It has finally got cold enough for the leaves to drop at Shibui Bonsai. That means it is time to start digging the field grown trees and check progress.
These trees have been in the bed for nearly one year. They’ve grown from 3 or 4 mm thick seedlings to this.
The recent workshop with Joe Morgan-Payler has re-inspired me to keep developing these small, contorted junipers.
While not everyone appreciates this style of bonsai, especially here in Australia where our relatively mild climate does not produce such trees in the mountains, they seem to be valued by Japanese bonsai artists. These trees simulate the types of trunks that the severe winters and harsh growing conditions in the Japanese mountains naturally produce.
Today I worked on a Japanese Black pine. It was grown from seed about 10 years ago and I kept it because it has a really good 360 degrees root system that should develop into great pine nebari. Despite having such a great root system the top has not developed particularly well so I have not given it much attention so it is a good candidate to show how I go about making initial styling decisions. Continue reading
The warm weather has gone on way longer than normal in our area this year but many of the deciduous trees at Shibui Bonsai have finally decided it is time to shut down for the winter so we finally have some colour.
Autumn colour is best with cold nights and fine sunny days so this year’s leaf colour is nowhere near as strong as usual but still worth sharing some photos with you. Continue reading
Smaller, regional clubs have limited access to new ideas and expert advice so the AABC visiting tutor program is a great way for clubs to get some outside influences for our members. Our local club has just held a workshop with Joe Morgan-Payler. Continue reading
Most gardeners are aware that some plants are propagated by grafting. There are also many uses in bonsai for grafting techniques. In this post you can read the Shibui Bonsai guide to bonsai grafting.
Bonsai growers can use grafting for a number of purposes. Knowing how can open new options to change and improve your bonsai. Continue reading
Layering is the term used when we grow new roots on the stem of a plant so that we can produce a new plant.
There are 2 main methods: Air layering and Ground layering. There are also many variations of each of these methods.
Layering has many uses in bonsai:
Pines and junipers are quite slow to recover from transplant but this year’s transplants from the Shibui Bonsai grow beds are now looking strong and healthy.
Today is the last day of 2017 which means it is well into summer at Shibui Bonsai and that means it is time for repotting some of the bonsai.
Last week I gave my Callistemon its annual after flowering prune. This one is Callistemon sieberii – River bottlebrush which flowers later than most Callistemon species, normally Early-mid December here. 
Some say it cannot be done…..
Here at Shibui Bonsai I’ve often found that much of what ‘they’ tell us is not completely true so I’m often putting aspects of bonsai wisdom to the test.
Pine seed is currently very difficult to obtain here in Australia so many growers are looking for alternative ways to propagate pines for bonsai so even though the ‘experts’ tell us it cannot be done I’m trying to grow more pines as cuttings. Continue reading
