
develop.
Intervening
on conifers
As with deciduous trees, the aim
of intervention on conifers is to:
- increase fine ramification
- stimulate budding on mature
wood
- balance vigour in every part of
the plant
- reduce needle size.
Using one technique only is
insufficient. Very often different
techniques are adapted to suit the
various situations as they arise when
pruning and/or wiring, at the same
time as tidying up the branches.
If, in April, pinching out the
candles with fingers is the first step
to balance foliage strength, the next
obligatory step is to cut back new
shoots and lighten the needles to
obtain a dense, compact ramifica-
tion.
This technique, indispensable for
black pine, can also be used with
good results on Scots pine, mugo
pine and mountain pine, particularly
if they have long needles.
Intervention is carried out
between mid-June and the first
days of July, by cutting new spring
growth with scissors taking into
account the season’s development,
the characteristics of each species
and the tree’s state of health.
Don’t forget that all intervention
must be complete before the end
of August to allow the tree’s new
shoots to mature, to lignify and to
prepare itself for its winter rest.
Cultivation control
• Exposition
If you live in a region with very high
summer temperatures, the plants

30 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
Bonsai
Basics

C The new shoots are roughly

cut back in order to see the
A This Japanese maple (Acer palmatum) B The tree is pruned and styled in an ramification better and to know
was allowed to grow freely in order appropriate shape that suits the tree. exactly where to prune.
to increase the primary ramification
and to densify the secondary. It has
now reached the required size.

D The foliage hiding the start of E The trunk is cleared. F The primary, secondary and
the primary branches, is cut back. tertiary ramification etc. are selected
without being too meticulous about
it. sans vouloir être trop précis.

G A further more precise

intervention will made at the
must be kept in a place where they beginning of next spring when in
will be protected from direct sun, the absence of leaves, the branches
and where they will only get the mor- will be more visible. To enable
light to penetrate well, the foliage
ning sun; or they could be sheltered is reduced but not completely.
under a protective canopy. (Light One has to diferentiate between
should be screened by 50% for the strong and weak areas. The
deciduous trees and 25% for coni- plant is well fertilised to help it
fers). in its work and to restore the
root-foliage balance. Watering is
Things to know: also reduced so that the tree can
- The overheating of deep pots adapt to its new circumstances.
can be alleviated by covering them
with a light fabric or frost protectors.
- Excessive water evaporation
from the substrate, particularly in
large flat pots, can be prevented by
covering the substrate with a layer
of sphagnum moss cut into pieces.
- The substrate of a newly repotted
plant dries out very quickly. 

#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 31
 Bonsai
Basics
1 Last autumn there was not time to
attend to this black pine. We must try
to retrieve the situation. The pine is
healthy and will withstand the work.
 - Trees whose leaves have
grown in the shade must not be
exposed to direct sunlight, as the
leaves would shrivel up in a few hours.
They have to adapt progressively to
the sun.
- In areas with high, violent winds,
protect trees with windbreaks.
• Watering
Summer is a critical period for
watering. High temperatures, strong
winds and long hours of sunshine,
demand scrupulous care and a
constant watching out for problems
that could endanger your bonsai.
Things to know:
- Plants cultivated in very small
pots (shohin) may need more than
one watering a day.
- If a watering system is in place
(drip watering or spray), it must be
checked regularly to ensure that the
system is functioning correctly. Only
use it when you have to, as plants do
not all have the same needs or the
same conditions for growth.
- Plants with a compact root ball
need to be closely monitored and
watered often to ensure that the
water penetrates everywhere.
- If there is a storm, make sure
that rain falling directly on the plant
32 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
2 One starts by cutting the old needles with
a pair of 0.5 cm (¼ in.) scissors. In two or 3 In three or four weeks, the buds will sprout
three weeks, the old needles will drop of just under the cut. In September they will
unaided. One leaves 6 to 8 pairs of needles be selected according to their position.
in the weak areas and 3 or 4 pairs in the
strong, and one cuts the new shoots without
touching the weaker ones.
has, in fact, wet the subs-
trate all the way through to
the bottom.
Depending on the cha-
racteristics of the region,
each person must assess
the best time to water. If
nights are dry, then water in
the late evening, and spray
the foliage at the same
time, so that it can dry out 4 The tree seen halfway through the work.
before night falls and not
suffer from excessive humidity. reserves for the next growing sea-
• Fertilisation son and to prepare for winter.
Nearly all trees at the height of • Repotting
summer will go into a dormant state, The months of July and August
which is why it is absolutely pointless are not the time in which to repot,
to fertilise them until about the end as the risk that the bonsai might die
of August when depending on the is too high.
region, temperatures start to drop. • Health check
When the growing cycle starts Humid heat in some regions
again at the beginning of autumn, encourages the appearance and
the plants are given a fertiliser that is development of aphid and mite
nitrogen (N) poor, as the plant does attacks (particularly the red spider
not need a foliage-growing supple- mite), as well as fungal infections
ment, but which does need a fer- (powdery mildew). The trees have
tiliser rich in phosphorous (P) and to be closely monitored, so that
potassium (K), which will not only prompt action can be taken to pre-
strengthen the foliage grown during vent the infestation from spreading.
the season, and now coming to the A strong, healthy tree is always
end of the lignification process, but much more resistant to parasite
also will help the plant to build up attacks than a weak one. 
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Getting Off
to a Goo
od Start

Peace of mind when you

go on holiday
Summer is here and we
are already thinking of
sunbathing on a beach or
jetting of to another country.
But the hard part is what do
we do about our bonsai?

Author: Xavier Dreux

1 For peace of mind when going on holiday for

a few days – tips to prevent the substrate from
drying out. First remove any remaining fertiliser
from the substrate and weed round the tree.

What solutions have bonsaists

come up with to ensure their charges’ well-being so that
they can leave on holiday without worrying? Between
finding a carer to make sure the trees don’t dry out
and installing an automatic watering system, there are
other possible solutions from the simplest to the most
sophisticated.
1 Finding a carer
The first answer is, of course, to ask someone to look
after them. There are bonsai specialists who offer care
services. This is a viable solution mostly for small bonsai
collections, as the trees have to be transported to the
specialist and then collected afterwards.
Asking a family member or a friend to look after them
is not easy, as it is a big responsibility with the added
difficulty of watering correctly – ideally this person
would have to be taught at least how to water.
If you are a member of a bonsai club, you have the
advantage of being able to call for help from another
bonsai enthusiast, who knows how to water bonsai,
and to whom you can return the service – an excellent
mutual exchange.
2 Preventing the substrate
from drying out
As always, before leaving, when it is a matter of just a
few trees, a place can be found for them on a balcony
or terrace, or in the garden. But there is still the problem
of the substrate drying out, which could kill the bonsai.
So we have to find a way of keeping the substrate moist
in our absence.
In practice, this is done by preparing the pots. Each
pot is watered and drained before being wrapped in a
plastic bag, which is tied round the trunk. A thick layer
of dampened newspaper is also added before tying
up the bag. Neither the tree nor the paper should be
soaking wet, as this could cause the tree to rot.
Another possibility is to add a thick layer of dampened
(not soaking) sphagnum moss under and round the pot
and on the substrate surface, and then to tie the bag
up round the tree. As well as its great capacity to retain
and distribute water, sphagnum moss has antiseptic
and antifungal properties.

34 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
 2 Put a thick layer of sphagnum moss on the 3 Tuck the sphagnum 4 Wrap the pot tightly
bottom of a plastic bag, and after the tree has been around and on top of the pot. in the plastic bag.
well watered and drained, place the pot on top of it.

6 After a day,
5 The you will notice
bonsai is now condensation in the
ready to face bag. It is this that will
a few days continue to supply
without you. the tree with water.

Whatever the method, bonsai trees must be placed

in the shade (though preferably with plenty of light)
to prevent the pots from drying out and, as much as
possible, transpiration. One can also prune, indeed
partially defoliate, the tree.
This type of solution would be sufficient for a medium
sized tree for five to ten days. It would be advisable to
test these methods out prior to leaving.
3 Installing an automatic
watering system
With a larger bonsai collection, an automatic watering
system would be more practical. There are several sys-
tems that are more or less expensive. The price of this
type of watering increases with the number of trees.
The principal feature of all automatic watering systems
– of which there are many models – is the programmer;
the device that opens the valves to release the water.
Battery-run programmers are widely available, inex-
pensive, and are easy to install. A word of warning: put
in new batteries before leaving – I speak from bitter
experience!
An automatic watering
system is in place and
covers the area given
over to the bonsai when
the owners are away.
Two types of programmers for This device is very practical
automatic watering: one with a and is programmed to send
solar panel to recharge the lithium water to diferent areas.
battery and the other with a simple
battery and very easy to set up.
Better quality devices are fitted with
lithium batteries. The cost can be any-
thing between fifteen to about a hun-
dred euros depending on their precision
and the number of programmes they
provide.
Hoses and spray nozzles add to the cost.
The positioning of the sprayer depends
on water pressure and the type of nozzle: Spray heads
the higher the pressure, the further the and nozzles.
spray travels. Drip watering is another good solution,
even though the substrate’s drainage limits capillary
action. Finally, the best would be to have a timer pro-
fessionally installed at the mains. But this goes beyond
the range of possible solutions needed to ease your
mind when you go away. 

#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 35
Treegazing

When zany limber pines

come into contact with
smooth, hard rock,
many are condemned
to subservience in order
to survive, contorting
themselves like court
jesters. But here,
overhanging a drop
in Corsica’s Aiguilles
de Bavella, the jester
has become a king.

This Salzmann’s
pine is set up on
the ridge, springing
out into open space
after clearing a
path between the
boulders. Its growth
is limited by the
strong winds. Did
this sturdy species
choose this spot
deliberately, or was it
an accident of fate?

Clinging on
for dear life
Some trees grow on rocks in unlikely
The order of the Universe was thus expressed
locations, looking as though they are through the combination of these two elements
leading a tragic existence. The result which, though contrasting, have clearly and crucially
complementary roles for there to be life rather than
is amazing places where mineral and nothingness. This objective reality, which in China
is translated into the union of yin and yang, can be
vegetal merge together. experienced and felt by anyone, in any circums-
tances. All that you need for this is to slip away into
neglected corners of nature, off the beaten track,
Author: Gilbert Labrid
and carefully contemplate all the phenomena that

F or the ancient Chinese, rocks were like bones

that the earth reveals here and there, allowing us
to see scraps of its skeleton. In times gone by, they
you find there, in the same way that you might look
at a Song-period landscape painted on a scroll.

often combined soft plants and strange, hard rocks A tree tragedy
in their gardens and paintings, composing a subtle Sometimes the face of the Earth takes on such
symbolic duet, for which they drew inspiration from extraordinary appearances that certain exceptional
their own life experiences and from famous sites. places become tourist attractions. This does not

36 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83

When plants take over, suppleness takes
strength from solidity to penetrate the sky
– or, rather, the fog-shrouded mystery.
detract from their beauty at all, but it does replace
the feeling of immersion in and of belonging to the
world with one of a spectacle of the world, often for
commercial gain. Being caught up in a crowd is not
conducive to an openness to the subtler things in life.
Why do trees – and most frequently conifers –
cling on to indifferent mountainsides and cliffs? Why
on earth do they take up such positions – a glacial
tomb at high altitude, or windswept torture beside
the sea? In a way, what difference is there between
the living and the dead other than experiencing a
close sense of the reality of existence through the
countless trials and tribulations that impose them-
selves upon our lives? This vision, which is called
“tragedy” in classical culture, is borne out by the
plant kingdom.
It is said that the life span of trees is proportio-
nal to the stress to which they are subjected. The
oldest pines, Pinus longaeva, have chosen the most
challenging climate of all: that of the Sierra Nevada
in California, which comes with extremely rocky ter-
rain. Buried in snow or lashed by ice crystals in winter
winds, then dried out by the scorching summer sun
with nothing to hydrate them but meltwater from
the remaining snow, their growth period is limited to
A stone raft sets out over the sea of dreams, powered by cicadas’ chirps and
with a few Aleppo pines on board. No chance of calling for help if it leaks or
burns – its beautiful passengers would have no hope of being evacuated.
In this full-scale
composition, an entire
a few weeks per year. These tragic living conditions boulder is surrounded
reduce the trees’ metabolism to the strict vital mini- by a hotchpotch
of vegetation, with
mum and ensure their longevity. strange-shaped trees
emerging from it.
Roots in cracks This autonomous
It is a well-known fact that good gardeners are not landscape is a universe
afraid of dwarfs, even when they are little. They put in orbit around the
terrestrial nucleus.
“dwarf” varieties in their rockeries, leaving space for
ceramic gnomes to accompany them if that is their
thing. However, many “normal” trees adapt their size
and shape to their setting if it is unfavourable. When
walking in nature, it always stirs the emotions when
one finds a small specimen jammed between mena-
cing boulders, or huddled up on the most exposed
part of a steep slope, its roots fumbling through the
cracks, while others adopt desperately uncomfor-
table positions. One can often feel a strong sense of
empathy towards trees that are placed in dramatic
situations from where, without anything firm to cling
to, they will inevitably fall. For those who know that
life is perilous, it is crucial to find a moral support, a
“rock”, on which the laws of existence can be fixed.
Without solid principles – that is, principles that
conform to the laws of the Universe – sooner or later
the artifice crumbles and danger is already there. 
#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 37
Shohin:
Small Bonsais
General maintenance
for shohin bonsai
Watering, fertilising, tidying the
trunk, protecting from the heat or
the cold: all these things contribute
to tree maintenance. The methods
need to be adapted to the size of
these small bonsai.
38 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
Like their bigger cousins, shohin
need regular maintenance. In
the Baiju-en family nursery,
Hiroki Miura’s wife waters
the bonsai: a crucial task.
Author: BonsaiTranslations
Photos: Baiju-en
Small bonsai have several
advantages over large ones, but they also have
some disadvantages, especially where their
sensitivity to cold and heat is concerned.
Tasks such as pruning, changing soil and
creating a bonsai can be more quickly done
on shohin. These small trees are also easier
to transport: in Japan, many elderly people
exchange their large trees for small ones,
because they are no longer able to carry
large, cumbersome trees or repot them.
On the other hand, small trees require more
particular attention in terms of watering and
protection from very high or low temperatures.
Still, shohin trees are bonsai and therefore
require the same treatments as their larger
cousins; just with a bit more care.
The akadama-based soil is pale brown
in colour: it needs watering.
If the soil is dark brown, don’t water it. A fake grass mat helps to retain moisture and control the
The colour indicates that it is already damp. temperature of the shelf during a heatwave.
Frequent watering
The most important aspect of shohin
maintenance is watering. Small pots dry
out quickly. Consequently, it is necessary to
water them more frequently. But when?
Trees like to be watered at the same time(s)
every day. A good bonsaist knows when his or
her trees are thirsty, and a good tree knows
when it will be watered. It is therefore best to
water just after the tree has finished drinking.
To know if a tree is thirsty, just touch the surface
of the soil. If it’s dry: water it! If you use a soil
that contains akadama, you can know whether
the tree needs water by looking at the colour
of the substrate. A pale brown colour indicates
that the tree is thirsty and needs to be watered;
dark brown indicates that the tree is not
thirsty and that it isn’t time for watering yet.
The frequency of watering can be very high
in summer: three or even four times per day
for tiny trees.
Some people use watering systems, while others
water by hand. The main thing is for the inside of
the pot to be nice and damp – not just the foliage.
In some regions, global warming is bringing with
it heatwaves that can be absolutely devastating
for small trees. During a heatwave, it can be
good to place shohin on surfaces that retain
moisture well. Some people use fake grass
mats made out of plastic, which they put on the
bonsai table. These mats have two functions:
controlling the table’s surface temperature,
which can get too high in summer (concrete,
rock or metal), and keeping moisture in the base
of the shohin’s pot, without drowning the roots.
Overwatering can cause more problems for large
bonsai than for small ones. An excess of water
can also cause problems for small
trees, by giving rise to mould and
root rot. However, if you change
the soil regularly and mix a small
quantity of charcoal into it, you
shouldn’t have any such problems.
You need to be careful when using
flat pots, because they don’t
always drain well. It is therefore
recommended to set these flat
pots at an angle, so as to ensure
successful drainage after each
watering, and all the more when
there is heavy rain. Just put a stone
underneath one side of the pot.
Repotting and Setting the pot at an angle allows excess
changing pots water to escape, ensuring good drainage.
In the case of small bonsai,
space in the pot is limited. It is
therefore essential to change the
soil regularly. It’s best to repot
every year, but for some trees
you can do it every two years.
Pines and junipers, for example,
have roots that grow less quickly.
Japanese maples, on the other
hand, have very vigorous roots and Don’t hesitate to angle the pot if necessary
need to be repotted every  so that any superfluous water can flow away.
#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 39
 Shohin:
Small Bonsais
 year. Obviously, old trees grow less rapidly
than young ones, and this slower growth is also
noticeable where their roots are concerned.
Substrate for shohin needs to be finer-
grained than for large bonsai. The type of
soil remains the same in both cases, but
the grain size is smaller for shohin.
When choosing a pot for a large bonsai,
you need to be mindful of the type of tree
and its appearance. You can sometimes
take accent plants into consideration
when choosing the pot for the bonsai.
However, when choosing a pot for a shohin,
additional criteria come into play. Shohin
bonsai are displayed in odd numbers – typically
three, seven or more. Also, each pot in a group
should have a different colour and form. The
decision is therefore more complicated.
Protective treatments
As for the use of pesticides and other chemical
products, this is the same as for large trees.
There are pesticides for specific types of
insects, as well as more general products.
In Japan, a lot of research has been carried
out in relation to roses, which are vulnerable to
insect attacks and subject to several diseases.
Pesticides for roses are very effective on
deciduous trees as well as on flowering and
fruiting trees, as they contain a variety of
products that fight off the majority of insects, but
40 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
In Japan, pesticides for treating roses
are very eficient on deciduous trees
and on flowering and fruiting trees.
Repotting and changing the pot form
part of the maintenance tasks for
shohin. The choice of pot must take
into account the group of shohin being
displayed together, as appropriate.
also various possible diseases. It is therefore very
easy to use this type of all-round product. Water
trees with it once a month, from spring to autumn.
Copper and sulphur are also very important
for trees. Copper protects them against
various diseases and sulphur disinfects them
against mildew. You should use them in higher
concentrations in winter and
more diluted in summer.
Apply them once per season,
especially before the most
showery periods. The use
of sulphur is gradually being
replaced by that of copper in
several countries, because
sulphur is not organic.
Protection
from insects
Some plant species
attract butterflies and These bonsai attract
other insects that may lay eggs. It can be a butterflies and need
good idea to place these species under anti- to be placed in a
insect netting or in a cage. At the Baiju-en cage to prevent these
insects from laying
nursery, the Miura family has several cages
eggs on them.
that are specifically for certain species.
Protection during winter
It is as important to protect trees in winter as
it is to do so in summer. Each tree species can
tolerate a different minimum temperature.
 2 The moss is thoroughly soaked 3 Then, the moss
with water using a sprayer. is removed using tweezers.

1 This tree is particularly vulnerable to

moss, because its trunk is very rough. This
moss can damage the tree, and so it needs
to be removed.

Trees are therefore grouped together

according to type. Deciduous trees need
to be placed in a shelter. This must be well
ventilated and the temperature must not
be below 0° Celsius (32° Fahrenheit). If you
put your trees in a garage, make sure that
no toxic products or gases are present.
Evergreen trees need light in winter. At
Baiju-en, they are placed in a greenhouse.
Certain more tropical species need more
heat and higher humidity levels. You can
install a steam humidifier in the greenhouse
that is intended to house these trees.
Don’t forget that trees need water in winter,
but only if the substrate dries out.
It is not recommended to place bonsai indoors
in your home: only tropical trees allow this, but
in Japan they are not considered as bonsai.

Tidying up the trunk

and nebari 4 All of the moss has been
If you don’t use enough lime sulphur, there removed on the trunk and
is a risk that moss or mildew will grow, which around the base of the shohin.
The moss is left on the soil, to
is not good for trees. You need to remove all
be removed during repotting
unwanted moss; otherwise the trunk may rot. the following year.
To weaken moss before removing it, you can
spray a mixture of water and rice vinegar onto
the moss a week before removal. The moss will
turn yellow and will then be easier to take off.
Moss and mildew growth is highly dependent on
your region’s climate, but overwatering 

#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 41
 Shohin:
Small Bonsais

This Japanese fertiliser is specifically

for pines and junipers. But the balls
are far too large for shohin.

Biogold is a multipurpose Japanese

fertiliser and can therefore be used on This juniper likes being in an elevated position, but the
flowering trees, fruit trees and conifers. pot does need to be securely attached to its base.

You can place little balls of fertiliser in The fertiliser can also be put
teabags on the surface of the soil. in small plastic containers, to Chinese junipers – Juniperus chinensis – should be placed
prevent animals from eating it. high up. Similarly to pines, they can be found in the
mountains and they like both wind and humidity.

 also influences it. Make sure your flat

pots drain well, by setting them at an angle.
And keep your trees nice and clean!
Fertilising
There are many fertilisers available on the
market. It is highly recommended to use a
bonsai-specific feed, which should be slow-
release. To keep your little trees clean, you can
place the fertiliser in a small plastic container
or a teabag, so as to keep the surface clean
and prevent slugs from eating the fertiliser.
Shohin fertilisers are the same ones as used for
large bonsai. The only difference is in the size
of the granules: for shohin, it is more difficult –
though not impossible – to use large granules.
Setting trees up in the garden
• On shelves
All the basic rules of bonsai apply equally to
shohin, together with a few additional ones.
First, shohin trees need to be placed more
than 50 centimetres (20 inches) above the
ground, to protect them from parasites.
Avoid putting them on surfaces that get
hot in summer, such as stone. Keep bonsai
tables clean, to avoid rot, and ensure that
water doesn’t build up underneath pots.
• The importance of the wind
It is very important for trees to be exposed
to wind. This protects them from diseases
and parasites. Therefore, avoid putting trees
in a location where air circulation is limited.
It is recommended to group shohin trees
together and not stand them next to large
trees. Placing trees in an elevated position
is also very good for them. Several shohin
nurseries place their best trees on the roof of
their garage or of another building. This way,
they receive plenty of wind and sunlight.

42 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
Temple junipers – Juniperus rigida – are
placed in direct sunlight and don’t need any
shade, even in the height of summer.

Do bear in mind that, although wind is a good

thing, it dries out the soil. So, during very windy
periods, you need to be vigilant about watering.
You also need to protect small trees from storms.
Some trees are more inclined to fall over, so fix
these securely to their base with some wire. This
is particularly important for cascade styles.
• Sun and heat
Some species are more resistant to extremely
hot spells than others. Almost all species Shohin are more fragile than large bonsai and need to be protected from strong sunlight.
need as many hours of sunlight as possible.
Pines and junipers are very resistant to
extreme heat, so you should place them
in the sunniest spots in your garden.
Deciduous trees should be grouped
together according to the region they come
from. The hotter their area of origin is, the
less they will need shade in summer.
However, do bear in mind that small trees are
more fragile than large ones. For example, large Shade cloths need to be removable
azaleas don’t usually need shade in summer, so that they can be taken of
but shohin azaleas should be placed under a for the night and morning.
protective muslin during very hot periods. Shade cloths
are invaluable
Trees need sunlight in the morning and dew at in summer for
Shade cloths night. So set up the shade cloth in such a way protecting trees
Since small trees are more fragile than large that it is easy to move. At Baiju-en, the shade from the sun.
ones, it is crucial to protect them in summer cloths can be moved by a system of chains.
when temperatures are very high. For this, you
need to use shade cloths. These muslin fabrics Enjoy!
are available in different densities offering As you can see, shohin bonsai maintenance
various levels of sunlight protection, ranging is not much different from maintenance of
from 15% to 50%. Choose the fabric that suits large bonsai. And through these maintenance
the strength of the sunlight in your area. These tasks, it’s important to take time to
cloths should only be used in the afternoon. contemplate and enjoy your trees. 

#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 43
In
Detail

This pine was fixed to a

rock two years ago, in the
conventional way, ensuring
the long roots held fast to
the rock. During this time,
it grew freely and the roots
that have grown down into

A Scots pine over the soil have thickened and

are welded to the rock.

rock takes shape

A Scots pine over rock was set up two years ago.
Now irmly in position, it is safe to start shaping
the tree.
Author: Gilbert Labrid

Scots pines are very tolerant
conifers and are able to withstand sometimes
harsh conditions. They grow as easily on plains as
on mountains and often on rocky, difficult terrain.
Collecting a pine is always a delicate operation, as
recovery time varies enormously from one tree to
another and from one area to another.
This tree was cultivated for three years to ensure
its recovery before being attached to a grey
limestone rock that was found near the tree’s
collection point. Once the tree is in good health
and has established a firm grip on rock, work on
shaping the tree can start in earnest.
It would have been pointless to force the tree
before this without being sure it could cope with
severe pruning and wiring. 

44 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
 Deep cleaning

2 We start by removing the badly

placed branches that are drawing sap
from the plant. Those at the front of the
tree are the first to go. Now we can see
that the overlarge straight branch on the
second trunk does not correspond with
the tree’s dimensions.
3 The straight branch is
cut. The foliage mass is too
dense and needs to be
thinned, and the old needles
must be plucked out.
1 At the end of summer the entire structure
is thoroughly cleaned in readiness for repotting
4 In autumn, once the tree
in the following spring. has been cleaned up, the light
will penetrate more easily into
the interior areas. Internal
budding will be regular and
the pinching more efective.

Correcting the shape

B One can see that the angle formed over

many years by the trunks is U-shaped. It is C The following spring
time to correct this situation by forcing them
several branches are removed
together to close this unattractive angle.
to lighten the structure. The
candles are opening, and the
old remaining needles are
removed.

A Once the old needles have been

removed, cut back branches that are
badly placed, overlong or too numerous. D In their new position,
Only leave those that are likely to the two trunks are closer
enhance the position of the two trunks. and their angle appears
to be sharper and less
rounded.

#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 45
 In
Detail

E Seen from the side, the trunks’ junction is still rounded,

but thanks to the angle, it will be possible to get rid of this
fault by forcing a trunk as before, or by changing the front
of the tree when repotting. Where the branches have been
removed, small jin have been left in place.

G Branches are
F When the candles shortened and
are out, a branch can be extraneous twigs are
shortened by making use removed. Repotting
of the interior buds. and altering the front
of the tree.

Repotting and modifying the front

2 The front of the

tree is slightly altered
to show a sharper
angle, but without
placing too much
emphasis on the rock.

1 Repotting is necessary. The roots

are beginning to grow and mycorrhizae
are lining the bottom of the pot.

46 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
 3 Left side. 4 Right side.

6 After a rest
of two months,
the branches
are lightly wired.
The tree’s
present state.

5 The tree is repotted

in the same pot without
being wired.

7 Later, it might develop much

more movement, at the expense
of a more peaceful composition.

#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 47
In
Detail

Individuals will
soon not be able

Replacing pesticides
to buy pesticides,
in France. It
is time to find
alternatives to

with natural remedies

treat our bonsai.

By 2019, the sale of pesticides for private use will be

prohibited in France. This is a small guide to some
natural alternatives to chemical plant-care products. Author: Jérôme Hay

If you have noticed our bonsai are subject to a perpetual battle

that pesticides are progressively disappearing
from the garden centres, it is because the sale
of chemical plant-care products will soon be
prohibited for private use in France. To lead into
this ecological transition, our habits and know-
how have to evolve. Like any living organism,
against disease. So does the solution lie in taking
preventive measures?
As horticulturalist, it is difficult for me to state
categorically that one can completely stop using
chemical plant-care products. The extreme solu-
tion of burning sick plants and destroying years

48 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
 1 Comfrey is a perennial plant
used for fodder, and indispensable in
a vegetable garden. It is worth
keeping several crowns on the go, so 2 To make
that you can trim them back regularly comfrey slurry, we
to obtain new shoots. start by picking and
then roughly
chopping the new
shoots.

3 Place 1kg (2.2 lb) of new shoots 4 Add 10 litres (2.5 gal.) of water and leave the container
in a 20 litres (5 gal.) container. in a shady spot. Mix the contents every two days.

of work is unacceptable, which is why thinking up
alternatives is becoming urgent. Whether chemical
or biological, any product will have an effect on the
environment. Even if everyone is relieved about the
interdiction on these chemical time bombs, it has
to be remembered that biological products are not
used in the same way.
The products we need
There are still two indispensable product rang-
es: anti-fungal to eliminate fungi and insecticides
to get rid of the insects. However, there are many
kinds used to treat the different varieties of fun-
gus or insect. The predatory and chewing insects
or bacteria that are suggested by some specialist
sites on the Internet can be used very effectively
and without danger provided they are used at the
right time. One can also make artisanal insecti-
cides if one can identify precisely what is causing
the problem.
Aphids, the commonest pests to be found
on our trees, have contributed to the banning of
chemicals, because of their ability to adapt and
their resistance to increasingly stronger products.
Liquid black soap, which asphyxiates the insect
by covering it with a thin greasy film, is still one of
the most effective and proven methods. Other
resources can be found among everyday house-
hold products, such as rapeseed (colza) oil, or a
decoction of tobacco.
Copper oxide, Bordeaux mixture, sulphur and
bicarbonate of soda are all excellent anti-fungal
treatments, as are slurries made of nettle (insec-
ticide), horsetail (fungicide), fern (insect repellent)
and comfrey (insect repellent). Used preventively,
these treatments can avert 90% of the problems.
Ten per cent of failures can be put down to using
the products incorrectly, vectors (such as ants or
aphids), or poor watering. 

#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 49
 In
Detail

5 After two weeks, when there are no longer any gassy 6 Put a filter into a clean hermetic container,
bubbles on the liquid’s surface, the mixture is ready to use. to ensure proper preservation of the product.

8 Label the container

with the name and
preparation date of the
product. It can be kept
for one or two months
in a cool place away
from light.

Preparing the diferent slurries

7 Decant the preparation into the new container.
Slurry
rotation
Each slurry has its own uses and properties:
for the best results, it is recommended to
rotate the various slurries. Spraying each
week with a diferent slurry will help keep
one’s plants in peak condition.
• Comfrey slurry
Ingredients: 1 kg (2.3 lb) of young shoots to
10 litres (2 gal.) of water
Leave to macerate for one to two weeks.
To use as a fertiliser, mix 1 litre (1.75 pints) slurry
with 10 litres (2 gallons) water; or 50 millilitres. (1.75 fl.
oz) to a litre of water, for use as an insecticide.
Less rich than nettle, comfrey makes a very
good supplement.
• Horsetail slurry
Ingredients: 1.5 kg (3.3 lb) of young shoots to
10 litres (2 gal.) water.
Infuse overnight.
For use as a fungicide, mix 100 ml (3.5 fl. oz)
slurry with 1 litre (1.7 pt) water.
• Bracken (eagle fern) slurry (Pteridium aqui-
linum)
Ingredients: 1 kg (2.3lb) of young shoots to
10 litres (2 gal.) of water.
For use as a fungicide, fertiliser or repellent, mix
1 litre (1.7 pt) slurry with 10 litres (2 gal.) water.
An effective product against woolly aphids and
ladybirds.

50 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
 Natural products,
but toxic
There are numerous products
in our bonsai medicine cabinets,
but to choose the most
ecological, we have to find
out and know what they are.
“Biological” is not necessarily
synonymous with legal or with
environmental correctness, and
by the same token, “legal” does
not mean “without danger”.
Thus one can legally use
fosetyl aluminium, the principal
active ingredient in Aliette (a
preventive fungicide), in organic
cultivation. Conversely, the
9 It is used here as an insecticide and repellent with commercialisation of neem oil
a dosage of 100 ml (3.5 fl. oz) to 1 litre (2.1 pt) of water. has been prohibited in France
However, comfrey slurry can also be used as a fertiliser. by the Ministry of Agriculture,
because of its “proven and
• Nettle slurry unarguably toxicological
Ingredients: 1.5 kg (3.3lb) of young shoots to profile”. This vegetable oil,
10 litres (2 gal.) water. vaunted as an insecticide, is
Let the slurry ferment over three weeks if the nevertheless obtained from the
temperature is between 5 and 10°C, two weeks if it
is over 20°C, one week if the temperature is above
30°C. Stir the mixture every two days.
Foruseasafertiliser,mix2litres(3.4pt)slurrywith
10 litres (2 gal.) water. To use as an insecticide, dilute
1 litre (1.7 pt) slurry with 10 litres (2 gal.) water. A word
of warning: nettle slurry is extremely nitrogenous, it
is essential to lower the dosage before spraying a
bonsai tree with it. What is more, it is illegal to use
this product without paying a phytosanitary fee.
seeds of a tree. Despite this,
in strong doses, it is a human
carcinogenic. The same applies
to rotenone, a pesticide from
a tropical plant that has long
enjoyed a “biological” reputation.
It lost this status after the
publication of a research paper
that concluded that use of this
substance increased the risk of
developing Parkinson’s disease.
Regulations limit the
commercialisation of some
products to better control
the impact on health and the
environment. One might dispute
these decisions or regret their
slowness. The fact remains that
making the appropriate choices,
after carefully studying all the
available information, certainly
takes time.

How to use these products

One has to adapt the dose and the method of
copper oxide treatment to the species.
After the leaves have fallen, remember to keep
up with a moderate watering throughout winter.
One or two watering treatments of Aliette (a pre-
ventive fungicide) during winter combined with a jin
seal treatment just before the start of new growth,
will eliminate any insect contamination and avert
spring diseases.
Once the plant is in full leaf, spray the plant every
week during the rest of the season, alternately
using nettle, fern, horse hair or comfrey slurry as
a fertiliser. This treatment, despite its frequent
application, is inexpensive, and is harmless to you,
to your trees and the environment. The only draw- 10 Spray the
back: a slightly unpleasant smell. entire plant.
The best method for a major insect attack is Working on preventive measures is therefore
still manual extermination. For all other diseases, essential. There are a number of alternatives to
good hygiene of tools, of substrate and suitable pesticides. And even if some problems are diffi-
fertilisers should normally be sufficient to prevent cult to eradicate, using many biological products
any real disappointments. in rotation, will give good results. 

#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 51
Spotlight
on Broadleaves
Refining a semi-raw satsuki
and post-flowering pruning
After an azalea has lowered, its
blooms need to be removed. With the
tree's structure made more visible,
some restructuring work can then be
done to improve its ramiication.
Author: Peter Warren
52 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
The nebari is a particularly
good feature of the tree.
Satsuki azalea “Osakazuki” before
work: still in its plastic training pot
after being imported in spring
2016. Height: 65 cm (25⅝ in).
One aspect of bonsai apprecia-
tion and practice that is sadly lacking outside of
Japan is the world of satsuki azaleas. They differ in
many subtle ways from the standard species that
we commonly use, but not so much that they are
impossible to master. With a little guidance, a slight
change of thought process, and understanding of
the horticultural requirements, then success can
be quickly achieved. We all look at the first steps of
doing that with this tree, a semi-styled Osakazuki,
recently imported from Japan.
 The flowers are starting to get thin and Remove by pinching and twisting Don't pull at the end or the petals will be
deteriorate. This is the ideal time to remove slightly at the base. Do not pull hard. removed and the carpel will remain.
them from the whole tree. If they go further
and “melt” all over the leaves then fungal
problems can occur and the tree weakens.
B The petals
have been
A A flower removed but the
still attached carpel remains.
to part of a This should not
twig. be left on the tree
or it will turn to
seed and weaken.

C Remove the carpel and

stem entirely.

Initially remove any

downward-growing sucker
shoots unless they are of
obvious use. It’s better to
snap them of at the base
rather than cut. Snapping
will cause a small wound on
the branch which will heal,
whereas cutting will often
The tree after all the flowers have been removed. leave a tiny stub from which
There will be a few branches with the carpel remaining new shoots can develop.
but they will be removed when discovered.

Growing azaleas is more of a horticultural chal- have suffered significant vascu-

lenge than an aesthetic one. There is a limit to how
much branches can be bent: anything thicker than
your finger becomes very hard to manipulate, mea-
ning that it is often a case of working with the exis-
ting trunk and primary branches. If the horticulture
is correct and the tree is healthy and vigorous then
it is very easy to add the meat to the bones of the
tree, to get new growth inside the tree and to get
it to flower each and every year.
Start with a healthy tree
A reluctance to cut back hard, and certain mis-
conceptions about azaleas, are the cause of many
unsuccessful trees. In order to have a healthy and
vigorous tree you must start off with a strong tree
and aim to keep it strong. Weakened trees that
lar damage on the trunk, show
signs of dieback or have old and
lignified branch tips should be
avoided. Once these situations
have occurred, it can be very
difficult to recover.
If we start with a healthy tree
then the trick is to keep the tips
of the roots and the tips of the
branches constantly youthful.
On a healthy tree, cutting back The branches before
the tips to keep shape and thinning out the older pruning: no order,
branch tips should happen at least once a year, multiple branches coming
from one node and
either after transplanting in the spring or immedia- unbalanced growth.
tely after flowering. Constantly creating new shoots
at the branch tips will keep the tree growing. 

#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 53
 Spotlight
on Broadleaves
This node is congested and has
branches that grow back into the tree,
have no taper and are very weak.
Shoots that are ideally placed but are excessively long can be
wired into place and cut to length. On a vigorous tree you can
cut back so there are no leaves on the branch between April and
September and be confident that it will send out new shoots.
54 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
Typical satsuki growth,
with multiple shoots
from one node. There
are two medium and
two strong shoots,
each of which then
split into two. In
95% of situations,
choose either the
two strong shoots
or the two medium
shoots, not one strong In this case the two medium-
and one medium. strength shoots were chosen.
Sucker shoots like this growing from
the base of a branch should either
They are all removed in favour be removed or used to redevelop
of building ramification from the an entirely new branch and the
stronger shoot in the foreground. thicker branch above removed.
 It is when working on the roots that azaleas
require a slightly different approach. Their roots
are naturally very fine and tend to be shallow,
occupying the top section of the pot. The ideal
growing medium for bonsai azaleas is kanuma
soil, as the fine roots penetrate easily into the soft
porous structure. The downside to kanuma is that
it is soft and easily crushed.
After a few years of cultivation, especially using
solid organic fertiliser, the top layer of soil can
often become so hard that water cannot pene-
trate inside the root ball, especially to the area
directly underneath the trunk. If this area becomes
damaged either through lack of water or through
an overly aggressive transplanting technique, then
the apex of the tree will soon weaken and die. We
will revisit this idea next year when looking at trans-
planting this tree in a future article.
 2 Immediately after the branch removal.
The sucker shoot to the upper left is left to
help callus the wound and stop dieback. It
creates a demand for moisture and sends
1 A thick branch with historical damage. It has snapped halfway back energy which will be used to callus the
through and started to callus over. It has little structural integrity, wound. The sacrificial shoot must be
and if a bird lands on it or it gets knocked then it could easily be removed before it becomes so large that it
snapped of. It is better to remove and develop a tree without it. then creates a large wound itself.

3 Using a sharp knife, the wound is smoothed and

cleaned up. A larger wound that has sharp, smooth 4 The wound is cleaned up and then 5 The paste types are preferable
edges is more desirable than a smaller wound with wound sealant applied. rather than the harder putty.
uneven edges.

Pruning after flowering scissors; however, if picking them off, be careful

For this tree, the most pressing job is to remove
the flowers and reset the secondary branches.
Removal of the flowers should be done ideally
when the peak has been passed, when around
80% of the flowers have opened and the first set of
flowers has started to deteriorate. In order to keep
the flowers for longer, the tree should be placed in
semi shade and the flowers must be kept dry. This
can add up to an extra two weeks of enjoyment of
the flowers.
Once the decision has been taken to remove
the flowers then the whole flower must be remo-
ved, not just the petals. If the central section –
including the stem and the carpel – remains on
the tree, the ovary will produce seed and weaken
the tree. Removal can be done by hand or using
not to pull too hard and damage the branch.
Once the flowers are gone, the structure of
the tree becomes apparent and the styling can
begin. This tree has been allowed to grow wild
for two years at least, and so the shape has star-
ted to deteriorate. The apex is in need of serious
attention but the main branches are all set, other
than two which have some historical damage and
are removed. Major branch removal on azaleas
requires careful thought from the perspective of
avoiding dieback.
Looking at the lower branches, it feels as though
there are too many all coming from a similar area;
the textbook response is to remove what appear to
be bar branches opposite each other. This desire
should be tempered by the fact that there 

#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 55
 Spotlight
on Broadleaves

The apex before pruning and styling.

The tree after an initial

The lower “bar” branches. They are not pruning, thinning out
completely opposite each other, and neither can the most obviously
easily be removed without potentially causing unnecessary branches.
damage. The thicker branch is one of the key It will now be wired.
character branches on the tree, while the thin,
short left-hand branch can help to disguise
the straightness of the branch above it.

The lower right

branch after
wiring. The
branches have
been spread out,
The lower to form an even
right branch structure which
before wiring. has volume.

56 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
The apex before wiring.
The apex after wiring. The strong branches have
been bent down and spread out so that everything
is evenly spaced, growing in all directions, and will
create a domed efect once the new shoots develop.
 is nothing underneath to stop any dieback,
which could cause the live vein to dry out and begin
to crack. They are left on the tree but styled to
disguise the base.
Post-flowering pruning
Wiring should always be done with aluminium
wire and the ideal time is slightly later in the year,
September to October. It is possible to do this in
June, but the bark is then more prone to damage,
so be careful when using heavier wire. On this tree,
we only used heavy-gauge wire in one position; the
rest was branch tip manipulation.
The key to a good structure going forward is to
have a clear picture of an idealised branch struc-
ture. Secondary branches spread out from the
primary evenly and smoothly into a fan shape. The
size, volume and shape depend upon the location
and styling of the tree. To create a more dynamic
branch, it should be longer, sharper and flatter. To
create a more mature, heavier branch, it should be
rounded and have more volume.
After wiring and styling. The primary
branch structure has not been changed
other than adding movement to the
straight lower left branch. The secondary
branches have been formed into foliage
pads. The skeleton is set and we must
now wait for new shoots to develop
at the tips and from inside the tree.
Once the structure is set, the next
step is to encourage new growth. Fertilise
well and place in full sun. New shoots will
develop and grow, both from the branch
tips where there is foliage, and also from
the middle of branches. Any downward- The tree as seen from
growing shoots or those growing from the the right-hand side.
trunk should be immediately removed; however,
other shoots should be left to develop and the tree
revisited in a couple of months to prune back and
balance up growth. 
#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 57
Spotlight
on Conifers

This Scots pine measuring almost

five foot will be worked on from
this side to show of its superb shari.

Off the
beaten track Most of my visitors
have been very doubtful about my
choice when it comes to this Scots pine
that I collected in Lozère a few years
This Scots pine from southern France ago. Certainly, with a length of nearly
seems a bit gangly–twisting its trunk will five feet, foliage at the extremities and
a slender trunk without any particular
improve its movement and enhance its movement, it is a far cry from my
usual criteria when selecting a tree.
beautiful bark. However, since the art of yamadori
consists of transforming the faults
in a tree to create bonsai with a
Author: Jean-François Busquet unique character, let’s take a more
positive look at this pine. The second
half of the trunk with its length and
slenderness, are points in its favour,
and will allow for the creation of
new movements to harmonise the
contours and will encourage the foliage
to concentrate close to the trunk.
The tree when The tree has a pleasing outline –
the work has gentle, but made up of connected
been completed. curves with no trace of a vertical

58 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83

The back of the tree has wonderful bark with very marked scales.
line, and its character is reinforced
by old, remarkable shari that wind
sinuously up the length of the tree,
which enhance its movement and
gives an immediate impression
of great age. Its dark bark of large
overlapping scales adds to this effect.
The perfectly regular tapering
will add to the final result.
At its base, the root anchored on
the right ideally balances the tree’s
movement towards the left.
A creative project
In fact, this pine has many qualities
and has lots of interesting potential.
However, with regard to the drawbacks
cited, comfortable academism
will have to be supplanted by a
little creativity, to achieve a bonsai
tree worthy of the name.
Whatever way the project is tackled,
the high percentage of dead wood has
fixed the trunk’s line for over half the
tree’s length, and when it is cleared
A pencil sketch will be doing the work, the function of
of the project
is easy: for the There is no change as far as raffia is
bending and
twisting, you
need time at
your disposal… fibres by binding them together and for
Seen from the side, you can get a better idea
of the gap between the trunk and the foliage.
away, it will leave a huge, circular empty strengthening the forks, which are often
space. It was while thinking about the a vulnerable part of a pine. I then place
various possibilities of whether or not copper wire with a strand thickness of
to fill the imposed space, that the idea 3mm (⅛ in.) on top of the raffia. The wire
came to me to construct it interiorly. is too weak to bend the trunk, but it is
A few sketches later, the result seems sufficiently rigid to provide fixing points
conclusive and becomes a working plan. for the bracing wires to come. 
When trying to test its flexibility manually
by slightly bending the part to be
shaped, the wood seems brittle and
very resistant – more than expected.
Originally, the tree grew on a rocky
crest and must have been starved
of water and nutrients all its life:
conditions that create a compact
wood with particularly narrow rings.
The tree is certainly older than the
diameter of its trunk indicates. The
same density can be found in dead
wood that has been sculpted by a
very slow deterioration of fibres.
Although the wood of this example is
harder than is normal with trees of this
kind, by proceeding carefully and in
stages, the natural suppleness of the I wrap the rafia as tightly as possible round the
species should allow the project to be vulnerable parts to preserve the bark’s quality.
achieved without damaging the tree.
Rafia and wiring
The preparation for the bending, which
is carried out with the help of bracing
wires, is somewhat different from the
usual procedure. Since it is they that
the training wires will be different.
Copper wire with a strand thickness of 3 mm
concerned. When it is used properly, (⅛ in.), from which the bracing wires will be
it is very effective for meshing the stretched. The thicker aluminium wire will ensure
the twisting, aided by the finer aluminium wire.
#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 59
 Spotlight
on Conifers
These two blue tits accompanied
me while I shaped the tree. They
gave me their approval – or not...
 After this, I place aluminium
wire with a large strand thickness
between the copper wire strands.
This is to support and to apportion
the strain particularly during the
twisting process. The last wire, with
a smaller diameter, is fixed between
the wires already in place, and is to
give added support and balance.
When a lot of wires are set in this way,
contrary to usual practice, I make
sure that I do not put them too closely
together. This certainly affects the
aesthetics, but on the one hand, the
binding has a better effect and on
the other, it makes removing the wire
much easier. When two thick wire
60 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
strands are close together it is almost
impossible, later, to cut them with a wire
cutter, and if the bends are tight and
access limited, it becomes problematic.
Positioning a metal bar
To finish the work I position a supporting
metal bar in the opposite direction
to the traction that will be effected.
Lower down, the rubber-covered end is
wedged against the base of the tree. It is
impossible to do better than this without
damaging the bark. Higher up it is fixed
with a Colson cable tie; these nylon ties
are used by electricians for bundling
wires together. They are practical, very
strong and come in many sizes and are
A nylon collar such
as those used by
electricians serves
to fix the clamping
bar to the trunk.
The bending preparation
is now complete and
the first tensioning has
begun with the bar as
the anchoring point.
mounted in series for larger sizes. They
also serve to boost the structure’s large
forks which will be subjected to strain.
They can be removed with scissors.
The bar not only keeps the top of the
trunk in position, despite the stresses,
but also provides varying tethering
points for accurate alignment of the
different bracing wires, which will bring
the structure to its designated position.
 At the first
twisting, the bar
bends indicating
an already strong
tension, while
the foliage is At the same
still far from its stage, but seen
final position. from behind.

Closing the circle

The bracing wires come next and the
circle closes up. When it has closed
sufficiently and has come round
towards the front, I fix the last short
bracing wire to a copper wire strand
between the trunk’s two now opposing
parts. The bending process can now
continue without the help of the bar,
The trunk is now suficiently
which I remove. By alternating the
curved to fix a bracing wire directly tautness of the two remaining bracing
to the copper wire strands. wires, the foliage starts to grow little by
little in the desired position. To manage
The bar is removed and the the particular brittleness of the old
bending continues without it. wood, I spread the bending process over
two days. In addition, the amplification
of the movement, which already
existed, enabled me to obtain the final
position, which is why precision in the
traction line is important, particularly
at the beginning when everything is far
from being in the desired position.

Fixing the foliage in place

The last phase of the tree’s shaping
can now begin. There is little scope
for the tree’s position. It is defined
by the curve of the trunk, and the
branches that will give it shape
are short, limiting the options.
The lowest and longest branch is well
The first branch, which is
forked, will be lightened. covered and offers more choices. I
will place it last to add dynamism to
the structure. The end of the branch
The tree’s structure is now is forked. At first I thought of using the
in place. The shaping of two parts, with one to give it depth, but
the foliage can begin.
by thickening it, I would make the tree’s
outline too heavy, when the whole piece
needs to look light, as if suspended.
Firstly, styling just one pad, as per the
sketch, would look too dominant.
The first branch is
positioned last and Still looking for lightness, I
will give dynamism divide it and refine it. 
to the tree.

#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 61
 Spotlight
on Conifers

At first the shaping was based

on the project’s design. But the
principal branch is a little heavy.
The pad of the principal branch is refined and
divided. The top is adjusted and balanced.

 After fixing the position of the

bottom branch, I make a few small
corrections to the volume at the
top to give the structure balance:
the first shaping is now finished.

The tree already has a story

The silhouette is well defined and lives
up to my expectations, and if it deviates
from the norm, the rest of the structure
follows the usual rules: the tree comes The dead wood
towards the viewer; its orientation is has been left
confirmed by the principal branch and as is for the
moment.
a branch behind, gives it depth etc.
There is certainly room for improvement
in the movement of the first branch, but
for the moment the tree will be sheltered
from the full sunlight for a few weeks, and
will have no further intervention this year.
The dead wood has been left intact. It
has a wonderful patina and tells us a
story. However, the dead wood will have
to be worked on to ensure its longevity.
The difficulty will be to find the best
way to reproduce the original patina.

One month later

After a month, the trunk is freed of
nearly all its wiring equipment leaving
only the copper wire and the bracing Seen from the right. The back of the tree.

62 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
 One month later,
the foliage has
thickened a bit
and the trunk has
been freed from
most of its wiring.

wire, which will remain for at least a year.
Its aesthetic appeal is returning, but
this is not the only reason for removing
it. The huge amount of wiring, as well
as the sun’s heat, adds stress to the
tree that can be avoided, particularly,
as its offset foliage provides no cover.
I will remove the raffia fairly soon. If it
stays too long the bark underneath
will become smooth again which
would be harmful for this pine.
The next work to be done will focus
on reducing the root system, but the
tree will need a temporary container
before being transferred to a pot that
will make it a true bonsai tree. 
So that it is not so obvious and to help
the aesthetics, the remaining copper wire
has been treated with jin seal: the rapid
oxidation will make it almost invisible.

The rafia will very

soon be removed
and the next stage
in the work will be
carried out next
year. Height: 72 cm
(28⅜ in); span:
72 cm (28⅜ in).

#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 63
Re-imagining
a Tree

Casuarina equisetifolia
a very natural tree

Budi Sulistyo has been working on this Casuarina equisetifolia for ten years. It measures 59 cm (23¼ in.) high and 99 cm (39 in.) wide.

64 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
Re-imagining a tree
The purpose of this topic is to analyse the choices the artist
made by trying out other options, and to demonstrate the
appropriateness of his choices and how to appreciate them.
This astonishingly natural and dynamic
Indonesian yamadori, a Casuarina
equisetifolia, is the result of ten years’
work using the “cut and grow” method.
Author: François Jeker
T his Casuarina equisetifolia is
a tropical yamadori that was
collected at Lombang, on Madura
Island, east of Java. Like many tropical
trees, it is a species that requires a lot
of attention. It is very fast growing and
has a tendency to direct its tiny, scale-
like leaves towards the top. So it has
to be constantly pruned and wired.
The tree has been worked on since
2006 by Budi Sulistyo, an Indonesian
bonsai artist who is very involved with
Bonsai Club International (BCI). He will
also be giving a demonstration at the
world congress which will take place at
Mulhouse (France) in October, 2018.
As well as this, Budi Sulistyo is
also famous for his collection
of antique pots and has chosen
a Chinese Guangdong pot for
his Casuarina equisetifolia.
Budi Sulistyo’s choices
The tree obviously has three trunks,
but it has been conceived as a tree with
one sharply angled trunk. In fact, the
crowns have not been differentiated
and the silhouette seems to be
of just one and the same tree.
The movement to the right
is emphasised by a large gap
between the first lower branch
on the right and the much higher
balancing branch on the left.
The lovely movement of trunks
and branches and their tapering
were achieved by patient work
using the “grow and cut” method.
Before photographing his tree for us,
Budi cleared a space in the foliage to
show us the interior structure – the soul 1 Without the middle trunk, the unity of
of his tree. Particularly noteworthy is the entire piece has disappeared.
the way he has played with the trunks’
diameter: the one in the middle is
noticeably finer and seems to be in the
background giving an illusion of depth.
Option 1 :
removing the middle trunk
Now we have two distinctly separate
trees. The two silhouettes lack
coherence: the one on the left is
rounded and spread out, whereas that
on the right is pointed with a crown that
is too horizontal. The empty space is
too large and the two trunks seem to be
completely divorced. The strongly united
aspect of the first tree has disappeared.
Option 2 : 2 Without its lower branch on the
right, the tree is now static.
removing the lower
branch on the right
The unity remains but the tree has
completely lost all its dynamism and
the balance between the pot and tree
has been broken. The pot appears
to be disproportionate and clumsy.
Option 3 :
adding a lower branch
on the left
By adding a balancing lower branch on
the left, the large empty space on this
side which strongly emphasised the
tree’s angle to the right is obstructed. It
is acceptable, but the tree is now more 3 By adding a lower branch on the left, the
classic in style and has lost all its force.  tree’s movement seems less vigorous.
#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 65
Pots and
potters

Tony Remington likes

playing with texture on
bonsai pots. He lives and

Tony Remington works in Shefield, in the

North of England.

Playing with textures

The British ceramicist Tony Remington, 64,
likes to experiment with textures, to make
his pots look like aged bark or reptile skin.
Author: Anne Royer
Photos: Tony Remington
Tony Remington
masters textural tricks like no-one else.
A ceramicist specialising in bonsai pots, he
moulds, beats, carves and sculpts stoneware
and porcelain to mark his creations with
motifs reminiscent of rocks or old weather-
beaten bark. It’s a technique that requires a
great deal of work and experience. For some
twenty years, Tony has been producing pots
in understated designs and natural colours,
ranging from a rather raw and almost rustic
style to one that is traditional and refined.

The patterning on this pot
resembles snakeskin. Dimensions:
6 × 18 cm (2⅜ × 7⅛ in).
Creative freedom
Tony is 64 years old and lives in Yorkshire
in the North of England, in the industrial city
of Sheffield. He teaches pottery three days
a week in an occupational therapy pro-
gramme, and spends the rest of his time at

66 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
 This British ceramicist
often uses a potter’s
wheel, but also makes
some pots entirely
by hand-building.

Tony has very skilfully sculpted this

white porcelain pot to give it the
feel of thick, weather-beaten skin.
Dimensions: 5 × 14 cm (2 × 5½ in).
Geometrically shaped black
stoneware pot. Dimensions:
5 × 18 cm (2 × 7⅛ in).

home making bonsai pots in a garden shed

which he has transformed into a workshop.
Ever since he created his very first pieces,
Tony has always remained loyal to the pot-
ter’s wheel. “To take a lump of refined mud
and turn it into a functional piece of pot-
tery by applying hand and finger pressure
to particular parts of a spinning lump of clay
is quite magical!” he enthuses. Throwing on
the wheel also gives his creativity free rein:
“When working on the wheel, I know what
shapes and style I am working towards, but
sometimes the spinning clay dictates the
final shape and finish. I like that freedom to
create.” And he adds: “I am in the lucky posi-
tion of not having to conform to any set pat-
tern or dimension, so I have the freedom to
give each pot its own identity, making them
sort of unique.”
At the same time, Tony likes to keep
things varied. He also creates some pots
entirely using hand-building techniques.
Over the last few months, he has produced
Crescent-shaped pot for accent plants. Dimensions: 8 × 17 × 26 cm (3⅛ × 6¾ × 10¼ in).
a series of pots with geometrical forms that
are inspired by traditional designs. These
four-, six- eight- or twelve-sided pots are
all available in a range of sizes and colours.
“This way of working very precisely is the
complete opposite to throwing pots on the
wheel where I have freedom to express
myself,” Tony explains; “but I do enjoy the
disciplineandthinktheendproductisworth
the effort.” In contrast, some pieces that
are intended for accent plants resemble
hollow stones, with their rocky texture and
crescent-shaped form.
A new challenge
Tony’s career as a potter began four
decades ago. In 1975, he was working as a
builder and dreaming of finding a different
occupation. He enrolled in evening classes
at a Yorkshire training centre, where he
learnt the rudiments of pottery. He made
swift progress and became hooked by the
craft, and so he decided to make it his pro-
fession. He was accepted for a professio-
nal course at an art school in Herefordshire.
After two years’ study, he set up his first 

#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 67
 Pots and
potters

An elegant wheel-thrown pot.

Dimensions: 7 × 18 cm (2¾ × 7⅛ in).

Porcelain pot with crackle glaze.

Dimensions: 7 × 16 cm (2¾ × 6¼ in).

This textured red stoneware pot recalls a sun-

This attractive brick-red scorched rock. Dimensions: 6 × 21 cm (2⅜ × 8¼ in).
pot with blue border
has subtly modelled
feet. Dimensions :
8 × 18 cm (3⅛ × 7⅛ in).  workshop, “Matilda Pottery”, in an artis-
tic community in Sheffield.
At that time, he was only making
tableware and other utilitarian pottery. But
occasionally he would receive orders for
bonsai pots. He was intrigued by the disci-
pline and began to develop an interest in it.
Around the same time, he started to teach
ceramics at a local university. Later, when
setting up a second workshop at his home,
in his garden, he decided to dedicate himself
entirely to making pots for bonsai. “I needed
a new challenge,” he says. “I had researched
bonsai for months, looking at the shape and
construction of the pots as well as the trees.”
These days, Tony benefits from exten-
sive experience and his pots are a source
of delight for numerous collectors all over
the world.
A happy accident
In order to develop his own style and
come up with new designs, he gleaned ideas
here and there, in books and on specialist
forums. But meeting bonsai enthusiasts was
his most reliable source of information and
inspiration. “I also do a lot of demonstrations
at bonsai clubs where I take along a potter’s
wheel and demonstrate my craft. I make a
note to listen to what the club members say:
they know what they want and what makes
a pot work, and I learn from them.”
Tony’s pots are made from white porce-
lain or from red, brown or black stoneware,
and are fired in an electric kiln or – less often
– a wood-fired one. Tony has developed a
broad array of glazes in natural shades to
give them their finishing touch. From pearl
white to sea green, and from brick red to
burnt brown, the colours he creates never
belie the natural aspect of his primary mate-
rial.
Sometimes, though, the pots have their
own ideas. An example is one of Tony’s
favourite pieces: a porcelain pot decorated
with sang-de-boeuf (oxblood) glaze, which
is the result of a happy accident. “The pot
distorted in the wood firing and I only got
the slightest hint of red, but I fell for that pot,”
Tony smiles. The pot, with its uneven curved
shape, now belongs to his own collection.

68 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
 White oval pot. Dimensions:
This porcelain pot with a dash of red owes its slightly 7 × 13 × 16 cm (2¾ × 5⅛ × 6¼ in).
deformed shape to a happy accident. Tony is particularly
fond of it and has kept it in his personal collection.

Over the last

few months,
Tony has been
taking inspiration
from traditional
models to create
a new series of
geometrically
shaped pots.

Pieces of nature
Tony’s main obsession is with working on
textures. For years, he has been exploring
and perfecting various techniques to give his White stoneware pot with
pots a crackled appearance, simultaneously brown border. Dimensions:
putting his very personal stamp on them. 6.5 × 20 cm (2½ × 7⅞ in).
“I treat the surface of the pot with tools,
chemicals and glazes which when thrown
on the wheel give a snakeskin- or bark-like
texture,” he explains. “I have been known to
beat the surface of the pot with a rock before
re-throwing to get the textures I want.” The ter’s block,” he admits – “a bit like when an
result: unique pots with patterns in relief, like author has a dry period where you are stuck
pieces of already-aged nature. for an idea; but they don’t seem to last long. I
This constant spirit of exploration is also get an urge every year or so to try something
the best way for him to keep innovating. How different, and this keeps my work fresh.” It’s
does he stay creative after making pots for a fair bet that this Brit still has plenty of sur-
such a long time? “I sometimes have a pot- prises up his sleeve for the future. 

#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 69
Besides
Bonsai This easy-to-create
summer composition
will ofer a bit of
freshness in the
warmer, dryer months.

The creeper in this composition

is Ajuga reptans.

Create a kusamono
step by step season: one that flowers in spring or sum-
mer, and another that is at its most inte-
Get started with resting in autumn.
making kusamono, All the plants in the composition need

using plants that you
can easily ind in a
garden centre near
you.
Author : Xavier Dreux
M
ost garden centres have a
section offering perennials
in pots for a few pounds or
euros. These can be ideal for
creating your first kusamono.
Kusamono – from the Japanese kusa
(grass) and mono (thing) – is a compo-
sition of plants that is intended to be dis-
played in a tokonoma alongside a bonsai
or suiseki.
It usually comprises three sizes of plant:
a low-lying plant or creeper; an interme-
diate size; and a tall one. To avoid monoto-
ny, there needs to be some diversity in the
shapes of the leaves and their distribution.
Key points to consider when choosing
which varieties to use are colour harmo-
ny and attributes that work well together.
Ideally there should be a star plant for each
to have identical or at least very similar
needs in terms of exposure, soil, watering
etc.; otherwise the kusamono will not last.
Here I have decided to compose a
flowery, fresh scene for the summer, with
the colour purple as the common theme.
The plants to use
Ajuga reptans (bugle) is a creeper that
you can find in garden centres, but also in
damp grassland. Here it is used to cover
the base of the kusamono, with the added
benefit of flowers next spring. The flowers
are usually purplish blue in colour.
Hakonechloa macra ‘Aureola’: this grass
with purple stems is of Japanese origin and
gives density to the middle level. It gives a
fresh, soft look for the summer. Its foliage
acquires pink and red tinges in the autumn.

70 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
 Linaria
purpurea will
add height
and a sense
of lightness
to the whole.
The Japanese grass Hakonechloa macra
‘Aureola’ will occupy the middle level.

Preparing the keto

To mould the surface, a keto mixture is used. This needs
to be prepared before you start. Always wear gloves when
handling keto, as it stains badly. Keto-tsuchi is a very sticky
soil that should not be used on its own.

2 Prepare
⅓ fine
akadama and
⅓ shredded
sphagnum
peat moss
1 The mixture is made of keto, fine akadama
and sphagnum peat moss.
3 Add
⅓ keto, and
mix together.
It is content with a sunny or semi-shaded
position, as long as the soil remains cool.
Linaria purpurea (purple toadflax): this
is the jewel of the composition, with its
spikes of pale pink flowers towards the top
and fine, slightly greyish-blue foliage. The
older leaves turn purplish-red.
Completing the composition are little
Erodium variabile, small perennials with
simple pink flowers and purple veins,
together with Saxifraga stolonifera whose
purple leaves recall the colour of the
Hakonechloa stems and the toadflax.

Choosing the pot 5 The keto

The pot should be chosen above all for balls are ready.
its aesthetic qualities, but it is also impor-
tant for it to provide the conditions that
the plant needs in order to grow. Here, I
have used a very simple Japanese pot. A
4 Add enough water to obtain a uniform
craftsman-made pot would give charac-
consistency that is similar to that of an ear lobe:
ter and enhance the artistic aspect of the
pliable but not completely limp.
composition. A mesh is placed in the base
of the pot, for drainage. 

#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 71
 A Remove the plants from their pots, then B Cut back long roots and remove any C Separate each clump out into little tufts and
untangle the roots to reduce the size of the root that are damaged. put these aside in a damp cloth.
ball.

D Try out arrangements of the plants by

putting the clumps together. Adjust their
positions to determine the best viewing angle
and keep a balanced composition. Then do a
trial run directly in the pot. The plants can be
attached together so that they will not move
during repotting.
E Place the clump in the pot and add the soil
(a mixture of sifted akadama, kanuma and
pumice) between the roots using a stick. You
can cut back a few leaves and stems to balance
out the composition.
F Add the keto mixture at the
surface of the pot, then add some fine
moss to finish it of. Don’t forget to
clean the pot, after a generous
watering.

Preparing the soil

For the substrate, use a mixture of equal
proportions of akadama, kanuma and
pumice, sifted. You can add coarse potting
compost or composted tree bark to make
it retain more moisture. Adapt the mixture
according to how often you can water it.

Reaching maturity
Over the years, the composition will gra-
dually mature. Sometimes you will need
to balance out the weight of each plant in
relation to the whole, by removing a few
shoots from one and encouraging the
other that is more timid. Feed sparingly
using liquid fertiliser, to make things easier.
Remove withered flowers and damaged
leaves as the need arises.
Repot every two to three years, repla- G You can now
cing the soil around and underneath the enjoy your
root ball. The same composition can be composition,
watering it when
used, or it can be enriched.
you can see that
In kusamono, the possible combina- this is necessary.
tions are endless. 

72 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
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des petites annonces et bien plus encore !

REJOIGNEZ-NOUS !

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#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 73
Ikebana
Sogetsu

 Any occasion or change of season calls for an ikebana

flower arrangement. Plants take centre stage beckoning to
ikebana practitioners to continue to renew their skills in the art.

For all
special
occasions
Text: Marette Renaudin
Photos: Bénédicte De Saint-Martin
Flower arrangements by Marette Renaudin and former
pupils at the March exhibition in Toulouse

There are many special occasions

in Japan that call for ikebana flower arrangements
giving practitioners the chance to rekindle their pas-
sion and to continue in their art.
The luxuriousness and richness of the material that
engenders the practice of ikebana, is provided by the
abundance and diversity of the plants that nature of-
fers throughout the seasons. The shape of the flowers
and the wealth of different varieties – carried by the
winds, from temperate or stormy climates, from harsh
escarpments, or gentle plains and valleys – offer the
contrasts that are the source of the rhythms and of
the picturesque that inspire our creations.
Aside from the many sources, one of the great diffi-
culties in the practice of ikebana, a profoundly com-
plex art, is that the habits formed by repetitive arran-
gements made over the years, however sacred, can
generate a certain listless ordinariness that can be
fatal to motivation. Habit can damage the profound
commitment that is indispensable to the practice of
any art and casts a form of doubt in our minds.
With specific plants
However, all it takes is a particular occasion, or a really
special occasion, to get us back on track to rekindle
the spark and the recover the excitement of our first
discoveries. An occasion can be interpreted by the
three fundamental principles (TPO) in the practice
of ikebana: T = toki, which is the season or time;
 Shinkatai Style in symmetry. Yellow for warm seasons. Anigozanthos
(kangaroo paws), variegated aspidistra leaf and Lady’s mantle (alchemilla).
P= placing of the arrangement; and O = occasion
(of any kind from simple to very special). In Japan
there is no shortage of certain circumstances that call
for special arrangements – in the tokonoma, in the
temple, or simply in the entrance to a house – that
are determined by the use of specific plants:
- New Year with pine, bamboo, plum tree, narcissus,
nandina (heavenly bamboo)
- The girls’ festival (Hina matsuri, 3 March) with
an arrangement of blossoming peach tree branches
- Spring festival (Hanami in April) with blossoming
cherry tree branches
- The boys’ festival (Koinobori, 5 May) with the empe-
ror’s emblem “Shobu”, (Iris Kaempferi)
- The arrival of summer with lotus dedicated to
Buddha
- Autumn with red maple
- Winter with chrysanthemums dedicated particularly
to Shinto ceremonies

74 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
  Free Style
Kerria japonica,
is harmonised
with ranunculus
in a lighter shade,
and moss.

 Shinkatai The gracefulness of nandina supported by

a “shaga” (Iris japonica) leaf and allium at the base.

 Mini Rikka Using a glass

vase adds freshness to
A source of joy a summer arrangement
These specific occasions showcase certain noble ike- with azalea, “Shaga”
(Iris japonica) leaves,
bana plants that can be found in Japanese gardens, anemones, Amaryllis,
and that are sometimes outstanding for their rarity spindle tree and fern.
and their beauty, which ensures them a privileged
place in the ikebana hierarchy.
So to all longstanding students of the art, let our
millionth ikebana arrangement be inspired by these
occasions, and not allow lethargy to overcome this
wonderful practice. Rare flowers, ordinary flowers,
those from gardens or ditches, are all identical when  Shinkatai Restraint
it comes to intention and devotion to composition to and flight are
reflect the essence of nature. In this sense, habits of suggested by the pure
time no longer exist; ikebana must always be created lines of dogwood and
the freesia’s simplicity
as if it were the first and the last. This feeling always
with an aspidistra
engenders the same immutable emotion – one of leaf as closing point
profound joy.  at the base.

#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 75
Ikebana
Ohara

 Inspired by Chinese aesthetics, bunjin breaks free from

extreme codification, bringing the focus back on spontaneity
and naturalness.

Bunjin-ike: Author: Marcel Vrignaud

a scholarly art
The end of the 18th century saw a
reaction among the Japanese, stirred up by the
snobbishness of aristocrats and by the undiscipli-
ned ease of the new privileged classes. A group of
creative individuals who were seeking something
more from ikebana than a meaningless decorative
activity breathed new life into this art of flowers.
They were scholars – bunjin in Japanese – who
were very aware of the models that Japan
inherited from China and wanted to renew
the artistic links with Chinese aesthetics:
poetry, painting and flower arranging.
They therefore instigated a style ins-
pired by these aesthetics: bunjin-ike,
which threw off the shackles of excessive
codification and sought to rediscover the
spontaneity, naturalness and, above all,
 Le bunjin-moribana refinement of Chinese art.
arrangements are set
in shallow containers. Three types
In fact, while bunjin refers to Chinese tradition,
it also links back to the Japanese tradition of
 Le bunjin- fûryû and wabi, and on an even deeper level to
morimono the meditative values of Shinto and Zen. Bunjin-
combines flowers ike encompasses three distinct forms:
and fruits on a • bunjin-heika, the most common. This re-
wooden plate quires tall, Chinese-inspired vases in celadon,
or banana lea.
copper-red or sang-de-boeuf (oxblood) colours,
glazed blue-and-white porcelain, fine stoneware,
or indeed carefully woven basketwork
• bunjin-moribana, in low dishes that are in
the same colours and materials as used for bun-
jin-heika, but a more pared-down style than clas-
sic moribana
• bunjin-morimono, associated with the tea
ceremony, which takes the form of flowers and

76 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83

fruits on a wooden plate (the dai) or on a fresh
leaf such as one from a banana tree.
In these three categories, the selection of the
mixture of plants is more important than the tech-
nique of composition per se. The emphasis is
first and foremost on the poetic message that the
plants convey. Plant symbolism is very important
for the Japanese.
Uncontrived
This love of nature is explained by the perfect
harmony between humankind and the cosmos
which forms the basis of Eastern culture (Confu-
cianism, Taoism and Buddhism being strongly
interlinked). It is noticeable that in Asia, there is
never any separation between art and spiritual
life.On the practical side, there are no specific
requirements for this type of arrangement, and
 Japanese scholars
created bunjin-ike at
the end of the 18th
century. Bunjin-
heika is its most
common form.
nor is there a style. The main thing, as with all
creative pursuits, is to “make art without trying”!
Bunjin should be very dignified and refined:
don’t use technical tricks that are too obvious or
visible. Avoid any symmetry or regularity, as well
as over-sharp contrasts.
As for the selection of plants, no more than
two or three species should be used, and in small
quantities. Preferably choose plants of Chinese
origin (branches, leaves and flowers).
Examples of plants that are frequently used in
bunjin include: Chinese tree peony; magnolia;
orchid; iris; maple; Japanese quince; bamboo;
pine; Nandina domestica (heavenly bamboo);
chrysanthemum; rose; Paulownia; camelia; med-
lar; loquat; hydrangea; Acer palmatum (Japanese
maple); banana tree; poppy; persimmon; dog
rose; and fruiting apple tree 
#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 77
Club and
Enthusiasts
For over forty years,
there was only one
club in Toulouse. Since
a short time ago, there
have been two – one
of which is Bonsaï
Toulouse. Work, passion
and humility are the
watchwords of this
“new club”.
Text: Cinthya Arenas
Photos : Bonsaï Toulouse
Although it has offi-
cially only existed since 29 October
2014, Bonsaï Toulouse was born
out of a split in an earlier Toulouse
association, L’Arbre en Pot. “In the
early 1990s, the then club was on
the point of closing down. I was its
president for 12 years,” explains the
president, Gabriel Gardelle. Accord-
ing to him, Bonsaï Toulouse “follows
in a long tradition of the city of Tou-
louse which was one of the first in
France to have a bonsai club within
its walls. The split of the then club
in 2014 left 10 members wanting
78 - EspritBonsaiInternational #83
 The association Bonsaï Toulouse was born from the split of an older club in Toulouse. Its members
exhibited satsuki at the city’s Georges Labit Museum of Far Eastern and Egyptian art in May 2016.
A club comeback:
Bonsaï Toulouse
to stay in Toulouse, and they asked
me to set up a new association. It’s
the same for clubs as it is for trees:
Monthly sometimes it’s healthy to cut off a
workshops are an branch …”
opportunity for
members to learn.
Gabriel Gardelle’s vision of bonsai
Here Frédéric is as a “concentration of time and
de Prémonville, work, but also of passion and humili-
one of the club’s ty. In a club, you prepare trees. Being
founder members, focused on this effort of patience
takes part in a
“clasped-to-rock”
and time means that you put your
workshop. stamp on trees that will then pass
into someone else’s hands. We have
one aim, and that is to ensure con-
tinuity by choosing who we pass
the tree on to.” This is the message
that he seeks to send to the club’s
members.
A club of friends
The club currently has about 15
members, a third of whom are wom-
en. It’s a “club of friends who know
each other well and have the same
aims. All of us are passionate about
bonsai.”
Some have been there for many
years – including Christine Ferrié,
Denis Boujot, Jacqueline Lozio,
Frédéric de Prémonville and Pascale
Denjean. The president considers
them pivotal to the club “because
they have all had responsibilities in
the past. A club needs a solid, inde-
pendent base.”
Two thirds of the membership
have been practising bonsai for dec-
ades. Five members have trained in
schools such as Académie Bonsaï
or under Jacques Marty.
Six people are responsible for
hosting the meetings: “One expert
member, Régis Maus, trained for
15 years in a Japanese school; I did
ten; another is in the fifth year; and
the remaining three are studying the
first part of the course. This is lucky
for us, and the work that’s done in
the club is naturally always of a high
quality.”
Every year, Alain Arnaud “comes
to teach us over a weekend, and
 A satsuki on display in the exhibition  This satsuki has a very unusual shape.
at the museum in Toulouse.
we arrange it so that he can give
follow-up advice on structuring the
trees”.
Gabriel Gardelle, who also offers
training to the club, affirms that hav-
ing tutors within a club “is crucial to
ensuring good-quality work and var-
ied workshops”.
A collection
of camelias
The club’s members work mainly
on conifers and broadleaves. These
are very often yamadori: pine, box …
One member, Frédéric de Prémon-
ville,alsoowns“amagnificentcollec-
tion of Japanese persimmon”. As for
the president, he has a collection of
several dozen varieties of flowering
plants, including camelias: Camellia
bokuhan, Camellia “Bob’s Tinsie”,
Chanel camelia, Camellia azalea.
“Our meetings take place month-
ly on a Friday evening and a whole or
half day on a Sunday, depending on
what work needs to be done. Mem-
bers come with their trees, tools and
wire.”
 Une réunion mensuelle est l’occasion pour
Pierre Aubery de travailler sur un genévrier.
 Small and large satsuki: the full range was on
display at the exhibition in the Toulouse museum.
Pascal
Meslem during
a workshop
on junipers.
There is always someone avail-
able for beginners: “We make sure
we involve beginners in the planned
work by being particularly attentive
to them. We don’t give special class-
es for beginners. Everyone works
together, with varying degrees of
guidance; but it has to be said that
the number and quality of super-
visors makes things easier,” says
Gabriel Gardelle. And he continues:
“Inourclubeveryoneislearning.One
ofmymentorsoncesaidthatIwould
never stop learning … and I’ve never
 Alain Arnaud (centre) leads a workshop every year.
forgotten that.”
A satsuki exhibition
The current year has seen a lot
of activity in the club. In addition to
Practicalinformation
Bonsaï Toulouse
the work on trees, there has been 5 avenue Collignon, 31000 Toulouse, France
an exhibition at Toulouges (the Facebook: Bonsai Toulouse
“Grand Sud” show of the Fédération Email: bonsaitoulouse@orange.fr
Française de Bonsaï (French Bon- Tel: +33 (0)6 89 37 04 20
sai Federation)) in late April; another Tél. 06 89 37 04 20
display at Aix-les-Bains during the
annual exhibition of the Académie
Bonsaï in June; and one in Toulouse:
“Bonsaï Toulouse organised an out-
standing exhibition of satsuki at Tou-
louse’s Labit Museum. That was the There can be twists, turns and
high point of this season.” divisions in a club’s life, for vari-
There are further events to look ous reasons: evolving schools of
forward to next year: “We’ll be tak- thought, differences of opinion or
ing part in regional exhibitions, most simply geographical reorganisa-
notably in Albi, in 2017. Also, there tions. This article has presented two
are plans for an autumn exhibition clubs that were one until two years
dedicated entirely to persimmon ago. However, one thing still ties
and camelias in a splendid venue in these two Toulouse clubs together,
Toulouse.” and that is passion. 
#83 EspritBonsaiInternational - 79
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80 - EspritBonsaiInternational #82
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convention in Lithuania
 An exhibition in Malaysia
 A portrait of
Andrea Melloni
 Getting off to a good start
– wiring
 Bonsai basics – work diary
 Treegazing – dead wood in
the mountains
 A mountain juniper
 Autumn pruning for beech,
hornbeam and oak
 In detail – pruning box
 In detail – a clasped-to-
rock composition
 A shohin trained maple
 Task of the month –
cleaning pines
 Besides bonsai – Imparata
cylindrica, a grass
 Japanese shohin pots by
leading potters
 The 20 years of the Tropik
Bonsai Club
 Ikebana