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Good morning
I hope I haven't swamped you with Michael Hagedorn lately, though it's hard to imagine anyone more deserving of our time. Especially since Bonsai Heresy is just out, and it's already influencing hundreds of bonsai enthusiast (and no doubt some professionals) and will continue to do so for a long time. At least in my estimation...
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Michael Hagedorn's Books
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Interviews with Michael Hagedorn, old and new
Our last interview from a few days ago, was a reprint of one we did in 2009 that focused on Post-Dated which is a captivating and eminently readable story about Michael Hagedorn's years as a bonsai apprentice in Japan
Today's interview starts with Bonsai Heresy and takes off from there. So it's one you've never seen, and unless you're a hopeless curmudgeon,* one you're bound to enjoy
* My apology in advance... I know you are not really a hopeless curmudgeon (there might still be hope), even if you don't share my enthusiasm for Michael's insights
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Before Michael took off for Japan, there was Boon
Michael's first bonsai teacher and teacher to countless other bonsai students, some of whom are now professionals
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Here are a few almost (but not quite) random sample from Michael Hagedorn's
Crataegus Bonsai blog
The images and titles are all Michael's, as is all the text in quotes
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Even Athletes Need a Break...
Quoting Michael... "If we constantly nibble at our bonsai with scissors or pruners throughout the year, we usually don’t get anywhere good. Bonsai that don’t get a break from our delight at cutting back become exhausted. In weightlifting and other extreme sports you can’t lift every day of the week..."
I'll second that! So many beginners or slow learners who are no longer beginners (check) can't keep their hands away from the scissors. Don't do it! Wait a day or two. Or week or two... month or two... year or two. Your trees will like you better and if you're anything like me, you can stand to develop a little patience
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The Art of Micro-Positioning
"Many of us started out the same way—with all our bonsai benches in full sun, or all of them tucked under the shade of a massive tree. Too little love or too much. Either way after witnessing some bonsai getting grumpier we ponder where else we might put them. And that is the beginning of […]"
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Ethics of Collecting
Backcountry Bonsai
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Jins are Rarely Pointed...
"…in the wild, jins tend to have a cracked, blunted, or sheared-off look. Yet in bonsai we tend to the default, and whittle our dead branches to something so sharp a bird would be nervous about landing on them"
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Refine your fertilizing this year!
"Nothing like a dogmatic title for good dramatics, right? I should add an ‘Or Else!’ but I don’t have the heart for it. Nevertheless, we should be duly chastised for broadcasting fertilizer as if it were an unmitigated good."
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Juniper Live Veins and How They Move...
"Or get smaller to be more accurate"
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Never Pinch Junipers!
"Basically, we don’t pinch junipers. We cut new long extensions with scissors…and I know that will raise some eyebrows. I think the idea of pinching junipers with fingers started long ago in translated Japanese articles written by those who did not specialize in or have much experience in junipers. And then we bought into the idea of pinching because it seemed like a way to have fun with our junipers. But pinching, especially over-pinching where every growing tip is removed, has been killing junipers for decades."
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Tea Time
You have to visit Crataegus to find out if this has
anything to do with bonsai
and that's not Michael by the way,
though you might surmise that he was the instigator
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Just in case you missed it
the next five photos are from our last newsletter
And just in case you think this is just more on Michael Hagedorn... well it is
with a few other notables for good measure
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Here's one of the new/old photos fromour last post
Before he apprenticed in Japan, Michael studied with Boon. When this photo was taken (circa 2001) only one of them was a first rate bonsai artist and teacher. Now all three are. From left to right, Jonas Dupuich, Boon Manakitivipart and Michael Hagedorn
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Michael working on a fat pine
back in the days when he was studying with Boon
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I've long appreciated the subtlety of Michaels bonsai
He tends to avoid flash and overstatement,
even in some of his crazy experimental plantings
Here's Michael's caption for this understated bonsai...
"Japanese Maple ‘Beni-Kawa’
with an unusual pot choice, an unglazed brown."
Photo is from Michael's Portfolio
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Boon and friends with a large Ficus
Just in case you don't know him,
Boon is wearing the light blue shirt
this shot is also from his timeline
Since this wsa posted three days ago,
John Evans was kind enough to clue me in
In John's own words...
"The photo with Boon and the large ficus, the guy behind him is Vladimir Foursa the curator of the collection
at the Morikami. He's responsible for bringing
the collection back from near Extinction
due to several years of mismanagement.
The shot was taken in our work space at the Morikami....
The other guy is Tony Green. He was a volunteer
at the Morikami and a few years ago was
the bonsai apprentice at the nation arboretum
P.S. I made the pot."
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Before we move on,
one more shot from Michael Hagedorn's Porfolio
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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
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Michael Hagedorn's Other Book
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Some More Books
We Think You'll Like
and just in case you think you've seen them all
we change them up regularly
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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
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Miniature Bonsai
Complete Guide to Super-Mini Bonsai
Miniature & Super Mini Bonsai are fun
and you don't have to break the bank.
This is one of the most well done bonsai books
in its price range that we've seen. Written for both
beginners and experienced bonsai hands
who want to gear down or just try something new.
ONLY 16.95
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NOW BACK IN PRINT
Modern Bonsai Practice
501 Principles of Good Bonsai Horticulture
Horticultural scientist Larry Morton has put together
the first bonsai book that focuses on what we now know about growing plants and applying that knowledge to bonsai
A must if you want to bring your bonsai practices up to date
Includes a bonus gallery of Walter Pall's bonsai
Struggling bonsai enthusiasts will have problems resolved, while experienced practitioners
will fine tune and improve their art
List price 69.95
NOW ONLY 59.95
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Bonsai Deadwood
by Francois Jeker
learn how to create authentic looking beautiful deadwood
from genuine deadwood carving and aging master
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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
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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
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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
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If you don't know how to care for plants,
you can't care for bonsai
This invaluable, thorough-going book features
numerous clear photos and illustrations
along with easy to use and understand text
List price 24.95
Now Only 17.95
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Tie Pots Are Back!
it took almost forever, but they're here!
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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
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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
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NOW BACK!
after several months
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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
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