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Good morning
Today in Bonsai Bark we've got three photos of flowering bonsai that we borrowed from Classic Bonsai of Japan, a brilliant photo book that we offered for our customers for many years until it went out of print 
Continued below...
It's time for flowering bonsai
A Karume Azalea (Rhododendron obtusum)
that appears today's Bonsai Bark post (below)

we scanned it from Classic Bonsai of Japan
(Kodansha International - out of print)
Continued from above...
The other part of the title for today, News from the Home Front, is just me writing a bit about how intense these few weeks in early spring can be (I know, early spring has long passed for most of you, but here buds are just opening). It's not that interesting, but in case you don't have anything else to do, you can visit Bonsai Bark to read it (scroll way down)
Here's a beauty that's not from today's post
It's a Flowering cherry that lives in Japan
we borrowed it from Michael Bonsai
a great source for quality photos of Japanese bonsai
Flowers and a bright little bud from the same tree
This flowering privet is not from Japan
It belongs to our talented & prolific friend
Harry Harrington, who lives in England

Here’s Harry's caption…
I think this is quite a rare occurrence,
one of my Privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium) bonsai
not only flowering, but in scale with the tree itself!
Collected in 2009 from a hedge growing in West London, this has always been one of my favourite Privet.
Height 14″/34cm, 5″/12.5cm trunk diameter.
Pot by Victor Harris of Erin Pottery. A progression series for this tree, going back to 2009, can be seen on my website
Closeup... you can't get much whiter
Where I grew up in the San Joaquin Valley, Privets hedges were so common that we barely noticed them. Even their flowers seemed nondescript (unlike this one) though not when you caught a whiff of their sweet fragrance 
and not to the honeybees who gathered by the hundreds
and buzzed ferociously and in unison around
a single large hedge that blocked out our neighbors
(this was way before the honeybee decline).
---
Btw, there are about 50 species of privets and many are considered invasive outside their natural habiitats
Harry's Book
The Foundations of Bonsai
by Harry Harrington

One of the things Harry does that I really like, is he often starts with inexpensive, undeveloped and sometimes unattractive material and works his magic from there.
If you're like most of us, you can learn a lot from this approach. And you can save some money

A BARGAIN AT 29.95
Back to Japan
An old Ume from the Omiya Bonsai Art Museum.
Aside from the flowers, buds and aged bark,
you might notice the hollowed out trunk (sabamiki).
And if you look closely you can also see several uro, which are small hollows that are left on deciduous trees where branches have rotted and fallen off...
though bonsai uro may well be man made
Blown up for a closer look at the sabamiki (larger hole)
If you have young eyes or you use a maginifier
you can also see the uro (small holes)
Another Ume from Omiya Bonsai Art Museum
Though it's a little difficult to see, this Ume features some deadwood (shari) on the trunk (below is better). You usually see deadwood only on conifers, as it tends to rot fairly quickly on deciduous trees. However, Ume deadwood rots slowly, so the shari on this tree appears natural
(you can preserve deadwood for a long time with lime sulfur... this is one reason you see bonsai hundreds
of years old that still have prominent deadwood)
You can see the shari a little better in this closeup
Is that a sabamiki just to its right?
Here's that Lime Sulfur we mentioned above
Satsuki azalea
Satsuki means fifth month (May) so our timing is good 
This beauty displays a perfect blend
of white with a touch of pink and soft green
The flowers dominate right now, but it's no accident
that the color of the pot enhances the deeply grooved trunk and nebari which makes this a good bonsai for display
even when it's not blooming 
The photo is from Andres Alvarez Iglesias on facebook
Not a prize winner, but still a mind stopper
Here's what Bill Valavanis who took the photo has to say
about this remarkable quince...
"An unusual cultivar of Japanese flowering quince. This is NOT the Toyo Nishiki cultivar, but rather 'Takane Nishiki'. Beautiful flowers, unusual container, but I personally do not like the design of the bonsai, so enjoyed the blossoms."
---
I don't remember which Japanese show this photo is from
though I'd bet Bill does, I don't think he forgets anything
Speaking of Bill
you can register at his International bonsai website
I look forward to seeing you there
Okay, nothing to do with bonsai
but the flowers are on message
they're tulips in my front yard
shot with my Samsung cell phone this morning
the trees are from left to right
White spruce, De,Groot's spiralis cedar (Thuja occidentalis), Balsam fir (lower right), Golden thread cypress (Chamaecyparis pisifera "Filifera Aurea") center right, and a little piece of an Alberta spruce upper right
White spruce and Balam fir grow wild in northern Vermont
Just in case you missed it
the next five photos are from our last newsletter
This Trident maple is one of two trees
at the U.S. National Bonsai & Penjig Museum
that was gifted from the Japanese Emperor's collection
This Japanese red pine
also resides at the U.S. National Museum
is the other one from the Emperor's collection
Like the Trident maple above,
it's featured in our Bonsai Bark post
Here's a Japanese maple (Acer palmatum)
that makes its home at the National Bonsai Museum.
It wasn't part of the Emperor's collection,
nor is it from today's post,
but it is from Japan and it's certainly worth a look.
It thas been in training since 1906
and was donated by Ryutaro Azuma in 1978
Another root-over-rock (roots-swallowing rock?)
Trident maple that resides at the National Museum
This time in fall color. It was trained to grow over this rock as seedling beginning in 1919. It was donated by the Prime Minister of Japan, Keizo Obuchi in 1999
No trip to the National Bonsai & Penjing Museum
would be complete without visiting
John Naka's famous Goshin.
The tallest tree (all 11 trees are Foemina junipers) stands about 52" (132cm), but don't be fooled though, the photo doesn't begin to convey the power of this bonsai.
---
This was driven home to me at the 2005 WBC Convention in DC. I was just getting my bearings when I stumbled upon it in the lobby area, purely by accident. I almost fell over. For a moment, I wasn't sure what I was looking at; it was so much larger, stronger and more vivid than I ever imagined. Now, whenever I look at a photo of a great bonsai, I remind myself that what I am seeing is a pale reflection of the real thing
 
This famous photo was taken by Peter Bloomer
Peter's Timeless Trees is below
If you read and take the time to digest this fascinating, deeply intelligent and easy to read book, you'll come out knowing more about bonsai than you imagined possible
It's here! Michael Hagedorn's long awaited
Bonsai Heresy 
Michael Hagedorn's Other Book
Post-Dated
The Schooling of an Irreverent Bonsai Monk

by Michael Hagedorn
Still in print and still a great read
ONLY 14.95
 Some More Books
We Think You'll Like
and just in case you think you've seen them all 
we change them up regularly
by Melba Tucker
Melba Tucker was a foremost American authority
and lover of suiseki and viewing stones.
The Suiseki Display Area of the National Bonsai
and Penjing Museum is named in her honor

HARDCOVER ONLY 17.95
In Training by Stephen Voss
In Training captures the heart of bonsai with deeply intimate
and detailed shots of some of the magnificent trees
at our U.S. National Bonsai and Penjing Museum\
List Price 65.00
NOW 60% OFF

ONLY 25.95
Timeless Trees - The U.S. National Bonsai Collection
Every aspect of this handsome book expresses a love for bonsai and an equal love for quality. The bonsai are from the U.S. National Bonsai Museum in Washington DC., one of the best bonsai collections outside of Japan.
Hardcover
List Pirce 39.95

NOW ONLY 27.95
Bonsai Deadwood
by Francois Jeker
learn how to create authentic looking beautiful deadwood
from genuine deadwood carving and aging master 
Field Guide to Trees of North America
Absolutely the best and Long our favorite tree book
If you love trees, this is the one for you

A BARGAIN AT 19.95
Forest, Rock Planting & Ezo Spruce Bonsai
by Saburo Kato the Grand Master of the Art of Bonsai
Absolutely one of the best bonsai books ever
Everything about it speaks of beauty
& love of the art of bonsai
176 pages, 17 Pages of color photos of Mr. Kato's Bonsai
9 1/2" x 6 3/4". Hardcover
List price 34.95

NOW ONLY 24.95
John Naka's Bonsai Sketchbook
For fifty years, Mr Naka travelled the world teaching
the art of bonsai. Each sketch in this unique book was drawn for just one person as a guide for the future development
of their bonsai. Now you can appreciate their
artistic and educational value.
Original Pirce 35.00

NOW ONLY 28.00
The Chinese Art of Bonsai & Potted Landscapes
John Naka wrote in the following to this remarkable classic  "This unique book should be on the reading list
of all bonsai connoisseurs...

List price 65.00
Now 70% off
ONLY19.50
Masters Series Juniper Bonsai Book
Growing & Styling Juniper Bonsai

The only book you'll ever need for growing Juniper bonsai. This enormously popular book features some
of the world's great masters of bonsai in writing
and in numerous how-to photos and illustrations

List price 34.95
Now Marked Down 45%
ONLY 19.20
Principles of Bonsai Design
by David De Groot,
former curator at the Pacific Bonsai Museum
Principles of Bonsai design is the most complete
how-to bonsai design book we've seen in over 25 years
Masters Series Bonsai Books - Set of Three
Now you can save on these three definitive
how-to design techniques & care bonsai books
Each with striking full page bonsai photos as well

These thorough and complete books will provide
a big boost to your quest to design, style
and maintain beautiful bonsai
List Price for the Set 98.85

NOW ONLY 79.95
Tie Pots Are Back!
it took almost forever, but they're here!
If you were patiently, or not so patiently
waiting for your Tie Pots, you were not alone
We had been expecting them for over a month.
and now the wait is over
order yours now
MOST OF OUR BONSAI TOOLS
ARE NOW MARKED DOWN


THEY'RE BACK!
We just received a long overdue shipment of tools
most of which have been out of stock
for weeks and even months
Koyo Quality Japanese Bonsai Tools
Including Most of Our Koyo Masters Grade Tools
Are Now Marked Down
NOW BACK!
after several months

Including our famous, amazingly sharpe
Bonsai & All Purpose Scissors
I use mine for light bonsai trimming, in my office,
in my kitchen and I even use it to trim my beard

List price 12.95
SPECIAL ONLY 9.95
PROFESSIONAL SOIL MIX
Now 20% off

Our Famous Professional Bonsai Soil Mix
The soil choice of many of the pros
1/3rd Akadam - 1/3rd Lava - 1/3rd Pumice

NOW MARKED DOWN 20%
We may run out of
Akadama Bonsai Soil
We're waiting for another shipment from Japan
but because of the unpredictably of shipping 
we don't know when it will arrive
Tomentosa cherry 
scanned from Classic Bonsai of Japan
(Kodansha, now out of print)
It's time to fertilize
and the safest way is with
slow release organic pellets
Green Balance
& Green Growth Slow Release Pellets
Our Famous Roshi Tools 
A Few Are Now Out of Stock
And Some Will Be Out Soon

 

LOWER SHIPPING RATES EVERYWHERE
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CANADA, MEXICO, EUROPE & THE REST OF THE WORLD!

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PO Box 70, Passumpsic VT 05861 U.S.A.