BONSAI FOCUS 2015-5 EN PREVIEW

136/159
5/2015 Sept. / Oct.
English edition
Edición Español
Edizione Italiano
Edition Française
Deutsche Ausgabe
Nederlandse editie

4 Bonsai Focus
THIS ISSUE
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On the cover
Pinus sylvestris
Jorge Campos, Spain.
Photo: Bonsai Focus Studio
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Expert
68
6 Report
Bonsai in Cuenca by François Jeker
8 News and gallery
Book review and a selection of great bonsai
10 Native bonsai
Satisfaction kills the artist: Walter Pall on hornbeam
15 Profile
The bonsai passion of Viet Luan Tran
15
18 Kusamono
Accent plants need maintenance, too
21 News
Insects to fertilise your bonsai? Our John Naka. Diary
24 Suiseki
Floating above the clouds
26 Step by step with beech
The smooth bark of beech makes it very appealing
26

Bonsai Focus
30 News
Bonsai in Delft, Bonsai tonight blog, Diary
32 University of wiring
Learn how to use advanced wiring techniques
36 Sowing the seeds
The challenge this time is to create a hornbeam from scratch
42 Webshop
Shopping in our webshop, with special discounts for subscribers
44 Masterclass with Bjorn Bjorholm
Almost a 24/7 man, Bjorn works on a bulky yew
54 Peter Tea's work in Japan
Peter transforms a needle juniper
62 Rabbits and frogs on pots
Are animal caricatures the first real manga drawings in Japan?
64 Report
Flowers in the Water Castle by Janine Droste
65 Tony's Column
Tony Tickle on why it is important to visit shows
44
10
66 Expert opinion
François Jeker on Bob Buyle's spruce
68 Going to show
Learn from the refined art of display at the Taikan-ten in Kyoto
72 A pine from Norway
For a change Italian Federico Springolo works
on a Scots pine from the far north
78 Travel
Louis Bourdeau witnesses the unique bond between Daiki Abe
and his father Kenichi Abe

8 Bonsai Focus
NEWS
'Flip through the pages
and you get a real
thirst for shohin'
new nuovo neu
Passion for Shohin is an amazing book
Shohin has gained considerable popularity; size wise it's far easier to handle
and obtaining suitable material is not such a quest either. Roland Schatzer
who lives near the mountains of the South Tyrol, has a real passion for these
smaller sized bonsai. ‘I really couldn't find specialised books on the subject,' he
explains, ‘except in Japanese and so I decided to write a book on shohin bonsai
myself.' On more than 370 pages Roland shows the development of numerous
varieties, Japanese and native trees. ‘It's
a bulky book all about shohin: growing
techniques, a varieties guide and even
how to display is explained. This is a real
book for those who like to grow shohin
themselves and my goal was
to show how
to do it.' Roland
adds.
Pre-order now
Pre-order this book on our website:
www.bonsaifocus.com
Retail Price: €49
Bonsai Focus Subscribers' price:
€ 44,10
The book will be available in October 2015.
Roland Schatzer, 370 pages, hard cover, full colour.
Available in German, Italian and English languages.
Artisans Cup in Portland, USA
September 25 - 27 2015
Venue: Portland Art museum, Portland, Oregon, USA.
This completely new concept
initiated by Ryan Neil and
Michael Hagedorn, takes place
from 25th-27th September.
Ryan Neil: 'The Artisans Cup
aims to showcase bonsai as a
true art form. We're starting a
movement to reveal the beauty
of the ongoing collaboration
between humans and nature that occurs during the
process of training a tree.' 70 pre-selected trees will
be put on display in a very special way. Judges for
the cup are David Degroot (USA) Boon Manakitivipart
(USA), Walter Pall (Germany) and Peter
Warren (UK).
Besides the show at the museum, there
are numerous trips to be made, under
guidance, to Ryan Neil's Mirai garden
and Michael Hagedorn's collection, and
Portland has much to offer as well. It has
a fabulous Chinese garden and is said
to have one of the best Japanese ??outside
Japan. See their full programme on
the website. There will be full coverage
of this event by the Bonsai Focus team in
one of our up-coming issues.
Info: www.theartisanscup.com

Bonsai Focus
NEWS
9
Methods of Bonsai Display
By Paul Goff
We were sad to hear that the author of this book, Paul
Goff, passed away last November. He was known most
especially for his skills with photography (the photos of
Harry Tomlinson’s famous book were done by him) and
his ability to teach how to display bonsai in the best
possible way. You might remember our series of Paul's
with the tokonoma display way back in 2002. He was a
scroll painter, photographer, rock musician and bonsai
artist. A very lively and creative person. The book is full
of interesting stuff on how to display your trees in a
very personal way. Expressions like ‘visual speed’, ‘basic
flow’ and a ‘three point display’ are explained without
becoming pedantic. The next step is to work with your
intuition and create your own display. As Paul stated:
‘The moment of pure joy is when an old tree expresses
its beauty reflecting the season in a natural landscape’.
All trees and scrolls in the book are by Paul Goff.
Erratum:
In our report of the Arco Bonsai event, page 6 of the July/August issue, we should
have said the winning team with the cascade pine was from Slovakia and not
from Slovenia as stated.
Methods of Bonsai Display
by Paul Goff
Helping the bonsai artist to create
harmonious display arrangements
Available from SVP, PO Box 122,
West Haddon, Northamptonshire, NN6 7DS, UK
Price £16.95, including postage.
GBP / sterling cheques only, payable to SVP.
To pay by credit / debit card: telephone 0044 (0)1788 510442
Payment by PayPal quote: vmct@bonpres.freeserve.co.uk
Limited edition hand-painted porcelain pots
Bonsai Focus presents limited edition pots — 25 pots each of
five different scenes. These hand-painted porcelain pots with
landscape scenes are stamped with the Bonsai Focus logo. Each
pot comes in a gift box as shown. Size: 11 x 8 x 4cm / 4¼ x 3¼ x
1½". Order at: www.bonsaifocus.com
For Bonsai Focus subscribers:
€ 59,95
Island scenery
House on the rocks
Chinese poem
The pot comes
with a gift box
Mountain scenery
Hut by the sea

36 Bonsai Focus
TECHNIQUE
Sowing the seeds
Hornbeam: the challenge is to create a finished tree starting from zero
Illustrations: Kyosuke Gun Text: Kinbon magazine, Japan
One of the ultimate challenges facing us is to create a tree from seed. In our previous issue we showed how to grow
a pine from seed. We continue now with how to grow a hornbeam (Carpinus betulus). With the help of illustrations we
aim to guide you through the process
1st - 2nd year
The large buds will
be next year's flowers
October - November
Seed collection
3rd year
Cut
Transplanting: early
spring
A large flower head at the end
of the branch
After planting
Remove the strong
tap root and plant in
individual pots
At the base of the 'scales' in
the flower you will find the
seeds
Soil example: Akadama
7, Kiryu 3, plus 5%
charcoal
Seeds
Sowing the seeds
Top soil approximately twice the
depth of seeds
Akadama main soil
Carpinus betulus by Roland
Schatzer
Large particle soil
Second year seedling:
Approximately 10 to
12 cm / 4 to 4¾"
Wiring the trunk:
Summer time. Once into
the third year, growth
speeds up noticeably.
Wire the trunk to create
movement
Secondary branches
start to develop
Growth is slow for the first
two years
Lower branches can be utilised to
increase girth, if required
Fertilise twice in
spring, three times in
autumn. In summer
liquid fertiliser can be
given
During growing season
about 5 to 6 cm /
2 to 2¼" of growth

42
WEBSHOP
Top quality bonsai tools for competive prices
Expert 12-piece stainless steel tool
set based
Special offer
Stainless steel wire cutter 120mm
€ 15,-*
*Price for subscribers;
normal price: € 22,-
€ 294,95
Concave cutter 210mm
Root hook 210mm
Jin pliers 230 mm
€ 34,95
€ 12,95
€ 30,-
Exclusively for subscribers: 10% discount in our webshop
Pyracantha
Ilex, serrata
€ 250,-
Chaenomeles
sinensis
€ 265,-
Iles serrata
€ 139,50
€ 145,-
Pinus penthaphylla
Chaenomeles sinensis
€ 225,- € 155,-
'Hinoki'
Chamaecyparis
€ 179,-

Bonsai Focus
Source of inspiration
WWW.BONSAIFOCUS.COM
43
Binder
Our new binder is now available and will fit the
newly re-designed format of your magazine.
As you can see, it is quite similar to the previous
binder, but is now slightly larger.
To get your new binder and to buy any of the
featured items on these pages go to our website:
www.bonsaifocus.com
Rhododendron indicum,
Hakurin
Acer burgerianum
Pinus parviflora
€ 75,-
€ 595,-
€ 395,-
Pyracantha
Gardenia Jasminoides
Acer palmatum
€ 71,50
€ 155,-
€ 202,50
Pinus parviflora
€ 3300
WWW.BONSAIFOCUS.COM

Bonsai Focus
TRAVEL
79
The tree before any work is done, it has interesting
trunk movement and a fine nebari
Daiki examines the options carefully; from which side
do all elements come together?
This is the choice, made because of the more slanting
movement in the trunk
The view of the top branches before wiring
The drawing shows how the back bone
wire runs
A crossroad of wires
Finger fast, Daiki and Kenichi work
together, their wire is applied almost
automatically. But if you take a close look
you will notice criss-crossing wires. This
is done deliberately as an extra protection
from damage when thick branches are
bent. The back bone wire functions as a
kind of raffia.
Daiki wires the finer branches
A loop around the branch
anchors the wire
Some branches have protective tape wrapped
around them
Next comes the preparation of the nebari or root base. A layer of soil is
removed to decide which surface roots should be removed or corrected.
A fine developed nebari is essential for the whole design. Surface roots
that are too thick can cause trouble in future, so need to be removed or
partially cut back to allow the fine roots to take over.
The selection of branches and wiring is actually the most important
part of the shaping process and therefore maybe the most difficult. It is
not only about the tree's future, but also to be aware that no backward
step is possible. A poorly placed wire can be corrected, a branch that is
Daiki at work
Note how the
tree's roots are
covered with a
cloth, rather like
a barber does!

80 Travel
Bonsai Focus
not too thick can be folded, but a branch
cut is gone forever. This task requires
great experience and a strong sense of
the aesthetics. Although Daïki did most of
the work, he modestly told me that really
only his father is able to make a selection
on any kind of araki.
Grafting tape
After this, the wiring work can begin.
Before starting, Daïki informs me that you
cannot wire a red pine like a white pine
because its branches are far more fragile.
They do not allow such strong bendings
and often require some protection or
guy wires. Daïki uses some grafting tape
Kenichi Abe joined his son. They are as
essential to one another as they are hard
to assess, especially for me, the humble
witness to their work. As I watched Mr
Abe and his son changing the position of
a branch, or viewing this tree silently, the
very close cooperation between father
and son was intense. Maybe something
beyond the relationship between a father
and a son, or Master and his apprentice.
It is undoubtedly what the Japanese call
'ishin-den-shin', a silent communication
from heart to heart.
Daiki wiring the upper part of the tree
to protect the thin branches. For larger
branches, the Abe’s very often use the
technique of back bone wiring.
The fragility of the red pine branches can
be explained by the fact that they grow in
the low mountain areas. They therefore
have to support less heavy snow falls
than the white pine whose flexibility is a
result of adapting to the weight of snow
in the high mountains. Observing trees'
natural habitat can help us to understand
some of their characteristics.
For the final touches or any adjustments,
Kenichi Abe
makes some fine
corrections
The result so far, it will need more years to become a refined bonsai
The famous tool
This tool, specially for making jin,
was designed by Kurakichi Abe
(father of Kenichi Abe). A kind of
hybrid between concave cutters
and branch splitters it removes
bark easily. It bites into the wood,
you turn it and then the bark is
stripped and you can shape the
jin by repeatedly cutting into the
wood. It needs a little practise
though.

Bonsai Focus
NEXT ISSUE
81
Issue 137 November / December
MAINTENANCE
Clipping, wiring, branch selection, pinching — all are explained
while working on one of our favourite species, the beech.
WORKSHOP
A native grown pine from Spain gives great results in the hands
of French artist JP Hoareau.
DAVID BENAVENTE
For David it was love at first sight when he discovered this huge
yew during one of his many trips to Japan.
HOTSUMI TERAKAWA
Now living in Japan, Hotsumi applies his refined skills to a
juniper.

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