Esprit Bonsai International #93 www.en.esprit-bonsai.

com

INTERNATIONAL

 The magazine for bonsai enthu

u May/June 2018

Organic
fertilisers
ferti
p. 46

Transplanting
a maple
p.54
p 54
Price: France 11.50€ - BE/Port Cont : 12€ - DE : 12,50€ - USD13.50 - £8.90

STARTING
AFRESH

Notes forr
9 782375 360156 beginne s Materials to start off with p.31
6 thEUROPEAN
BONSAI-SAN
OCTOBER 6th-7th
SAULIEU FRANCE 2018
SHOW
DEMONSTRATORS
FROM EUROPE
Luis Baliño
Jorge Campos
Salvatore Liporace
Luigi Maggioni
Danny Use

DEMONSTRATORS
FROM SOUTH KOREA
Kim Seok Ju
Kang Sook Hoon
Her Youn Hang
Lee Kwang Jong
Choi Song Ho
Cho Won Dong

www.european-bonsai-san-show.com – info@bonsai-san.com – Parc des expositions 21210 Saulieu

VILLE DE
SAULIEU
#93 Contents

p. 14

p.46 p. 54 p. 68

Editorial
Shohin : Small Bonsai
4 News and resources

The Spirit of Bonsai 40 Restoring a

juniper’s foliage
Taking time
The art of bonsai is a school of
7 Bonsai-dō: a way of consciousness patience. It has taken time for any tree
Techniques in Detail to reach us – several years at best for
Exhibitions
46 In praise of organic a seedling, several decades for trees
8 Kokufu-ten 2018: fertilisers collected from nature. Time is also
needed to turn a tree into a bonsai.
Two unequal 50 Satsuki care calendar While new technologies allow us to
exhibitions Spotlight on Broadleaves go ever faster, and to communicate
14 Noelanders Trophy XIX: 54 Transplanting an old instantly regardless of how far away
the other person is, trees still need the
A new beginning maple without risk
same amount of time to develop. They
16 Natura d’Inverno: Spotlight on Conifers have to accept the changes, or even
A new winter event 59 The metamorphosis of a pine transformations, that we inflict on them;
and they must do so at their own pace,
Trees and People Re-Imagining a Tree because they know nothing about the
24 Gabriel Romero Aguadé 66 The hidden beauty of a forest advent of the Internet. Likewise, it still
“Be sensitive and humble, takes just as long for children to grow
keep your mind open” Potters and Pots up, even if we are tending to want
68 Martin Englert to make them into adults earlier and
To do this Month From white porcelain earlier (too early). But I digress …
28 Air-layering above all to primitive firings So, while some might complain about a
famous exhibition like Tokyo’s Kokufu-
Notes for Beginners Besides Bonsai ten sometimes – and seemingly more
31 often than not – displaying mediocre
Materials to get you started, part 2 72 Bringing art to the table
trees, it still takes about 320 different
Getting Off to a Good Start Ikebana trees every year to fill this exhibition.
36 Create a very natural 74 Sogetsu: When flower Peter Warren explains the reasons
hornbeam forest arranging gets conceptual that led to this outcome very clearly;
and money certainly comes into it.
Treegazing 76 Ohara: In the name of my rose
You can’t advocate respect for
38 Under a spreading horse Clubs and Enthusiasts trees and the art of patience to
chestnut tree 78 Brocéliande Bonsaï Club construct them, while at the same
An ever-increasing and lasting passion time wanting a huge number of
beautiful trees in exhibitions …
Publishing Director: ChristianFournereau – Editor in Chief: MichèleCorbihan – Art Director: AntoineSimon – Designers to Layout:
In the age of Internet and of high speeds
Stéphanie Grevet, Benjamin Madelainne – Translators: Abigail Grater, Nichola Lewis – Contributors to this issue: Cinthya Arenas, John
Armitage, Louis-Victor Bourdeau, Marc Cooper, Juan Delire, Janine Dorste, Xavier Dreux, Francisco Ferreira, Jérôme Hay, François Jeker, Gilbert on all fronts, Nature does as she pleases,
Labrid, Soizic Le Franc, Isabel Ribeiro, Antonio Ricchiari, Anne Royer, Marcel Vrignaud, Peter Warren, Marcial Yuste Blasco. – Advertising: Manon and we are her guests, not her landlords!
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of publication – Cover: Juniperus chinensis ‘Itoigawa’, from the collection of Mathias Deininger, photo Willy Evenepoel, Bonsai Association
Belgium, conception Antoine Simon.
#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 3
News and
resources
DIARY
IN FRANCE
• Deux-Sèvres
The Club Bonsai Deux Sèvres
is organising an exhibition of its
members’ trees on 21 to 22 April
2018 at Charuay, near Niort, in
the Deux-Sèvres department.
There will be a Tombola.
¡ Temple de Chauray
79180 Chauray
From10.am. to 6.00 p.m.
Paid entrance – but free to
members of the Fédération
française de bonsaï.
• Oise
Bonsaï et Art Topiaire (Bonsai
and Topiary Art) is the name of
the exhibition of bonsai trees and
suiseki that the Zen Bonsai Club
and the Jardin des Ifs (The Yew
tree garden) are organising 26 and
27 May at Gerberoy (one of the
most beautiful villages in France),
in the Oise department. Bonsai
demonstrations, lectures on
suiseki and guided topiary tours
are on the agenda. The Jardin des
Ifs was awarded the 2018 Topiary
Garden of the Year, one of the
four prizes presented annually
by the European Boxwood
and Topiary Society (EBTS).
Restaurant and tearoom.
¡ Le Jardin des Ifs, 3 impasse
du Vidamé 60380 Gerberoy
Hours: 10.00 a.m. to 7.00
p.m. Entrance: €6.
Website: www.lejardindesifs.com
• Yonne
The Club de Villeblevin
Bonsai Club is holding its
exhibition on 26 and 27 May.
¡ Foyer communal
89340 Villeblevin.
Hours: Saturday from 2.00 pm.
to 7.00 p.m. Entrance free
Website: www.bonsaivilleblin.
wordpress.com
4 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93
• Morbihan
The Grande Braderie des clubs de
l’Ouest (The Great clearance sale of
clubs in the West), organised by the
Auprès de mon Arbre (Next to my
tree) Club, will take place on Sunday,
3 June at Saint-Jean-la-Poterie
in the Morbihan, a department
in Brittany. Swops and tree sales
(bonsai and prebonsai etc.), tools,
pottery (with potters present),
bonsai tables, substrate and books.
There will also be demonstrations
and workshops. Food service:
sandwiches, pastries and drinks.
¡ Salle Polyvalente Pierre Glet,
20 rue des Frères Thébault
56350 Saint-Jean-la-Poterie.
Hours: 9.00 a.m. to 6.00 p.m.
Entrance free to visitors.
Booking and information by
email: bc.dudonney@orange.fr
• In the East
The eastern regional exhibition of
the Fédération Française de Bonsai
(FFB), organised by the Bonsai
Vivarois, will be held on 9 to 10 June
in Vivier-au-court in the Ardennes.
¡ Espace Arena La Vivaroise, rue
Jules Manil 08440 Vivier-au-Court
Hours: 10.00 a.m. to 7.00 p.m.
Entrance: €2, valid for the 2 days. things shohin and the autumn
Contact: 03 24 52 29 79
• In the West
The Nantes Bonsai Club, Le Club
de bonsaï de Nantes, Les Amis du Doncaster Bonsai Boot Sale.
Bonsaï, (The Nantes Bonsai Club,
The Friends of Bonsai) will organise few demonstrators including
the western regional exhibition
of the Fédération
Française de Bonsai
(FFB) on 5 and 6 May in
La Chevrolière, about
20 kilometres (about 12
miles) south of Nantes.
¡ Le Grand Lieu
Place Saint-Martin
44118 La Chevrolière
• In the North
The northern regional
exhibition of the Fédération
Française de Bonsai (FFB),
organised by the association
of Les Amis du Bonsaï Plaisir
(Friends of bonsai enjoyment)
will be held on 2 and 3 June
2018, in the outbuildings of
the Château de Plaisir in the
Yvelines department of the
Ile de France. The organisers
will also be celebrating their
club’s 30th anniversary.
¡ Commun du château
de la ville de Plaisir
282 rue de la Brétéchelle,
78370 Plaisir
Hours: 10.00 a.m. to 6.30 p.m.
Entrance free.
IN THE UNITED
KINGDOM
The Autumn Shohin Exhibition
on 23 September 2018, is
a new show celebrating all
season at Doncaster.
The new venture will run
alongside, but independently
of the already popular
During the day we will have a
John Armitage and Rammon
Hamers, there will also be an
auction (auction items will
be shown nearer the time of
the show on the Facebook
page) and various awards will
be given for the exhibits.
This show is being organised
by a small group under the
direction of John Armitage.
Submissions will close at the end
of June 2018 so please just drop
a message via the Facebook
page or send an email with
your details and photos of the
trees you would like to display.
¡ Markham Grange Nursery
in Brodsworth, Doncaster,
South Yorkshire, UK.
Email: shohinexhibition@gmx.co.uk
The BCI Convention
in Mulhouse
Preparations for the Bonsai
Clubs International, which will
take place on 12 to 14 October,
are well under way and the
programme is filling up. It is now
known that there will be about 20
demonstrators! The convention
will be joined by the Bonsai Euro
TOP 30 – an exhibition of 30 of
the best bonsai trees in Europe
– and two complementary
ishizuki and ikebana exhibitions,
open from 4 to 12 October.
It should be noted that Mitsuo
Matsuda (Japan), Budi Sulistyo
(Indonesia) and John Wang
(United States) will create a
large ishizuki (clinging-to-rock
style) with a Scots pine on the
Friday afternoon of 12 October
at the town’s exhibition centre.
¡ Website: world-
bonsai-mulhouse.fr
Saulieu
The names of the demonstrators
invited to the European Bonsai-
San Show at Saulieu on 6 and
7 October this year, have been
announced and the organisers
are offering a wonderful array
of international bonsai artists:
Luis Baliño et Jorge Campos
 www.en.esprit-bonsai.com
Find news in real time on our blog
and on the Esprit Bonsai FACEBOOK page.

(Spain), Salvatore Liporace et

Luigi Maggioni (Italy), Danny
Use (Belgium) and Kim Seok
Ju, Kang Sook Hoon, Her
Youn Hang, Lee Kwang Jong,
GATHERING
Choi Sonh Ho and Cho Won
Dong (all from South Korea).
Le Salon National du Bonsaï
¡ Website: www.european-
bonsai-san-show.com
The National Bonsai Fair
The Salon National du Bonsai at the Parc oriental in Maulévrier, Maine-et-Loire, will be held on 8
and 9 September. Over 50 bonsai trees selected from photographs will be gathered together
and displayed in an exhibition of the highest quality and complemented by many professional
traders (nursery owners, potters and specialist booksellers etc.). The Salon National’s ambition
is to become a federative exhibition, and representative of French bonsai. Thus the aim is to
promote the art of bonsais by giving all bonsai lovers the opportunity to take part in a quality
event set in the exceptional surroundings of Maulévrier’s Parc Oriental, the largest Japanese
park in Europe. Registration for putting forward trees photographically is now open and details
can be found on the Parc Oriental’s website under the heading, “Salon National du Bonsai”.
The guests of honour, Alain Arnaud and Francisco Ferreira, who will
run the “Arbre et le Geste” workshop set up by the parlonsbonsai.
com website, will display part of their tree collection.
Instructors and demonstrators, well known to French bonsai lovers,
will host the national salon throughout the weekend.
¡ Contact: 02 41 55 50 14. Email: contact@parc-oriental.com
Website: www.parc-oriental.com

#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 5
 News and
resources

Exhibitions and conventions

GATHERING 2018
Expo Bonsai UK 2018
Harlington Sports Centre, Pinkwell
HARLINGTON, Lane, Harlington. UB3 1PB.
8 April
UK Email: ebuk18@gmail.com
Facebook: EXPO Bonsai UK 2018
https://expobonsaiuk.weebly.comv
British Bonsai Traders Association Annual Show
The Sports Connexion, Ryton-on-
COVENTRY, UK 15 April
Dunsmore, Coventry CV8 3FL
Info: Corin Tomlinson ofice@bonsai.co.uk
Bonsai Matsu Ten
Exhibition of pine trees
SAINT- Demonstrations, workshops and
GERMAIN-DU- 21–22 April lectures by JP Hoareau, Laurent Breysse,
PINEL, FRANCE Renato Carta and Jérôme Hay.
Professional traders’ stands
www. Lejardindulevant.fr
Shinpaku Bonsai Exhibition.
Venue: The Casino, Genk.
GENK, BELGIUM 22–23 April Demonstration by Filip Haesen; selection
of the Belgium NTC candidate for 2020.
http://www.shinpaku.be/
European Bonsai Association Convention,
European Suiseki Association Convention
ARCO, ITALY 4–6 May and UBI Congress, VIII Arcobonsai Trophy.
Demonstrator: Hotsumi Terakawa.
Congress Centre, Casino Municipal
Generation Bonsai
Demonstrators: Luis Vila Gonzalez, Alberto
Pumar and Leo Blanco (Spain); Walter Pall
(Germany); J P Hoareau and Alexandre
In Switzerland NECKARGEMUND,
11–13 May
Escudero (France); Maria Haidijc and Andrija
Zokic (Croatia); Jan Culek (Czech Republic);
The fourth Trophée des Clubs (Clubs’ Trophy) GERMANY
Todd Schlafer (USA); René Alber (Germany).
will exhibit presentations from the dozen or Minoru Bonsai
so clubs in Veyrier, near Geneva on 26 and Alter Bammentaler Weg 10
27 May. The judges Alain Arnaud, Francisco 69151 Neckargemünd
www.generationbonsai.com/
Ferreira and Jean-Marc Defferrard, will award
Trophée des clubs (Clubs’ trophy)
prizes not only for individual performance
VEYRIER, Salle du Bois Gourmand
but also the combined work of each club. The 26–27 May
SWITZERLAND Email: president@bonsai-club-leman.org
organiser, the Bonsai Club du Léman, will also Facebook: TropheeDesClubs
offer an exhibition of Ikebana arrangements 40 years of Greenwood Bonsai
and a display of about twenty trees selected NOTTINGHAM,
Bill Valavanis from USA will be holding
from among those of its members. 26–28 May daily demonstrations and workshops
UK
at Greenwood Bonsai Studio.
Alain Arnaud will give a demonstration
Contact: www.bonsai.co.uk/
on the Saturday, and if called for, on the
Automn Shohin Exhibition
Sunday. There will be lecture tours by DONCASTER, 23 Markham Grange Nursery
Francisco Ferreira and Jean-Marc Defferrard, UK September Brodsworth, Doncaster
as well as professional traders’ stands. Email: shohinexhibition@gmx.co.uk
¡ Salle du Bois Gourmand, European Bonsai-San Show
Veyrier (near Geneva) SAULIEU, FRANCE 6–7 October A dozen demonstrators and a large traders’
Hours: Saturday 10.00 a.m. to 7.00 market. www.european-bonsai-san-show.com
p.m., Sunday 9.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. Bonsai Clubs International 2018, Mulhouse
City will host this event. Includes the French
Entrance: CHF 7 for one day and
Bonsai Federation Convention, the French
CHF12 for the two days. MULHOUSE, 12–14 Suiseki Federation Convention and other
Contact: president@bonsai-club-leman.org FRANCE October exhibitions. Displays of bonsai, suiseki and
Facebook: Tropheedesclubs ishitsuki, 20 international demonstrators
and a very large trade market.
www.world-bonsai-mulhouse.fr
6 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93

Bonsai-dō: a way of
consciousness
Getting involved in bonsai means embracing a
set of rules, and respecting and tending to our
plants. The author, a bonsaist and potter, urges us
to be conscientious in our actions.
Text: Juan Delire
I
n Japanese, “dō” means
“way” … not in the sense of a
road, but rather the journey or
learning process of a modern
or age-old discipline, whether societal,
martial, spiritual or ritual. These things
need to be learned and understood, and
their rules, codes, values and subtleties
respected.
To discuss or be involved in this
experience implies a certain amount of
introspection, because you can be either
hooked or lost from the very first steps.
Let’s think of it like the difference between
a wilful act and an unconscious one.
Beyond our hobby, day-to-day dedica-
tion is needed; and that’s not to say that
it’s easy, because the art of bonsai is cer-
tainly not straightforward! Venturing into it
means preparing yourself, your finances,
your time, your consciousness, your intel-
lect and (why not?) your spirituality!
The challenge will be to follow the
principles that the discipline prescribes,
while at the same time respecting the
rules imposed by the laws of life: there is
no place for forgetting about sustainabil-
ity. To succeed in a task that is subjected
to a thousand and one constraints, but
without abandoning all forms of personal
expression on the character of the work:
that is the test.
Creative necessity
After studying the fundamental pre-
cepts, bonsaists must get practising,
because it is through practice – and time
– that competence is acquired. As for the
time coefficient, it varies according to the
person: short for some, longer for others,
it must never put the plants in danger.
For some, the whole conscientious
undertaking is part of an ordinary dimen-
© MICHÈLE CORBIHAN.
sion of collecting, which already implies
considerable devotion and respect for
their “work” from viewers!
For others, their involvement in this
process stems from creative neces-
sity. This inventive and exhilarating
perspective sees them evolve, some-
times inquisitive and sometimes rather
daring, towards an attitude of discovery
that is enriching in more ways than one,
or towards new experiments. From nov-
ice to seasoned bonsaist, this process of
learning how to do and how to be hap-
pens via this progression!
Combining the qualities of good pot-
based cultivation with botanical devotion
and the right interventions can only be
beneficial for the development of both
people and trees. After all, an Asian sage
once said that details are the way, because
each one contains the whole universe …
A school of conservation
Our interventions must be “loyal”,
because cause and effect go in tandem
with the quality of gratefulness. To act is
to interact.
Even if we aren’t always fully conscious
of the subtleties hidden behind a simple,
recurring, mundane action: watering is an
art … repotting is an art … pruning is an
art … wiring is an art … applying fertiliser
is an art … maintaining shapes is an art …
treating problems is an art … styling is an
art … displaying is an art …
The spirit
of Bonsaï
Pinus parviflora, in Dr Makino’s garden
in Kochi, Japan. Taking the way of
bonsai means respecting the plants
you are working with and striving for
a full consciousness of your art.
The unique art of bonsai is divided and
multiplied by the factors of our studies
and experiments, good or bad.
On the fringes of other worlds and
away from all the hustle and bustle, our
collections prosper in our daily life. The
way is constantly evolving, and perma-
nence is a forbidden certainty … nothing
will ever be fixed, except in distress or at
the end!
The way of bonsai is a school of con-
servation, courage, diligence, tenacity,
care and much more … but above all, it
offers the gratification of satisfaction,
beauty and contemplation.
Learning about and respecting all spe-
cies is a long journey, and in embarking
on it we are committing ourselves to an
odyssey of passion!
Let’s take some steps along the way
together … Dō dō bonsai dō! 
#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 7
Exhibitions

A true Kokufu Prize-winning black pine.

Powerful, mature, masculine and beautifully
prepared. An outstanding specimen.

The Kokufu-ten, in Tokyo, started on 8

February, and as usual was split into two
exhibitions, the second one being of a
far higher standard. Visiting in the mid
afternoon is the best time to see the show.

KOKUFU-TEN 2018
Two unequal
exhibitions
The Kokufu-ten, a bonsai staple,
opened its doors in Tokyo in February.
The trees on show ranged from
mediocre to outstanding. A report.
Text: Peter Warren
Photos: Mark Cooper, unless stated otherwise
The annual
pinnacle of the Ja-
panese bonsai calendar, Kokufu-ten, came a little
later than usual in February at the Ueno Park,
in Tokyo, with the first half of the show starting
on the 8th. As previously mentioned in the ar-
ticle about the Taikan-ten, during 2017 there had
been some pretty seismic political shifts within
the organisation of the various associations. As
a result many professionals approached the pre-
entry judging of the Kokufu, held towards the
end of January, with some trepidation as there
were a number of new judges in place. Speaking
to various professionals after the judging, howe-
ver, the fears were mostly misplaced and it was
business as usual.

8 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93
An outstanding natural-looking Ezo spruce. The A superbly powerful Chinese juniper that was awarded
seemingly unstyled branches are not perfectly the Kokufu Prize. It is an unconventional tree yet
manicured and there is random spacing between one that stopped many visitors in their tracks.
the irregular foliage pads. The dropping branches on
the left-hand side are a typical spruce growth habit.
One of my favourite trees in the whole exhibition.

Diluted quality
It would be amiss to not recognise the fact
that over the last ten years the overall level of
the exhibition has been quite varied, with some
years quite disappointing. In the West we look
to Japan as the leading force in bonsai, and to a
large extent it still is, but it is noticeable how little
domestic interest there is – and this is reflected in
the quality of some, but not all, of the trees. This
year it was very much a tale of two halves. The
first half of the show was really quite poor with
very few exceptional trees, but the second half of
the show was outstanding, back to the level that I
remember fifteen years ago. It is understandable
why there is a desire to have two parts to the exhi- An unusual tree – root over rock, and rather than
bition: it adds more interest, allows more enthusi- one single trunk, there is a multitude of upward-
asts to display at the highest level, and generates growing trunks. Defying classification, this tree has
a higher income. However, the flip side to that is had decade upon decade of dedicated work put
a dilution of the quality. There were at least ten into it, creating a fantastically ramified structure
that captivates and transports the viewer.
trees there in each half that clearly had no place
at such a high-level exhibition. 

#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 9
 Exhibitions

© PETER WARREN
A compact and powerful chuhin-sized juniper that
has been created by grafting roots and foliage
onto the live vein of a bigger tree, in order to
separate it in the same way as an air layer.
A yabai, white-flowering Prunus mume with
aged bark and natural-looking deadwood.
The branching has been created from
years of pruning and patience. This tree
can be viewed equally from either side,
making it an exceptional example.

An exceptional quince
Focusing on the better trees, however, there
were some outstanding highlights. Of note this
year, and particularly in the second half of the
show, were the chuhin-sized trees. In many ways
the chuhin display is one of the hardest to get
right due to the number of different elements in-
volved. With the larger tree there are essentially
just four: the tree, the pot, the stand and the ac-
cent. In the majority of cases there is some ele-
ment of mismatching between the stand and tree A Kokufu Prize-winning
and the accent, because for a bonsai professional display. A chuhin-sized
who potentially has 25 trees to prepare there is trees, the matching of pots, trees, stands, accent Chinese quince of the
highest order, displayed
often an element of “this will have to do”, and and all elements is to the highest standard. in a Tofukuji pot. The
perhaps the match is only 90%. This was a com- One of the winners of the Kokufu prize was delicacy of the branches
mon occurrence for us during every exhibition at an outstanding chuhin-sized Chinese quince that compared to the thickness
Mr Kobayashi’s nursery, and it gives you an idea was planted in an exquisite deep rectangular To- of the trunk make this
of just how hard it is to reach perfection. In the fukuji pot. Accompanied by a semi-cascade white a beautifully crafted
piece. All elements in the
case of the chuhin trees, there are relatively fewer pine and a seasonal accent planted in a master- display combine to make
places compared to the larger trees and therefore piece painted pot, it was a display worthy of the it worthy of the award.
the competition for places is higher. For the best award.

10 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93
 © PETER WARREN

Not strictly a chuhin-sized tree, but an

incredible pink-flowering Prunus mume that
captures the struggle that the tree goes
through in order to survive. Aged bark,
angular movement, irregular branching.
Captures the spirit of Prunus perfectly.

Displayed in a well-known and loved udei or grey

clay antique Chinese pot, this needle juniper is
an old-school favourite and a perfect example
of mochi-komi in bonsai. The maturity in the
foliage pads can be seen and felt in the shape, the
arrangement and the slight upward growth in the
lower pads. A worthy winner of the Kokufu Prize.

The juniper on the lower left section of the rack display makes
this an unusual selection. However, the balance of visual weight
is very good. All elements are of the highest quality.
Remarkable shohin
Shohin trees are in even smaller numbers, and
as a result the quality is exceptional. The display
is almost always a traditional seven-point arrange-
ment with all elements of the highest quality. It is
without question the hardest section to even en-
ter, let alone win, and so the prestige of winning
a Kokufu prize for shohin is second to none. This
year one of the awards went to a slightly more
unusual display that contained a black pine as the
top tree, a dwarf kumquat, chojubai, privet and
juniper as the other trees within the rack, and a
Trachelospermum asiaticum cascade as the outer
tree. It was unusual to see such a powerful and
dynamic juniper inside the rack display, but on
balance the display worked exceptionally well
and was a worthy winner. It would have 

#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 11
 Exhibitions

 been interesting to speak to the owner and

the professional in charge to ask if the bending
of the conventions regarding shohin display was
intentional or due to a last-minute problem. Either
way it worked well and should serve as evidence
that there are no steadfast rules and regulations.

Without berries this tree would be unremarkable, A natural-looking Chinese

but the natural movement in the trunks is perfectly quince with feminine elegance
accentuated by the bright red fruit in massive and superb trunk and branch
abundance across the tree. An outstanding efort and taper. Well deserving of the
well received in between the powerful evergreens. prize it was awarded, it is also
recognised as a kicho bonsai,
or registered masterpiece, as
shown by the small metal tag
hanging on the right-hand side.
A juniper by A very interesting
Minoru Akiyama chuhin-sized juniper,
prepared and displayed
One highlight from the first half of the show, by Marco Invernizzi and
and in many people’s eyes the best tree in Mr Kimura on behalf
© PETER WARREN

the exhibition, was a superb juniper created of a Spanish client,

Santiago Fradera Lloret.
and prepared by my senpai, Minoru Akiyama,
The antique pot used
on behalf of his client Mr Taishoku Kane- is of particular note.
mitsu. The juniper in question was previously
awarded the Prime Minister’s Award in the
professional exhibition, the Sakafu-ten, the Attention to detail
second time Mr Akiyama won. It did not win Other Kokufu award-winners included a black
the Kokufu prize this time, which thankfully pine and a couple of trident maples that were in-
pleased the owner. stantly forgettable. However, there was an inter-
esting juniper with some powerful squat move-
The Prime ment and a famous old needle juniper that stood
Minister’s Award- out as worthy winners. One interestingly fem-
winning juniper inine twin-trunk Chinese quince also won an
created by
award. The tree belongs to a client of Mr Shinji
Minoru Akiyama
and displayed Suzuki, and his delicate touch and attention to
here at Kokufu detail could be seen in the tree. In recent years
for the first time. a number of heavy-trunked specimen Chinese
Although it was quinces have steamrollered their way to the top,
© PETER WARREN

one of the best

yet this tree with an incredible natural silhouette
trees in the
show, it was not and well-tapered branches captivated me with its
awarded a prize. elegant and graceful air.

12 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93
 Perusing the three
floors and outer
section of the sales
area is heaven for
most enthusiasts,
and an entire
day can be spent
browsing the stands
of professionals
from across Japan.

© PETER WARREN

An unusual and interesting cascade hemlock displayed
by Douglas Paul from the US, a regular entrant for the
last nine years. This tree was displayed in an antique
Chinese pot and prepared by Mr Shinji Suzuki, whose
use of the root stand was appreciated by many.
Once again there were a handful of non-Jap-
anese entrants, with two from America, several
from Europe and a Korean. It is becoming an
achievable dream for many to purchase a tree in
Japan, have it prepared and displayed by a mas-
ter, and then import it immediately after the ex-
hibition. Both myself and Marco Invernizzi have
facilitated this for a number of enthusiasts, and
next year there should be another group of West-
The spotlighting in
the exhibition hall
often creates some
unintentionally
interesting features.
Here the wave-like fin
of shari on the lower
section of the trunk is
illuminated and the rest
of the tree is in partial creasingly dependent on foreign enthusiasts vis-
shadow. The interplay
between light and dark come for an event, it makes a noticeable impact
is an essential part of
© PETER WARREN
© PETER WARREN
A composition that many people would ignore, An ancient white pine
but the delicate trunks and the incredible mochi- in a multiple-trunk style.
komi character in the branches and bark demand Styled with minimal wire,
a second and closer look. It has a carefree it has been carefully
and refreshing appearance, complemented created using growth
by the incredibly unusual nanban-style pot. control and scissors over a
great many years. It has a
distinct old-school feel to
ern enthusiasts supporting the Kokufu exhibition it, traditional in the sense
with trees of their own. of being representative of
a timeless aesthetic dating
back over a hundred years.
A fall in sales
Running concurrently with the Kokufu, but an-
noyingly a 5-minute bus ride away, is the Green
Club sales area. A mecca for all bonsai enthusiasts
and a one-stop shop for almost all of your bonsai
needs. For the professionals it is the hub of all ac-
tivity for the duration of the event, and thankfully
this year we were blessed with good weather. As
half of the sales area is outside, bad weather can
ruin the event for many professionals.
This year the sales were down for most pro-
fessionals due to the timing of the Chinese New
Year. Most years the Kokufu will clash with just
part of the Chinese New Year celebrations, but this
year they both began on the same date – 8 Febru-
ary – and as such the number of Chinese visitors
was almost zero. Bonsai in Japan has become in-
iting and purchasing trees, and when very few
on sales. Both last year and this there were fewer

Japanese aesthetics
Western visitors due to the World Convention
and architecture,
something not often in April 2017. However, there are always some
considered with bonsai. hard-core enthusiasts who attend every year. 

#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 13
© MICHÈLE CORBIHAN
The first weekend in February,
the Limburghal in Genk,
Belgium opened its doors to

NOELANDERS TROPHY XIX the Noelanders Trophy: an

unmissable European bonsai
event, which even without a
chairman is always to be relied on.

A new beginning
Text: Michèle Corbihan
With its usual meticulous organisation, Photos: Willy Evenepoel, Bonsai Association
the nineteenth Noelanders Trophy Belgium, unless otherwise stated

took place on 3 and 4 February 2018,

stage for a wonderful European bonsai festival
with a great line-up of international held on 3 to 4 February 2018, and brilliantly orga-
demonstrators, over 100 high quality nised by the Bonsai Association Belgium (BAB).
But from now on it will take place without its
trees and an ever-growing professionals former chairman Marc Noelanders who lent his
name to the event. After his election as chair-
market. But where, incidentally, was Marc man of the European Bonsai Association (EBA)
Noelanders? in February 2017, he told BAB members that he
would no longer have the time to devote to the
club and would tender his resignation. This took
effect in March 2017.

“I am surprised about
how many people are here. I feel something like
energy here quite strong.”  These words from the
Japanese master, invited here for the first time,
sums up the mood of the nineteenth so-called
Noelanders Trophy, of positive energy, a friendly
atmosphere and a sort of feverish creative acti-
vity. The Limburghal in Genk, Belgium was the
Forging links
Every year, the Noelanders Trophy gives us
more: more visitors, more traders – over 90 stands
– and more of the best trees. In the depths of win-
ter, visitors, exhibitors and traders brave the cold
and sometimes unfavourable weather conditions
so as not to miss one of the largest bonsai mee-
tings in Europe.
We come here to see the trees, to buy in one of
the largest European specialist markets, to learn

14 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93

Best conifer: Picea abies, Donato Danisi (IT). Pot: Alberto Vigoni.
from the demonstrators, and also to meet up with
friends, exchange news and views and discuss the
latest finds. For the exhibitors, it is an honour to
see one of their pieces chosen as a gauge of qua-
lity and recognition for work achieved.
For the traders, the Noelanders Trophy is an
unmissable event where they can showcase their
new acquisitions, make themselves known, and
forge links.
Buying the best pieces
Visitors were immersed as soon as they entered
Limburghal’s Agora. They first met a few traders
and press publishers, and from there, were led to
the demonstrations room, the restaurant, the two
traders’ halls and the exhibition hall.
A united
team
The organising committee of
the Bonsai Association Belgium
is a small group governed by
a sense of fraternity and good
will. Its members must be multi-
functional. While organizing
the Trophy they can call on the
help of BAB members, their
friends, their families, as well as
the big names in the world of
bonsai and suiseki.
Their gratitude goes to all those
– the exhibitors, traders, visitors
and volunteers – who help
them every year to bring about
this magnificent exhibition.
© MICHÈLE CORBIHAN
From left to right: Alda Clijsters (treasurer),
Roger Geboers (exhibition construction
and supervision), Christian Vos (public
relations and publication of book), Éric
Geuens (beginners course assistant), Danny
Erna (logistics manager and exhibition
construction), Luc Nagels (secretary,
principle organiser and contact with
traders), David Wuyts (IT and website
manager and prepayments). Absent:
Roald Vlems (administration and organiser
for the selection of bonsai trees).
The enlightened amateurs made straight for
the trading stands as soon as they opened at 8.30
a.m. on the Saturday, to purchase the best pieces,
or at least those that corresponded best to their
requirements.
In the 4000 sq. m. (about 43,000 sq. ft.) exhibi-
tion hall, the décor was unchanged, but effective.
A red carpet laid on a black floor ran between
each aisle and the shelves were lined with white
paper. Bonsai and suiseki were displayed on blue
felt placed on the papered shelves. The very wide
aisles allowed viewers to stand back comfortably
to admire the trees, or to form groups and stroll
easily through the thousands of visitors.
Out of a candidature of 200 to 250 trees, 117 were
selected for this year’s exhibition. “Part of 
#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 15
 Exhibitions

© MICHÈLE CORBIHAN

© MICHÈLE CORBIHAN
Kunio Kobayashi, Japanese Giacomo Pappalardo from
master bonsaist, shaped Italy worked on this juniper.
a handsome juniper.
© MICHÈLE CORBIHAN

© MICHÈLE CORBIHAN

On the left: Bjorn Milan Karpisek from the

Bjorholm, from North Csech Republic put the
America, changed the finishing touches to this Taxus
face of this pine. cuspidata which had been
worked on two years ago.

Nomination for deciduous tree: Acer palmatum

‘Shishigashira’, Wilfried Nieswandt (DE). Pot: China.

 the selection was made by Marc Noelanders,

but this time, not the rest,” explained Christian
Vos, BAB’s public relations officer. A succession
of deciduous trees and conifers, large and small,
came from many countries in Europe. Gudrun
The trophies
• Best conifer: Picea abies, Donato Danisi (IT)
Benz was in charge of organising the suiseki ex- Nominations for conifer:
hibition. Juniperus chinensis ‘Itoigawa’, David Benavente (ES)
Pinus sylvestris, Andres Alvarez Iglesias (ES)
An unbiased panel of judges Juniperus chinensis ‘Itoigawa’, Frédéric Chenal (FR)
The four invited demonstrators – Kunio Ko- • Best deciduous tree: Olea europaea var. sylvestris, Christian Przybylski (DE)
bayashi (Japan), Bjorn Bjorholm (United States), Nominations for deciduous tree:
Milan Karpisek (Czech Republic) and Giacomo Prunus cerasifera, Andrija Zokić and Marija Hajdić (HR)
Pappalardo (Italy) – had the difficult task of attri- Acer palmatum ‘Shishigashira’, Wilfried Nieswandt (DE)
buting prizes to the trees. At his request, Marc Olea europaea var. sylvestris, Erasmo Garcia Fernandez (ES)
Noelanders was to have been part of the jury, but • Best kifu and the Spanish Bonsai Union prize: Olea europaea var. sylves-
did not show up. “Because I thought Marc would tris, Germán Gómez Soler (ES)
be present, I took the demonstrators aside and Nominations for kifu:
told them that the attribution of prizes was to Acer buergerianum, Guido Pozzoli (IT)
be their responsibility. It was for them to decide Juniperus chinensis ‘Itoigawa’, Mathias Deininger (DE)
without being influenced by anyone else,” Chris- Mirtus communis, Germán Gómez Soler (ES)
tian Vos confided. “A bonsai amateur who takes • BAB prize for best tree: Olea europaea var. sylvestris, Christian Vos (BE)
considerable time to create a tree has the right • Bonsai Art prize: Carpinus betulus, Jürg Stäheli (CH)
to be judged professionally and without politics. • Special nomination for suiseki: kamogawa ishi, Harald Lehner (DE).
This is our goal.”
The trophies were announced during the gala
evening and among the big prizewinners were
Donato Danisi, for his spruce, Christian Przy-
bylski, for his olive and Germán Gómez Soler for Other activities went on at the same time;
his kifu olive. Christian Vos took the BAB mem- notably those run by Oscar Jonker from Bon-
bers’ first prize, also for an olive. sai Empire who invited a host of artists such as
For the demonstrations, the four guests worked Bjorn Bjorholm, Tony Tickle, Mauro Stemberger
in the auditorium in the afternoons giving many and Jan Culek to his stand to give short demons-
explanations and before a full house. Marc de trations or lectures, which were widely followed
Beule from Belgium acted as moderator. throughout the weekend.

16 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93

Nomination for conifer: Juniperus chinensis ‘Itoigawa’,
David Benavente (ES). Pot: Gyozan, Japan.
Best deciduous tree:
Olea europaea var.
sylvestris, Christian
Przybylski (DE). Pot:
Kaizan, Tokoname, Japan.
Opening up in Europe
Although the 2018 Noelanders Trophy was an
unmitigated success, Marc Noelanders departure
has called its future into question. Christian Vos
affirmed that the chairman’s resignation would
change nothing in the organisation, as in the first
instance the Belgian statutes of association al-
low a non-profit association to operate without a
chairman; it is a horizontal organisation that gives
equal status to each of its members. In addition,
“It was the BAB, and principally its secretary, Luc
Nagels – responsible for the organisation, the tra-
ders and contacts etc. – who did everything. Marc
Noelanders was a name that we could use. We
will continue as before, perhaps better, as we will
have more freedom.” These amateurs are expe-
rienced with great professionalism and this year,
have never worked so fast to mount the exhibi-
tion!” Christian assured me. 
#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 17
 Exhibitions
Bonsai Association Belgium (BAB) prize for best
bonsai tree: Olea europaea var. sylvestris, Christian
Vos (BE). Pot: Prague School of Ceramics.
18 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93
Nomination for conifer: Juniperus
chinensis ‘Itoigawa’, Frédéric
Chenal (FR). Pot: John Pitt.
Best kifu and the Union
del Bonsai Español
prize: Olea europaea
var. sylvestris, Germán
Gómez Soler (ES).
Pot: Ittoen, Japan.
 Therefore, its continuation is guaranteed
and the Limburghal has already been booked for
the next two years. The organisers wish to en-
trust the selection of trees for the exhibition to
neutral professionals, in order to avoid political
interference, which in the past has not always
been the case.
The time has come to include all the clubs in
the Limburg province and for open exchanges
with other exhibitions and partnerships. The BAB
has been in contact with François Jeker for the
Bonsai Clubs International (BCI) convention in
Mulhouse in October, with the new Spanish orga-
nisation the Union del Bonsai Español, and with The meeting for the
20th anniversary of the
Tony Tickle in the United Kingdom for Bonsai
Noelanders Trophy will, no
Europa. “We would really like to open up to all doubt, eventually change
Europe and even further afield.” the public rela- its name due to Marc
tions officer added. Noelanders resignation.
 Nomination for deciduous tree: Prunus cerasifera, Andrija
Zokić and Marija Hajdić (Croatie). Pot: lubos Skoda.
Nomination for kifu : Juniperus chinensis ‘Itoigawa’,
Mathias Deininger (DE). Pot: Tokoname, Japan.

Choosing a new name

It remains to be seen what will become of the
name, Noelanders Trophy. “Our event is known
as the Noelanders Trophy because happenstance,
twenty years ago, it was called that and the name
remained. For next year’s event it will be called
“The Best Of “20 Years Trophy, which is already
something to go by. We don’t really have a pro-
blem continuing with the name Noelanders Tro-
phy, but I get the impression when I talk to people,
it is not really essential. We need progressive
change.” Christian Vos concluded, “We would Nomination for kifu: Acer buergerianum,
like to create a group of friends that people can Guido Pozzoli (IT). Pot: Tokoname, Japan.
join and feel comfortable with. I think this is the
most important thing.”
The next meeting, “The Best Of”20 Years Tro-
phy, will be held in the same place on 9 to 10
February 2019 – an anniversary that promises to
be full of creative surprises! 

#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 19
Exhibitions
FLORENCE, ITALY
Natura d’Inverno:
A new winter event
The Florence bonsai club’s first international
exhibition, Natura d’Inverno (Nature in winter)
that took place in the middle of winter, was
an ode to bonsai and suiseki and was held in
a superb, antique Florentine greenhouse.
Text: Isabel Ribeiro
Photos: Isabel Ribeiro,
Entering the Tepidarium Roster in
Florence, Italy, this first weekend of January 2018
unless otherwise stated was a spellbinding moment for the visitor. But
the real attraction was the bonsai and suiseki
that could be seen from the outside, and that
held the place of honour over the weekend in
this huge 18th century greenhouse. Indeed such
an unusual venue as this was called for to house
Natura d’Inverno (Nature in Winter), a newly
created international bonsai and suiseki exhibi-
tion, offered by the ATABS, the Tuscan Associa-
tion of amateurs of bonsai and suiseki.
Two tokonoma were placed opposite the en-
trance of the Tepidarium: one held a larch by
Lorenzo Agnoletti, Italian bonsai artist and co-
founder of the ATABS, and the other held a suiseki
with a scroll representing the moon.
Local species
A luminous and vast space allowed one to wan-
der easily between the tables covered with a cream
20 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93
The stunning greenhouse Tepidarium Roster in Florence,
Italy, housed the large international exhibition, Natura
d’Inverno, organised by the ATABS, the Tuscan Association
of amateurs of bonsai and suiseki from 5 to 7 January 2018.
Alessia Bettini and Fabrizio
Ricci from the Florence
City Council inaugurated
Natura d’Inverno on
5 January. On the right,
Simona Hirsch, president
of the ATABS and at the
back, Lorenzo Agnoletti,
co-founder of the ATABS.
fabric on which 50 bonsai and 26 suiseki were
displayed. The conifers were soberly clad and the
leafless deciduous trees showed their delicate ra-
mification. Other trees still had their leaves and
sometimes, their fruit. Many of the species were
local: larch, Scots pine, Phillyrea, as well as olive.
All the trees were carefully displayed on stands
and accompanied by tempai or accent plants in
winter bronze colours. Some of which, including
the suiseki, were enhanced by a seasonal scroll.
The organisers carefully selected evergreens and
deciduous trees in order to find a balance between
species, and chose suiseki themes, which resulted
in a display of trees of the highest quality and poe-
tic stones for this first edition of Natura d’Inverno.
Most of the exhibitors were Italian and were
members of various clubs from across the
country. Switzerland was represented by Enzo
Ferrari with three compositions and the Franco-
Monegasque group from Monaco Bonsai Team
also contributed.
 A Tuscany club
Founded in 1985, the ATABS
(Tuscan Association of amateurs
of bonsai and suiseki) is one of the
oldest bonsai clubs in Italy. Suiseki
was immediately included in its
activities, which set a precedent for
other clubs that very often devoted
themselves only to bonsai. From
© PATRICE ROLANDO
two features – plants and stones.
Since organising the Sakka Ten –
the Nippon Bonsai Sakka Kyoo-
kai Europe exhibition in Fiesole,
November 2014 – the ATABS set
itself the challenge of staging ano-
ther international exhibition in its
home town, Florence. With Natura

the time of its creation, exhibitions d’Inverno, the dream became a

followed with displays of the club’s superb reality.

The ATABS first prize for bonsai:

Taxus baccata, by Stefano Frisoni.
© PATRICE ROLANDO

© PATRICE ROLANDO

The public’s prize and ATABS second prize for bonsai:

Juniperus chinensis “Itoigawa”, by Fabio Mantovani.
Support from many sources
Organising an exhibition such as this is not
without its pitfalls, particularly when it is held
in a historic monument in heritage horticultural
gardens, the Giardino dell’Orticultura. Thus tra-
ders were not permitted to set up stands – at least
for this year. However, the organisers did not give
up and continued with their project backed by
the big names in the Italian bonsai world: Luigi
Crespi and his wife travelled from Parabiago near
Milan, and Franca, representing Franchi Bonsai,
came from Pescia, an hour away from north-west
Florence.
In the presence of the exhibitors, Natura d’In-
verno was inaugurated 5 January 2018 by the
organisers and by Alessia Bettini and Fabrizio
Ricci, delegates for green space and urban deve-
lopment from the Florence City Council.
The ATABS
third prize for
bonsai was a tie:
Diospyros kaki
and Chaenomeles
japonica, by
The following day was Epiphany, a feast day Igor Carino.
that is very much observed in Italy, but it was
no bar to an excellent visitor attendance that in-
cluded advanced amateurs, bonsai beginners or
simply the curious who would all be fascinated
by the fineness of the trees and the landscapes
suggested by the suiseki.
Exhibitors and organisers took the time to ex-
plain the trees, the techniques used and the time
it takes to create a bonsai.
Italian stones
The pots, of the same high level as the trees,
were often Japanese collector’s items or Euro-
pean. One of the exhibitors has made it a specia-
lity. Tiberio Gracco from the Naples bonsai club,
considers tree and pot to be inseparable elements
for bonsai harmony.

#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 21
 Exhibitions

The lectures Prizes

Daniela Schifano discoursed
on the poetry of suiseki.
Massimo Bandera
explained the Kokufu ten.
• The Natura d’Inverno prizes
First prize bonsai: Taxus
baccata, by Stefano Frisoni.
Second prize bonsai: Juniperus
chinensis “Itoigawa”, by Fabio
Mantovani.
Bruno Proietti Tocca Third prize bonsai tied:
traite des substrats. Erica arborea, by Antonio
Marino; Diospyros kaki and
Chaenomeles japonica, by Igor
Carino.
Special Merit Award: shohin
display, by Andrea Valori.
First prize suiseki: “The monk”,
Tiberio Gracco discussed
by Emilio Capozza.
the harmony between Second prize suiseki:
tree and pot. mizutamari-ishi, by Enzo Ferrari.
Third prize suiseki: Ettore
Gardini.
• Public’s prize
Bonsai: Juniperus chinensis
“Itoigawa”, by Fabio Mantovani.
Suiseki: Massimo Martini.
• IBS prize
Bonsai: Cupressus sempervirens,
by Piero Fiesoli.
Suiseki: mizutamari-ishi, by Enzo
Ferrari.
• BCI prize
Bonsai: Acer buergerianum,
by Diego Coleschi.
Suiseki: Laura Monni.
• AIAS prize
Best suiseki: Fausto Porcelli.

As well as trees, visitors discovered Italian

stones found in the north of the country. Daniela
Schifano, a suiseki specialist gave a talk on Poetry
in Suiseki with descriptions of landscapes and
forests. Apart from being a geological curiosity,
suiseki appeals to the imagination and feelings
of each viewer. The speaker felt this January
exhibition was a chance to “see nature still in it
is frozen state, but in which one can sense the
stirring of spring”.
Other talks were given throughout the wee-
kend. Bruno Proietti Tocca lectured on the chemi-
cal characteristics of substrates, Massimo Bandera
discussed the Kokufu Ten, and Guido Pozzoli gave
a talk on antique Japanese pots.

A “monk” receives a prize

On Sunday, Simona Hirsch, president of the
ATABS, revealed the exhibitors’ vote prize win-
ners and the public vote prize winners. The big
© PATRICE ROLANDO

winner was Stefano Frisoni, member of the IBS

(Italian national college of bonsai and suiseki ins-
tructors), for his Taxus baccata accompanied by
a small composition suggesting a plant caught in
ice. First prize for suiseki went to Emilio Capozza
for his “monk”.
Stefano Frisoni awarded the IBS prize for the
best bonsai to Piero Fiesoli for his Cupressus sem-
pervirens, and for the best suiseki, to Enzo Ferrari
for his mizutamari-ishi (“where stars are reflec-
ted”) stone. The BCI (Bonsai Clubs International)
and the AIAS (Italian Association of Amateurs of
Suiseki) also awarded prizes.
The exhibition was a twinning arrangement
between the ATABS and the bonsai clubs of Rome
and Naples and highlighted the Florentine club’s
spirit of friendship and sharing.
Bonsai Clubs International
Prize: Acer buergerianum,
by Diego Coleschi.
Sunday evening saw the end of the “marathon”
for the organisers and the exhibition was closed
by Fabrizio Ricci, the delegate from the Florence
City Council. He enthusiastically applauded the
great visitor attendance during the weekend, des-
pite overcast weather and family festivities. The
success of this first international exhibition bodes
well for future Florentine editions of Natura d’In- ATABS first prize: “The monk”,
verno!  by Emilio Capozza.

22 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93
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#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 23
Trees
and People
Gabriel Romero
Aguadé
“Be sensitive and humble,
keep your mind open”
At age 51, the Spanish bonsaist Gabriel
Romero Aguadé, a bonsai professional and
specialist in juniper trees, teaches his art
in the school he founded in Sant Boi de
Llobregat, near Barcelona, in 2003.
24 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93
The Spanish
professional Gabriel
Romero Aguadé fell in
love with bonsai when
he was 17 years old.
Since then, his passion
has never waned. He is
particularly passionate
about working on
juniper trees.
Interviewed by Anne Royer
Photos: Gabriel Romero Aguadé
Esprit Bonsai International: How did
you become a professional bonsai
artist?
Gabriel Romero Aguadé: My passion for
bonsai started when I was 17 years old.
At that time, I began to love gardening.
In a book that belonged to my mother, I
read a chapter on bonsai. It was love at
first sight. From that moment, I absolutely
wanted a bonsai. A year later, I signed up
at the BonsaIkebana school in Barcelona.
Gabriel collected this pine himself
in 1989. “He has been with me
throughout my all professional life,
this tree has no price for me.”
The same tree in 2016. Height: 73 cm (29 in.).
After four years of study, in 1989, I had the
opportunity to join the school to work full
time and became a professional bonsai
artist and teacher.
E.B.I.: Who are the mentors that contri-
buted to your apprenticeship?
G.R.A.: During my first years at the Bon-
saIkebana school, I studied with Professor
Carmen Figueroa. She passed on to me,
besides the basic principles of bonsai, her
This Japanese maple is another old friend of Gabriel’s, which he
sowed from seed in the spring of 1989. Height: 63 cm (25 in.).
sensitivity, as well as her respect for and E.B.I.: What do you think are the essen-
love of nature. With Eulália Bertrán, I lear- tial qualities of a bonsaist?
ned to teach students. And the director, G.R.A.: To be a good artist, you must first
Jaime Calvo, showed me how to work and be sensitive and humble, keep your eyes
maintain the trees of the school. and mind open. Next, it is important to
In 1989 and 1991, I met Master Noboru learn how to cultivate trees properly.
Kaneko, who had a great influence on my
work. In 1997, I was able to go to Japan to E.B.I.: What varieties of tree do you pre-
work for a month in his garden. This expe- fer to work with?
rience profoundly influenced me. Finally, G.R.A.: I like working with all trees, but I
I had the opportunity in recent years to have a predilection for juniper trees, for
work alongside Imai Chiharu, with whom their versatility and plasticity. They are
I was able to perfect my technique and suitable for any style of work. With them,
sharpen my eye for bonsai. I can express and represent the hardness
of nature in high mountains, which I am in
E.B.I.: You have been teaching for love with. 
almost thirty years, and you founded
your school, Bonsai Sant Boi, in 2003.
Is passing on knowledge an important
part of your activities?
G.R.A.: Teaching is a very rewarding facet
of bonsai. I try to pass on everything I know
to my students and to help them improve
their knowledge and their trees. Several
of my students, who began as amateurs,
are now dedicated to bonsai and have
become professionals. This is the best
achievement for anyone dedicated to tea-
After 14 years of teaching at the
ching. It is very important to transmit your BonsaIkebana school in Barcelona,
knowledge, because it is the only way to Gabriel Romero Aguadé founded his
allow bonsai to evolve and get better. own school, Bonsai Sant Boi, in 2003.
#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 25
 Trees
and People
Juniperus sabina. Height: 44 cm (17 in.).
E.B.I.: How do you choose them?
G.R.A.: I buy my trees from professionals
who collect them legally, or I grow them
myself from cuttings or seeds. They
should be of a good variety, suitable for
making bonsai, with small leaves, beauti-
ful colouring and good ramification. And
when they come from the mountains,
their trunk should have character.
E.B.I.: What creative process guides
your work on a tree?
G.R.A.: I try to keep an open mind. I stu-
dy the tree and look for its flaws and its
strengths. I don’t have any predetermi-
ned idea; I try to let the tree tell me what
it wants to be. I always start by studying
the movement of the trunk, what possi-
bilities it offers on each side. In the end,
the branches determine the future appea-
rance of the tree on its different faces.
26 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93
Savin juniper before work.
When I decide on the best front, I first
work on the trunk of the tree, if it is neces-
sary to correct it. Next, I work on the main
branches, to place them correctly, then
the rest of the branches.
I like working calmly, step by step. I was
once taught that to create a successful
composition, you have to work in a very
specific order, and that’s true. You can-
not shape the branches without having
first corrected the trunk. It is the spine
of the tree.
Finally, I always try to make my bon-
sai look like trees, and not the other way
around. I seek inspiration in nature and
take it as a model to convey the respect
it inspires in me. I like to remember those
words that Noboru Kaneko always repea-
ted: bonsai must be used to convey a mes-
sage of peace to the world. Bonsai unites
cultures and people from all social strata.
This Juniperus sabina’s live vein
and deadwood are impressive.
Height: 70 cm (28 in.).
Let’s learn to love and respect nature and
our world, and live in peace.
E.B.I.: Do you think a tree can ever be
finished?
G.R.A.: Never, ever. As long as the tree is
alive, it grows. It changes with time. It gets
better or worse, it all depends on how you
take care of it. Look at the graphic docu-
mentation on Japanese trees and see how
they change and improve over the years.
A bonsai is only finished at the time of its
death.
 Gabriel poses with the savin
juniper before work.
Juniperus sabina. Height: 40 cm (16 in.).

E.B.I.: What dreams or projects would

you like to complete in the years to
come?
G.R.A.: I have been a professional for 29
years. I teach my students, I maintain pri-
vate collections, I run workshops in asso-
ciations, I work and sell my own trees. My
project focuses on my ability to do my job
a little better every day.
I am also a member of the board of a
newly born national association, Unión del
Bonsai Español (Union of Spanish Bonsai),
which brings together many amateurs and
professionals. Our goal is to organise a
high-level event in Spain where we can
admire our best bonsai. You will hear
about it soon! Gabriel maintains and
cultivates dozens of bonsai,
E.B.I.: What do you love about modern smartly lined up on his
European bonsai? small terrace in Barcelona.
G.R.A.: European bonsai has reached a
very high level, although it can still improve
Contact details
Gabriel Romero Aguadé
– and I have no doubt it will. Many inter-
Bonsai Sant Boi
national events have contributed to the
Carrer Pau Claris 33-35, 08830 Sant Boi
promotion and improvement of bonsai
de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain
in Europe, such as the Ginko Award in its work of art is created for the purpose of
E-mail: info@bonsaisantboi.com
time, the Alcobendas Bonsai Museum being contemplated, admired or criticised
Website: www.bonsaisantboi.com
Contest in Madrid, the Noelanders Tro- by the public. Bonsai must give you plea-
phy in Belgium, the Bonsai San Show in sure when you practise at home. But it is
Saulieu, Arco in Italy … Everyone wants to also profitable to admire the work of your
improve their trees to display them in a big peers. This is the only way for bonsai to
event one day. Let’s not forget that every evolve. 

#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 27
To do 1 The base of this Acer
this month palmatum presents several
anomalies. Large roots are
wrapped round the trunk
and wounds from severe

Air-layering pruning are in the process

of healing. Correction faults
by grafting or other
techniques would take

above all time. The best solution is

air-layering to which the
species will respond well.

The start of the growing 2 Remove a ring of bark

season is the ideal time for from around the trunk. In

air-layering, whether it is to
propagate our bonsai trees,
or to improve a nebari.
Author: Francisco Ferreira
principle the width of the
cut should be large enough
to prevent the tree from
healing the wound – about
one to one-and-a-half times
the diameter of the trunk.
The shadows on the wall
show that the tree is in full
leaf indicating that the
elaborated sap is circulating
well. The ring of bark comes
away almost by itself from

C
ertain simple techniques such as the trunk. This is a good
grafting or air-layering are too often time to air-layer.
forgotten in favour of solutions that
give the impression of immediate results 3 Extremely important:
such as wiring etc. And yet, air-layering is an once the bark has been
easy method of encouraging root growth removed, scratch the
to improve a nebari or to create a bonsai. cambium hard with the
blade of the knife.
The principle is relatively straightforward. Otherwise, the cambium
It involves blocking (or curbing) the will remain in place and
elaborated (descending) sap’s progress produce cells that will
and creating a humid zone where close the wound (callus
one wishes to obtain new roots. scarring) and only a few
roots, if any, will emerge.
There are mainly three ways of air-layering.
The first consists of creating a humid area
around the designated part. This is very
useful for species that easily put out new
roots such as trident maple, azalea and
box etc. The advantage of this technique
is that there is no risk to the tree.
The second method is to ringbark part of the
tree, which prevents elaborated sap from
returning to the roots. This method is also used 4 Surround the

on species that root easily and naturally, such barkless area with
as acer palmatum, beech and hornbeam and a plastic pot placed
on the substrate.
even some conifers such as yew and juniper.
Finally, the third technique involves making
a wire “tourniquet” round the part to be
propagated. This solution is used on more
delicate trees that take longer to put out
new roots (pine, spruce, hawthorn etc.).
The best time to air-layer is between March
and June, depending on the region. The 5 Fill the pot

tree should have sprouted already and with a mix of

classic substrate
the leaves should be very active, which
– gravel, akadama,
means the tree will be producing a lot pozzolana and
of elaborated (descending) sap.  pine bark.

28 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93
 6 Finish by
adding a moisture-
retaining layer,
which will
encourage new
roots to grow.
Coconut fibre is
used here, but
moss or sphagnum
moss can also
be used. It is possible to air-layer a tree that is growing
in the open, and to collect parts of the tree
that have interesting movements.

7 After a few months,

new roots are well in
evidence growing at
regular intervals around
the trunk. This tree is a
good basis from which
to make an attractive
bonsai.

Equally, one can air-layer a tree in various

places to recover branches that will not be
part of the future shape of the tree.

Three or four
weeks after
being air-layered,
new radicles
have appeared.

In some cases,
new roots are
so strong that
they can pierce
through the
One can also air-layer using plastic film if the plastic, which
air-layering site is some distance from the is when the
soil. The only diference is what goes inside air-layered
the bag. Here the classic substrate mix is plant can be
replaced by sphagnum moss which keeps the separated from
moisture in without “drowning” the tree. the parent plant.

#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 29
 I T !
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Notes
for beginners Collecting
(yamadori)

Materials to From seed

BONSAI
Air-
layering

start off with Nursery plant

Cutting
Finished tree

Author: Antonio Ricchiari

One can obtain a bonsai in diferent ways.

1 GROWING FROM
SEED
A lot of patience is needed be-
fore seeing results from seedlings
and being able to start creating a
bonsai tree. Seeds are the simplest
way of propagating trees, but seed- 1 To plant the seeds, place 2 Fill the container with a
ing times vary depending on the some large-grain substrate at substrate mix and gently
species and where the seeds have the bottom of a container. compact it with your fingers
been planted. to prevent pockets of air.
When the seedlings appear, they
are put outside and are allowed to
grow freely until they are ready to 3 Level the substrate with a wooden slat placed on the
upper edge of the container so that the substrate level
be formed into bonsai. If the seed- is one centimetre below the edge of the container.
lings are planted in the ground, The seeds do not need to be covered with a thick
growth and subsequent bonsai layer of substrate in order to germinate – a light
training is faster. Substrate for the covering about the diameter of a seed is suficient.
seedlings is made up of sand, peat
and a little compost.
Obtaining bonsai trees from
seed is a fascinating experience,
and one which is both pleasurable
and rewarding. 

4 Cover the container with a

sheet of glass, and then put it in a
warm, dark place. The temperature
should be around 21°C.
Substrate for growing seedlings
2 parts 2 parts 1 part
peat + sand + compost

The advantages of
growing from seed
- Easy to implement
- Inexpensive 5 As soon as the plants have
- Total control over the shape germinated, remove the glass covering,
and start regularly watering the
of the future bonsai. plants, which you should now place
in the light, but away from direct
Obtaining a bonsai tree from seed requires patience, sunlight, so that they do not burn.
but allows one to achieve the desired form.

#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 31
 Notes
for beginners

5 When they have grown one or two pairs of leaves,
plant them out in a diferent and more suitable
substrate. Place the seedlings 5 to 10 cm (2 to 4 in.)
apart so that roots and foliage can develop correctly.
2 TAKING CUTTINGS
FROM YOUNG
SHOOTS
Propagation by cuttings is a
method of obtaining bonsai trees
from species whose characteristics
may not be preserved by planting
from seed.
The principle is simple: young
plants are pruned and half buried in
the substrate. For a cutting to take
more easily, one needs to use root-
ing hormone. Cuttings should be
taken late in autumn from mature
branches, or at the beginning of
spring. As far as evergreen species
are concerned, a cutting is taken
by making a clean cut just above
or below a node (at a lateral shoot
or leaf).

The advantages of propagating

from cuttings
This is the simplest way to propagate the majority of trees: there
will be no taproot and cuttings will have the same features as
the parent plant. Woody and semi-woody stem cuttings can
also be made depending on the season and branch maturity.

6 Once the young plant is

well grown, one can start
the first pruning and also the The amateur has many
repotting, which can be done ways of taking a cutting:
every one or two years to
work on the root system.
Make a
straight cut.

7 Cut the
taproot. Remove Make an
the leaves. oblique cut.

Cut near Make a

the leaves wedge cut.
8 Young plants grow faster if they
are put straight into the ground.

32 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93
 Notes
for beginners

3 TRY AIR-LAYERING
Air-layering is a propagation
technique that enables rooting in
a precise spot on a branch or trunk
of the parent plant. It works very well
for deciduous trees, but is much
less effective for conifers.
Air-layering is carried out in Jan-
A Wet the cutting with
rooting hormone and uary or February when the tree is
embed it in the substrate. dormant. 
The advantages
of air-layering
There are multiple advantages to air-layering:
- obtaining an appealing trunk diameter
in a short space of time,
- formation of a robust root system,
- formation of a precise trunk length,
- an ideal method for pines, which are
dificult to propagate from cuttings.

B Place the container in the shade,

but at a fairly high temperature 3 Coat with
until the leaves appear. Apply an 1 Score the ring of bark to 2 Remove rooting
antifungal agent to prevent mould. be removed with a cutter. the bark. hormone.

C You can also

use a cutting
with leaves by
cutting them
5 Wrap everything
with plastic film.
in half. Soak
When the roots are
the cutting in
visible, make a few
the rooting 4 Wrap holes in the film to
hormone with damp prevent mould. The
and embed it sphagnum plastic allows one
halfway into moss. to watch for new
the substrate.
roots and to ensure
that the moss
does not dry out.

D Water
regularly.

6 Roots develop rapidly and the plant can 7 The air-layered plant is
be separated from the parent plant in three transplanted into a deep container,
E Cuttings can be trained into the to six months. Apply cut paste to the parent and care is taken to preserve the
desired shape of the future bonsai. plant to protect the base of the trunk. radial structure of the roots.

#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 33
 Notes
for beginners
4 GRAFTING ROOTS
AND BRANCHES
The grafting technique is widely
used, as much for adding new roots
as for inserting a branch into a par-
ent plant. To create new roots, the
graft is made as low as possible on
the trunk so that the graft area is as
little visible as possible. The pro-
cess is carried out at the beginning
of spring or in midsummer, when
the sap flow increases and facili-
tates the bonding of the two parts.
With this method, it is possible to
join two species of the same type
– or two different types depend-
ing on the species’ compatibil-
ity – to obtain a subject that has
been modified to meet the desired
requirements. This method is the
solution for propagating varieties,
which by seeding, would lose their
advantages.
The rootstock can come from
a seeded plant, rejects, cuttings or
air-layered plants. It can originate
from a different species from that
of the graft, as for example, quince
and ash respectively receiving pear
and olive. This type of graft is called
a heterograft.
The graft provides the attractive
parts of the tree – foliage, flowers
and fruit. Grafts are formed on trees
that are neither too old nor too young
and are naturally healthy. The chosen
grafts, lacking base and crown, must
have strong, well-formed buds.
Grafting can be carried out
between February and the end of
September, but is most effective
during the strongest growing period,
which is from spring to the middle
of summer. Grafts made between
The advantages
of grafting
- To add roots.
- To add branches.
- To use the characteristics of one
species to improve another –
grafting foliage, for example.
- To regulate a tree’s development.
- To anticipate or delay
flowering or fruiting.
- To cultivate valuable trees
in incompatible soils.
August and September do not
require much handling.
When the graft is strong enough,
the underlying part of the rootstock
is removed. 

Patch budding is
one of the most Veneer grafting,
common ways also known as side-
of grafting. veneer grafting.

Jin Grafting

Diferent types of
grafts can be carried
out on one tree.

Grafting
Approach
grafting
Inlay
grafting.

34 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93
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#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 35
Getting Off
to a Goo
od Start

Create a very natural

hornbeam forest
Hornbeam plants that are not
mature enough for bonsai can
provide the basic material
to create an attractive forest.
This is also a good solution for
using plants that aren’t very
promising on their own.

Author: Francisco Ferreira

A set of young hornbeam plants These young hornbeam plants each have a diferent
character. While they don’t yet have the necessary
that have been worked on to create bonsai do not yet qualities for them to be displayed individually,
have enough poise to be displayed alone, but they they are suitable for creating a forest. We will test
have interesting qualities to create a forest. The indi- various combinations to choose the plants to use.
vidual plants vary in height and trunk thickness, and
their branches are nicely ramified. Their root balls have
already been worked on and are well developed, which
should mean that they adapt well to the pot.

Five chosen trees

We start off with ten hornbeams for this forest. We
need to do some trial runs to find the best possible
combination and choose the trees that will form part
of the group. It is important to have more trees than
we need, so that we can choose the ones that will work
best together. In this case, five trees are ultimately 1 The container: a stoneware slab about
selected. The large ones will be placed in front, and 100 cm (40 in.) long by 40 cm (16 in.) wide.
the smaller ones behind.
The soil is identical to the type used in a bonsai
pot: pozzolana or pumice, gravel, akadama etc. Since Once the trees are installed, we proceed with a few
there are no enclosing edges, to prevent the soil from cuts here and there to hone the group’s overall balance.
disappearing when the plant is watered, we create a As the years go by, and with successive prunings,
rim on the stone, made of a fairly compact mixture of this forest will grow more and more mature and is
keto and akadama (50/50). sure to look very natural. 

36 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93

2 With this arrangement, we
will achieve a forest with attractive
movement towards the left.
3 For the rim around the stoneware
slab, we mix equal parts of keto and
akadama. This will retain the soil,
which is a classic mixture: pozzolana
or pumice, gravel, akadama etc.
4 The forest will comprise five trees. Although they are relatively
young, these plants give quite a good result, because they are already
nicely ramified and they go well together. Height: 70 cm (28 in.).

5 Seen from above, the forest opens out in

all directions, which is what gives it a sense 6 This plant’s left branch is not very attractive – it’s too
of depth when we look at it from the front. thick and has no movement – so we cut it back.

7 This rather straight and wide tree is perfect 8 This one, which is thicker and larger,
for a position near the centre of the forest.
9 This small, curving tree
is placed at the back to give
perspective. The stif-looking
branch will soon be cut of.
How not to do it
When you decide to create a forest, the first
step of the process often happens at the
nearest plant nursery or garden centre, where
you go to buy a few plants that you plan to
group together on a base, in a pot or on a
stone. Although this may seem like a quick
solution to create a pretty forest in a short
time, it is an approach that often ends in
failure.
First of all visual failure, because the chosen
is therefore placed towards the front. plants are often very similar to each other:
the same sizes and trunk thicknesses, and
unramified.
Secondly, since the young plants haven’t been
prepared to become bonsai, their roots will
be growing in peat-based soils or compost
and won’t be very divided up at the base.
Once the roots have been cut to position the
plants in a very flat container, there will not be
10 This enough of them to ensure the plants’ survival
hornbeam, or their secure attachment to the container.
with its gentle Because of this, the plants stagnate, and some
movement, end up dying. The ones that do grow properly
comes in on
the right to will not stay in place, because of the dificulty
make the group in attaching them.
look even more
dynamic.

#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 37
Treegazing

On a farm in the Ile-

de-France, this horse
chestnut is a true

Under a spreading
marvel and beloved by
its owners. You have to
stand at some distance
from it to get a real
idea of its size and the

horse chestnut tree reach of every branch.

In the bend of a small farm road in

the Ile de France, and dominating the
surrounding countryside, a horse chestnut
spreads its branches – a remarkable tree to
be admired and protected.

Author: Louis-Victor

D
Bourdeau uring a business trip in the heart of Seine-
et-Marne, I was lucky enough to spot an
absolutely remarkable horse chestnut
(Aesculus hippocastanum) on the edge of a pond
near a typical Ile-de-France farm, which has prob-
ably been growing there for centuries.
In Japanese culture it is common to report and
to protect ancient trees, which for a number of rea-
sons may have one or more exceptional features.
They are usually maintained, lightly pruned and
sometimes even properly cared for if they show
signs of decline.
At certain times (during the flowering season, or
when they change colour in autumn), they attract
crowds of people to admire these lovely attrib-
Old horse chestnut trees often present spiralled bark
on a grooved trunk. The trunk is protected by a barrier
against eventual damage caused by horses.
utes, and then they become veritable monuments.
Introducing trees into the cultural domain, and
treating them as heritage monuments in their own
right is much less common in the west, where they
are often seen more or less as street furniture. You
often have to search, or leave it to chance, to find
a noteworthy tree.

38 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93

In spring, the ramification disappears under the abundant
foliage. The pyramid-shaped flowers give way to
poisonous fruit which appear at the end of summer.
Fourteen powerful trunks
What is there to know about this remarkable
tree – how old is it? Who planted it? The current
owners do not know, because the tree was there a
long time before their ancestors acquired the farm
at the beginning of the 19th century. As the first
horse chestnut trees were introduced into France
in the middle of the 17th century, this tree cannot
be more than 400 years old. However, given the
diameter of the trunk, it must have been here for
at least two centuries.
It is still of considerable importance to this farm-
ing family, and has marked the rhythm of their sea-
sons for generations. The aura of mystery that sur-
rounds it only emphasises the somewhat unusual
beauty of this tree.
From a base of over two meters in diameter,
fourteen powerful trunks spring in all directions
seeming to avoid each other in trajectories as sur-
prising as they are elegant. But then we understand
that this is a form of communication or interac-
tion that allows them to fill the entire space so
harmoniously.
And what a contrast between these powerful
scaffold branches and the fine ramification at the
end of the branches! Without being abnormally
large, the tree’s magnitude and phantasmagorical
aspect is fascinating. It is not enough to look at
it from a distance to appreciate it and grasp its
beauty, you have to go inside it and let your eyes
explore its crown. It is another world, which one
could never tire of admiring.
Water, air, earth
It is disconcerting to think that this beauty and
this majesty are the product of the germination of
a simple chestnut, or “conker” identical to those
with which children play in school playgrounds.
An imported species
The horse chestnut (Aesculus massive defoliation, which has
hippocastanum) is so familiar to us afected most of the trees growing
that it is easy to forget it is an in parks. The horse-chestnut leaf
imported species. It originates from miner (cameraria ohridella) is a
a highland region in south-east small moth whose caterpillars
Europe between the Balkans mine galleries into the thickness
and the Caucasus. of the leaves. When a tree is
According to some sources, it infested, from the month of July,
was introduced into Europe in most of the foliage takes on an
the middle of the 16th century autumnal aspect and looks as
between 1557 and 1581. It was first if it has been burnt. Apart from
planted in France between 1605 the aesthetic aspect (an essential
and 1615 and was immediately element for an ornamental species),
admired for its beautiful white the disease also weakens the
blossoms, the generous shade tree when its reserves are in full
it casts in summer, and its fruit storage phase. Various combative
whose kernels (“conkers”) children measures are being studied, the
have played with for centuries. simplest of which is to gather up
Sadly, about twenty years ago, and destroy every leaf that falls
the horse chestnut fell victim to a to the ground in order to break
parasite which causes early and the parasite’s reproductive cycle.
Water, air, earth and time are all that is needed
to create a monumental, complex living being.
I often say to myself that loving trees is a genuine
blessing, because the sources of wonder they offer
are innumerable and ever-present for us on Earth.
Ancient trees with their extraordinary variety
of forms are a testimony to the beauty of nature
and the power of life. And out of many others, this
venerable, mysterious tree is a shining example.
Acknowledgements
I should like to thank Mr and Mrs Mauban of the  When the fine
Ferme de Vert Saint Père at Crisenoy in Seine-et- branch ends supersede
Marne, for their welcome and the information they the powerful scafold
provided.  branches, the
ramification appears to
be somewhat random.
But is it really?
#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 39
Shohin:
Small Bonsais

After being
prepared too
hastily to be

Restoring a
shown at the
British Shohin
Association’s
exhibition back in

juniper’s foliage
Time heals all wounds. It will take
time to get this juniper’s foliage back in
good shape, ater it went into decline
following premature ine-tuning work.
Author: John Armitage
February 2009,
this juniper quickly
lost its compact
shape. A long
period of work
will be needed for
it to recuperate.
This Juniper Itoigawa,
Juniperus chinensis “Itoigawa”, has seen
better days. Not long after being imported
from Japan it was exhibited at the British
Shohin Association’s exhibition held at
Willowbog Bonsai in Northumberland.
From that point it started to deteriorate.
It is an all-too-common problem when
we rush a tree to exhibition for our own
gratification. The tree needed to grow
and not be overly pruned and refined.

40 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93

1 It has taken several years for the juniper to
produce enough adult foliage and buds to allow it to
be restyled. From the original tree, the length has
expanded considerably and it has lost its density as
well as several branches.
2 The saving feature of the tree as a bonsai is its
deadwood. Like most junipers, this is the interesting
feature and one that we have to exploit and make the
most of.
Halted growth
The exhibition was held in early spring, and
throughout that year the tree lost vigour. As
there were no growing tips, all that remained
after refinement was the blind foliage – that
is, the foliage without an active and vibrant
growing tip. Without any active tips and with
only that lacklustre weak foliage, the tree started
to produce what we know as juvenile foliage.
Because of the interesting deadwood, trunk
and live vein it was worth the risk to purchase
Cases of disease
Damage to growing tips can also
be caused by pests and blights.
A couple of years ago I learnt a
painful lesson when a number of
my junipers contracted a fungal
infection where all the soft tips
were struck by mould. Despite
being treated straight away, the
tips died, and this caused juvenile
foliage to cover the trees. A number
of branches were also lost as a
3 Branches that have perished
result. Although the trees are all
can clearly be seen. The main trunk
still alive, they will not be show-
is now dead in parts, and this will
make any bending trickier. ready for some time to come. I
will not forget again to give my
trees a winter fungicide spray.
Over the space of a couple of
growing seasons, the mature foliage
began to re-grow. In order to keep
the tree healthy, the juvenile foliage
was left alone. There is always a
temptation to remove this when it
forms, but this would be a mistake.
4 First thing, as with all trees, is
a good clean so that we appreciate
what the tree has to ofer and spot
any pitfalls that we need to be
aware of.
5 The deadwood has
this tree back, although I knew it would be a sufered some decomposition.
long-term plan to get it back in to shape. So Nothing critical, but it will
need to be maintained.
it remained in my garden for several seasons
with no special care – simply watered, misted
and fed like all of my junipers until it had
strengthened sufficiently to warrant restyling.
Juvenile foliage
Junipers, especially the scale varieties, are very
much powered by their foliage. Removal of too
much, pinching too heavily or the removal 
#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 41
 Shohin:
Small Bonsais

6 This twist is very attractive.
The seasons of free growth have
caused thickening of the live vein.
7 The opposite side, which was the original front, 8 A possible change in angle?
is also attractive. This could be the front, or maybe a I have yet to decide about the
tree with two fronts could be possible. ultimate length of the cascading
branch. I am keeping my options
open at the moment.

 of growing tips where there is no

vigorous foliage behind will all result
in weakening and in the production
of the juvenile type of foliage.
The juvenile foliage forms when the
tree is stressed. In this instance the
tree did not have any growing tips. For
the tree to survive it must maximise
on photosynthesis and produce
growth. The spiky juvenile foliage
has three times the surface area
9 Now that the deadwood of the adult cord-like foliage, and it
is dry, a rotary wire brush grows much faster and is the tree’s
removes the loose wood fibres response to excessive foliage removal
left after cleaning. in an effort to stay alive. Removing
this foliage prematurely will simply
compound the problem. Allowing
the tree to recover freely is the key.

Making the most

10 This deadwood will be the
focal point of the tree. To bring the
viewer’s attention to this area, the
green parts need to be placed
closer to it.
of what’s left
This tree’s most important feature,
as with all junipers, is the deadwood. The main
challenge with this tree is to bring the foliage
closer to the focal point, to emphasise it and
make a more homogeneous design. 

42 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93
 11 After, lime sulphur is applied. The
lower branch is still causing me concern.
If this direction is to be the front then
this branch points towards the viewer.
This position makes it hard to create a 12 This, the main part of the trunk needs to be 13 Rafia applied tightly in the usual way.
natural-looking branch. A quick sketch bent to bring the green bits to our focal point, the
helps me visualise things. deadwood. It contains some scar tissue and dead
material, so a bandage of rafia will be necessary.

14 Two rows of copper wire to 15 My original plan of using a jack to compact 16 The alternative is to attach a metal
spread the tension. the branch was not successful. The limited space lever to allow me to apply suficient
would not give the desired angle. pressure where my hands and fingers
cannot.

#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 43
 Shohin:
Small Bonsais

19 Preparation of the foliage. The

blind foliage can clearly be identified
as it does not have a growing tip.
This can be removed as long as
18 Now the foliage is closer to the deadwood.
there is a growing tip on the branch.

17 The bend is quite easy to make now.

22 The head of the tree is

brought in to shape. The goal
was always to bring it closer to
20 Even in dormancy the tips are easily identified 21 A pretty what I considered the focal
point of the tree. The
by their colour and pointed tips. These must be left. standard wiring is temptation of pruning those
carried out now. growing tips that are outside
Nothing the periphery must be avoided
particularly for the tree to continue to
complicated here. recover and thrive.

44 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93
23 In the end, I decided
to remove the lower
branch to make the tree
as compact as possible. It
was simply my personal
preference.

24
The final tree. After
the lower branch
was stripped of
bark, it will be left
to dry naturally
before lime
sulphur is applied.

 So our main concern is how to compact
the tree and bring the foliage closer in. The trunk
has thickened and lengthened considerably
with the period of free growth and now contains
some dead sections and scar tissue. For safety,
the only live branch will be protected with raffia.
The use of a clamp, jack or lever might seem
a little extreme on such a small tree but it is
safer than trying to manipulate it with finger
strength alone, especially in a confined space.
Aftercare
The juniper will remain in the pot for at least
the coming season. The growing shoot will
only be pruned when there is sufficient
strong growth behind to cut back to, and
not before. This cannot be performed to a
calendar but to the growth of the tree. As
much daylight as I can manage will be given.
Plenty of light
Grow-lights are very beneficial to junipers, especially
those in recovery (see Peter Warren’s article in
Esprit Bonsai International 91, pages 41–45, for
more information on the use of grow-lights).
In order to develop denser foliage, the tree must
be allowed to grow and expand, maximise on
photosynthesis and strengthen before it can
be pruned. The pruning is back to a strong and
vibrant shoot. Over-pruning will simply weaken
the tree and most likely result in juvenile foliage
again, bringing us back to where we started.
The nice thing about shohin is that the tree
does not need much foliage growth to make it
become presentable, and I expect to be able
to show it again in just a couple of seasons. 

#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 45
In
Detail

Organic fertilisers work as part of the plant’s life cycle and are Fishmeal helps to increase the N and P
beneficial for bonsai. Rapeseed (colza) is one of the most common values. The way it is released works well
ingredients for this type of bonsai feed. Its NPK value and the way it is alongside rapeseed: a good reason that
released are ideal for woody plants and allow a moderate growth rate. it is found in all Japanese fertilisers.

IN PRAISE OF ORGANIC
FERTILISERS
Organic fertilisers are made of natural
primary materials. They have a very
rich composition, and a rich variety
of them are available on the market.
But what exactly are they, and how
do they work? Some explanations …
Author: Jérôme Hay
Magic Gold natural, in a balance of
3.8/6.5/4.8, compressed into pellets.
Composition: plant oilcakes, grape must,
Soon, our trees will begin to wake up and composted olives, feather meal etc.
start off again on the growth cycle, which means
they will need feeding. Organic fertilisers are a key
component of an established natural cycle. Dead Soil and water
matter is transformed and nourishes the living, The soil is supposed to give plants everything
which eventually dies in turn, and so on. These sub- they need: it should contain all the nutrients (N, P,
stances made of decomposed matter are more K, Ca, Mg, Fe etc.) in varying quantities. But even if
easily absorbed, and they come back together in it is ideal, it naturally grows less rich over time (by
the living plant. Organic fertilisers are very com- being washed through, clumping, and especially
plex because, in addition to the simple nutrients because of plants absorbing the nutrients). For
NPK (N: nitrogen, P: phosphorus, K: potassium), pot-based cultivation, the same applies, but to a
they also contain trace elements, as well as lots greater degree, because the resources are limit-
of important natural substances that stimulate ed within the container. It is therefore absolutely
microbial life in symbiosis with the plant: sugars, necessary to apply fertiliser, for plants to continue
amino acids, vitamins etc. developing over time and to keep them healthy.

46 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93
Biogold Original 5.5/6.5/3.5, compressed
into triangular pieces. Composition: manure,
bird droppings, fermentation with selected
bacteria, ferment (unspecified).
The question of fertilisers is inextricably linked to
that of the water and soil that are used. The water
and soil must have chemical and physical char-
acteristics that are a good match for the fertiliser,
otherwise they won’t have the expected effect.
It is also important to take account of the law
of the minimum: Absorption of fertilisers is always
governed by the element of which there is the least,
so trace elements are strategically important in a
fertiliser’s composition.
Organic or chemical
There are two broad families of fertiliser: organic
and chemical.
Organic fertilisers are made of natural primary
materials. They are composed out of so-called
“organic” substances (produced by living things) –
most frequently animal excrement or waste from
the food industry, but sometimes plant-based
substances that are produced especially for the
purpose.
Chemical fertilisers are manufactured by the
petrochemicals industry and made out of minerals
that come either from mines and deposits, or from
the desalination of seawater. The transformation
is a result of chemical synthesis. These fertilisers
cause pollution during their fabrication, because of
how they are extracted and processed. In addition,
they are not perfectly absorbable and do not help
develop microbial flora. Any excess gets washed
into the groundwater, causing pollution there.
These chemical feeds are not of particular use
for bonsai cultivation, because the proportions
they contain of the different elements are not suit-
able, and they provide only NPK. Although some of
them provide microelements, they do not allow
sustainable cultivation. What is more, they do not
match the philosophy of bonsai. Ethically speaking,
bonsai is a holistic thing, a natural cycle that must
Bonsaï Master 3.6/3.6/3.1,
compressed into pellets.
Composition: insects.
not be broken for the sake of ambitions that lead
to impatience and, therefore, error.
Among the types of organic fertilisers, there are
biostimulants. These are a mixture of organic fer-
tiliser, proteins, hormones, amino acids, vitamins
etc.: we are in the realm of living chemistry. These
substances stimulate the plant’s roots and leaves,
boost its immune defences and alleviate stressful
states and stoppage of growth.
Their composition
The basic elements of any fertiliser are nitro-
gen (N), phosphorus (P) and potassium (K), which
plants consume in fairly large quantities, in specific,
absorbable forms.
Nitrogen particularly encourages the develop-
ment of the green parts (leaves), phosphorus the
woody parts (roots), and potassium the flowers
and fruit. These elements work together, and the
type of effect they have is imprecise. Fertilisers
are almost always presented in the form of com-
pounds.
The figures indicated on the labels give the pro-
portions of each of the elements, in the order N, P,
K. For example, a 4/3/4 fertiliser will have 4 parts of
nitrogen to 3 of phosphorus and 4 of potassium. 
Misleading labelling?
Beware of “specialist” products sold under various
names as “bonsai fertiliser” or “bonsai feed”: this doesn’t
always mean they are suitable. Knowing that you trust
the maker, or that the seller has an awareness of bonsai
cultivation, are the best guarantees – rather than just
trusting the packaging.
#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 47
 In
Detail
Hanagokoro 4/5/1,
compressed into pellets,
available in various sizes
(from pellets to plugs).
Composition: rapeseed,
bonemeal, rice bran,
ferment (unspecified).
 Each unit is a percentage, so an 8/8/8 feed
will have the same effectiveness as a 16/16/16 that
is applied in a half-dose.
In the past, it was believed that these elements
were enough. In fact, plants also consume calcium,
sulphur, magnesium etc. It is extremely rare for
these elements to be in short supply in the ground,
but soil loses them over time. Often, there will not
be enough calcium in acid soil. Added to this are
the mineral elements whose role is little under-
stood, and which are needed only in the tiniest
quantities, but absolutely necessary nonetheless.
A deficiency in these trace elements leads to seri-
ous imbalances, which is why the fertilisers that are
being made today usually do contain them.
Not all-rounders
Depending on their origin (the substances that
they come from), the form in which they are used
(balls, liquid, pellets, powder …) and their compo-
sition (NPK content, microelements etc.), organic
fertilisers are more suited to certain types of cul-
tivation than to others. Bonsai have specific needs
48 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93
Tibolar-RS 4/6/2, 13/6/2 and 4/6/19,
compressed into pellets. Composition:
rapeseed, meat and bone meal, chicken
manure, wood ash, soya, fishmeal.
Bonsaï C 7/5.5/5,
compressed into crushed
pellets. Composition:
feather meal, meat and
bone meal, pig bristles,
that vary according to the season and the work cocoa shells, beet pulp,
being done on them. The main aim is of course blood meal, torrefied horn.
to feed the plant, but we are also looking for other
effects, like a moderate growth rate that produces
short internodes, a reduction in leaf size, optimisa-
tion of colours, and balanced flowering and fruiting.
The demanding type of cultivation that we impose
on our plants requires adaptability and resistance
to abiotic stress (due to non-living elements: wind,
sun, salt, drought etc.) and disease. In this respect,
classic all-purpose organic fertilisers can’t always
Origin and composition
Organic fertilisers come from various origins: there
is a diference between the product’s origin and its
composition. The composition is the NPK expressed
in chemical terms. The origin is the product from
which this chemical composition derives (example:
12% nitrogen from blood meal).
 Tamahi Joy Maruta
5.3/5/1, compressed
into plugs. Composition:
rapeseed.
Shizen Nutrition, three formulas: Tamahi
Gold Organic 5/5/3, Seido 4/2/1, Seido 5/7/1.
Ball form. Composition: rapeseed, fishmeal,
bran, seaweed meal, ferment (not specified).
provide what’s needed over the long term: the ones
that are available in the shops weren’t intended for
pot-based cultivation, and above all not for bonsai.
Marketing motivations
As with all products, you need to know how to
read the label, but the information there is not
always clear. Packaging has to adhere to regula-
tions, and is often riddled with catchy slogans. A
fertiliser’s special selling point should not be con-
fused with its efficiency. Organic, all-round, natural,
locally produced, vegan, environmentally friendly
– all these labels are frequently put to the fore,
but they answer to our personal sensibilities and
opinions rather than to the plant’s needs.
All fertilisers have some effect, by definition
– which is unfortunate if they aren’t suitable for
bonsai. There are questions to be asked about
the trade tactics of some of the major Japanese
brands that are seen as reference points for bonsai
fertilisers: on reading their labels, it is surprising to
find that they are recommended for other types
of cultivation – no doubt to broaden the market.
Matsu Abrakas 4/6/2, powder
form. Composition: soya,
bonemeal, rapeseed, minerals.
Liquid fertilisers
share their colour
and viscosity. They
are usually made
from a pulp obtained
using molasses and
fishmeal. There are
also versions made
through maceration.
Can rose growing, or cultivating vegetable
patches, be considered as identical to growing
bonsai? Should we conclude that, in fact, these
fertilisers are all-purpose ones? Or specialist feeds
To be
that their producers are trying to get into other continued …
markets? This practice is unfortunate and causes Our next issue will
confusion. In fact, the firms are adapting to the include advice on
market, which doesn’t necessarily mean that their how to use organic
fertilisers aren’t any good – because they will give fertilisers.
results for all types of plant, but not necessarily
the results expected. The point is that bonsaists
are looking for effectiveness in bonsai cultivation.
Making informed choices
Fertilisers have evolved, just as our own food
has. Marketing is not innocuous: products are
always sold for their positive aspects, not their
negative ones. Failing to indicate the latter is not
a lie. Our responsibility as consumers is to ask
producers or sellers the right questions, identify
the plusses and minuses and make an informed
and confident decision about what is best for our
bonsai. 
#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 49
In
Detail

Satsuki
care calendar Text and illustrations: Janine Droste
Photography: Willy Evenepoel, unle
otherwise
ss stated

From July to December: all the

advice you need to take care of
Janine Droste
A satsuki expert,
your Japanese azaleas, or satsuki. Janine Droste has
published several

© © NANJA MASSY
books on this species,
which she is very
talented at growing.

July
Rotate your satsuki at least twice a Illustrations
month. A little watering Pruning Protection from snow
Give them enough water. Mist leaves
during hot spells. Plenty of watering Wiring Spraying insecticide
and/or fungicide
Look at the balance of each tree. Repotting Protection from the sun
If the branches are too long or too Greenhouse
crowded, cut them until halfway through Applying fertiliser Protection from rain
July.
Repotting is possible until July at the
latest.
Check that the wire is not growing into
the trees: during this period, the branches Keep fertilising. Add pellet fertiliser. It is still possible to prune lightly. Do
become thicker very quickly. Spray insecticide and fungicide once not prune too much, because the new
a month. flower buds for the following year are
already being formed.
August Unwanted shoots must be removed.
Satsuki can stand in direct sunlight, Look at the balance of each tree. If the
but protect them from the hot after- branches are too long or too crowded,
Points to remember noon sun. cut them.
In Japan, satsuki reach the roots Rotate the satsuki at least twice a month. Keep fertilising. Start applying a fer-
are put in shade directly below, Give enough water. Water the crown tiliser with a low nitrogen content
during the under the trunk. regularly to lower the temperature (0-10-10).
hot summer During the of the roots. Mist leaves during hot spells. Spray insecticide and fungicide once
months. The summer months a month.
crown is watered there may be
regularly to dew on the September
lower the leaves in the Rotate plants twice a month.
temperature of morning. If the Give less water.
the roots. sun shines on Points to remember Water adequately once a day, in the
Specimens the leaves it can During the summer, bonsai morning.
with a thick cause brown pots are placed on pellets in The flower buds should become visible.
trunk should be spots. a water-filled bowl, avoiding Look for wire that may be cutting into
watered often in contact between the roots and bark.
the summer, so the water, to increase the air Decrease the fertilisation. During this
that water can humidity. month you can still apply fertilisers
with low nitrogen content (0-10-10).

50 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93

Satsuki, Rhododendron indicum ‘Azusagawa’,
from the collection of Janine Droste.
Points to remember
When there is still some summer
heat remaining at the beginning of
September, it is advisable to water
twice a day, in the morning and
late afternoon.
Spray insecticide once a month.
Watch for leaf rollers.
October
Rotate plants twice a month.
Give less water.
Water adequately once a day, in the
morning.
Protect them from
abundant rain.
Satsuki, Rhododendron indicum ‘Kegon,
from the collection of Janine Droste.
Wiring is possible.
Leaves produced last summer
begin to display their autumn colours.
During this month you can still apply
fertilisers with low nitrogen content
(0-10-10), before you stop completely for
the dormant period.
Spray to control chewing and sucking
insects and leaf rollers. Spray insec-
ticide once a month.
November
Move your satsuki into full sun. Rotate
them at least once a month.
Do not place the trees in winter sto-
rage too early, but let them stand outside
as long as possible. Provide protection in
case of frost.
Give less water. In November, the soil
will dry out slowly.
Watering only once every two or
three days should be enough.
Protect satsuki from heavy rain.
Wiring is possible.
Leaves produced last summer dis-
play their autumn colours.
Remove all fallen leaves,
in order to prevent diseases
and mould infections.
During the first week, apply the last
fertiliser of the year.
Use a mould-killing remedy against
moulds and mildew.
December
Rotate all trees at least once a month.
Check whether they need water.
Water once every three or four days
in the morning on warmer days. However,
pay attention to trees drying out faster 
#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 51
 In
Detail
Satsuki, Rhododendron
indicum ‘Korin, from the
collection of Janine Droste.
 on windy days. Make sure the root
balls never dry out. Do not water after 3
p.m. There is a high risk of trees cracking
and/or freezing.
If it starts freezing, use additional
precautions (e.g. bubble wrap, a
garage or a greenhouse). When the trees
are in their winter storage, a cold green-
house protected from wind and frost,
don’t forget to ventilate well to prevent
diseases.
52 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93
It is no problem to have snow over
satsuki bonsai. However, if the snow
is heavy, clear it from the satsuki, as the
weight of snow may cause the branches
to break.
No need to fertilise.
There is no need to spray any pesti-
cides during winter when it is freezing,
because pests and fungi are then inactive.
Leaves produced last summer show
display their autumn colours.
Remove all fallen leaves in order to pre-
vent diseases and mould infections. 
Points to remember
Satsuki can resist frost. They
even need a few days of frost
to go for a winter break.
Large satsuki can remain at
-5°C overnight without any
problem, and small satsuki
likewise down to -2°C, if
protected from wind and if
it’s not freezing during the
daytime.
 Retrouvez l’intégralité du spectacle

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MIMIE MATHY – MC SOLAAR – KAD MERAD – LORIE PESTER – SOPRANO – TAL
CHRISTOPHE WILLEM – MICHAËL YOUN – ZAZ – ZAZIE …

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 on Broadleaves
Spotlight

This Acer palmatum has

not been repotted for
five years. Water is not
penetrating the soil and
the soil is spilling out of
the pot. The branches are
progressively weakening
and are not ramifying and
it can be seen that there
is little regrowth in the
interior of the crown. This
weakened tree needs a
larger pot to allow it to
recover its vigour and to
balance the volume of its
crown. Height: 70 cm (27½
in.); width: 80 cm (31½ in.).

Transplanting an old
maple without risk Author: Gilbert Labrid

A multi-trunked maple has suffered

some damage due to a drought
in summer and a few maintenance
errors: its present condition and
repotting in spring.
The owner of this Acer palmatum
maple has asked for urgent help. In autumn, after
a difficult summer, the tree was handed over to
us, as many problems had occurred to alarm the
fortunate owner of this valuable tree: the soil was
hard and water was unable to penetrate a dense,
compact medium. The tree’s roots were pushing
the soil out of the pot; the branches had lost their
ramification, and the trunks were not filling out. In
other words, the tree was weak.
Weak roots
What has caused this weakness? The entire root
ball was congested by fine intertwined roots that
formed a compact block with the earth, and which
could no longer be penetrated by normal watering;
the plant had to be watered by completely immers-
ing the pot. This caused serious problems during
summer and many of the buds dried out either
from a lack or excess of water. Air was unable to
circulate in the soil, and the cause of weakness
almost certainly lay in the roots.
This rather old tree deserves particular care.
One can intervene on the roots of a young tree
from autumn to spring without incurring serious
problems. In the case of a tree that has been 

54 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93
 A thick carpet of moss covers
the soil and the root ball. This
group’s anchorage is completely
hidden, as is the base of the
trunks. One can clearly see the
clump of roots pushing the soil
out of the pot – a sure sign that
repotting is necessary. Traces of
limestone on the enamel show
the plant has been watered
by regular immersion.

1 February 2017: the soil is cleaned
away. The surface is solid with
tightly interwoven fibres, soil and
roots. Too much time has passed
without being transplanted.
2 When the nebari is uncovered, problems are also
revealed. Seen from the front, the anchorage is unbalanced.
A root on the left has become too important while the
roots in the centre are weak. For trees with a fairly large
nebari, the underside of the roots should be kept flat to
accelerate the spread of the surface roots. In this case, this
work has not been carried out assiduously.
3 Behind the anchorage, two roots of a young
plant that were retrieved at the time of this
group’s construction have remained unchanged
above the suture between the trunks. With time,
and humidity from the moss, they have thickened
and become an eyesore. These unattractive tubes
must be cut back.

When is the
right time?
The ideal time depends on
experience and local climatic
conditions, but is probably
between the beginning of March
to mid-April. One can assess the
right time to repot by watching
the development of the buds in
spring, which is in their swelling
before coming into leaf.

4 The tree is coming away from the pot and
needs firm but gentle handling. One works with
one’s hands and bamboo sticks to avoid
damaging the roots to be kept. Pressure washing
is very efective for removing clumps of very
hard soil.
To properly correct the accumulation of
shortcomings, the area to be worked should be
kept to the minimum whenever possible. Thus,
one can wash three or four times if necessary. The
roots that are too high are removed, and those
that are too long are cut back to a ramification.
5 Without the soil, we can see all the roots under
the trunk. The ones that are not necessary for the
development of a nebari are cut back –
particularly those growing vertically downwards
under the anchorage. The roots are cut with a
flat-nose root cutter, but a gouge or stronger
tools are used when the work involves cutting the
base of the trunk itself. After washing and
pruning, a group of short, and mostly fine roots
has been kept on the nebari’s circumference. The moment to repot is when the
There is not a trace of the old soil and the height buds swell before coming into leaf.
of the base has been halved.

#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 55
 Spotlight
on Broadleaves

6 To give the tree more vigour, we have chosen a 7 Seen from behind: a lump of cut paste covers the wound made
larger pot than the first, which was too narrow. The by the removal of the two superficial roots fused to the root system.
anchorage controls the position and the height: the
roots that have been kept are well distributed and
the root ball is lower than before.

8 A light drainage layer (akadama + sand) is spread at

the bottom of the pot, enough to fill the spaces under
the base of the tree.
Before tightening the anchor wires, we check the
position. The two large roots (right and left) are
cut back to the ramification nearest the trunk. The
areas in red, without radicles, will be removed
as soon as the replacement roots appear.

 worked on for many years, if the roots need

significant intervention, it is advisable to wait until
spring to ensure the best recovery conditions. To
intervene correctly on such compacted soil, one
has to thoroughly wash the roots to remove all the
old substrate. If carried out at the right time, the
tree should completely recover from this oper-
ation.
A few precautions
The bonsai tree was left for maintenance work in
November and had to wait until March before work
could begin. The importance of the work involved
in reducing the roots requires considerable care
apart from the transplant period: the new soil must
be covered with sphagnum moss fibres to protect
it from the sun and wind; the plant must be placed
9 After the anchor wires have been tightened to ensure the tree’s stability, little by
little all the spaces are filled with a mix of akadama and pumice stone. This is carried
out using fine bamboo sticks and tamping down with the fingers. A layer of long-fibred
sphagnum moss is spread over the soil to protect the surface roots. The tree is put in a
place sheltered from the wind until the leaves appear. It is then given some sun and is
regularly monitored.
in a sheltered spot for three to four weeks before
being put out in the fresh air again; it must not be
fertilised before May (two months later); it must not
be allowed to dry out, but it must not be watered
too frequently before summer. 

56 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93
 The prerequisites
for a new beginning
This tree must be transplanted next
year once again, to correct the roots
under the trunk and to improve
the surface roots. Usually, it is only
young maples that are repotted
every two years; when they are
older it is every three or four years.
In this case, although it is quite old, it
must be repotted as if it were a young
tree, with the aim of recovering its
strength needed for reconstruction.
The operation may have to be carried
out a third time using a finer soil mix
in order to refine its silhouette and
to plant it in its permanent pot.

10 In March 2018 before being pruned: the previous year’s growth is

correct and well distributed. A lower branch on the right has died. The
tips on the group of trunks are stronger, which is normal, but a few buds
are showing on the inside of the branches.

11 During winter, and even from autumn onwards, the moss fibres are 12 After removing the fibres and freeing the base, one can see on the
carefully removed. The roots are uncovered to encourage their growth, left of the nebari, new roots emerging from the length of the large root
which will accelerate the nebari’s formation. In this type of deciduous that had been left in place. At the front, many surface roots have
tree, the very visible anchorage forms part of the species’ attraction. appeared.

13 The root on the left can now be removed without waiting for the next
repotting. The rescue roots are in place. On the other hand, there are no
surface roots to replace those on the right and one must wait until next 14 Using cutters, one sections this tubular
year and the next repotting to remove them if necessary. root at the base.

#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 57
 Spotlight
on Broadleaves

15 The edges of the wound are trimmed and one can clearly see 16 Cut paste is the best method for forming good scar tissue on a very
the secondary root which will take over with a movement exposed area (to watering, sun, soil, moss etc.)
towards the surface.

17 After pruning in March.

58 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93

The metamorphosis
of a pine
With several assets such as an attractive
movement at the base of the trunk and
lovely bark, this Scots pine has the makings
of a ine bonsai.
Text: Marcial Yuste Blasco
Photos: Javier Crespo and Alejandro Morena
Spotlight
on Conifers
This Scots pine was
originally collected from
a mountainside. Its trunk
needed heavy bending to
show of its qualities.
In October 2016,
nearly two years after its collection,
we started to transform this yamadori
Scots pine into a bonsai tree.
The pine was found on a mountainside,
in a natural container formed by a
granite rock. After its collection in
December 2014, the roots were cleaned
to remove the earth and the tree was
planted in a substrate made up of
pomice (50%), akadama (25%) and 
#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 59
 Spotlight
on Conifers

With his students

Marcial Yuste Blasco carried
out this work with various
assistants among whom were
Antonio Morena (the tree’s
owner), Alejandro (his son and
a pupil at the school), Javier
Crespo, Fernando San Ireneo
(also pupils at the school)
and four members of the
Griñón Bonsai Club (Madrid).
École Sagunt Bonsai
Puerto de Sagunto (Valencia)
www.saguntbonsai.es

The tree first had to be analysed to

 Kiryuzuna (25%). To ensure
it recovered well, it was placed
on a hotbed (a layer of fermenting
manure) in a greenhouse for five
months. It was then cultivated for two
years and was treated mostly with
organic fertiliser, rain water or reverse
osmosis water, and applications based
on amino acids and fungicides.
A handsome bark
The main features of this singularly
lovely pine are its tachiagari (The first
third of the tree) and its old, crackled
bark indicating its advanced age. But
the trunk has become rectilinear.
In the tree’s search for light, most of
the branches and shoots are oriented
to the left. The rectilinear part of the
upper trunk devalues the aesthetic
curves of the base and breaks their
movement. The foliage mass on the
left is so far from the lower part of the
tree that it has created an imbalance
and takes the eye away from what
should be the focal part of the tree.
At the end of the summer of 2016,
we cut the old needles to give more
light and air to the interior of the
tree, to encourage back budding
and to preserve the interior shoots.
After two years of cultivation, the
tree is healthy and vigorous and
is ready for its first shaping.
identify the most interesting parts
to be showcased, and to disguise or
remove those that were unaesthetic
or impossible to correct.
Moving towards
an upright style
The project leaned towards an informal
upright style (moyogi), which would
give the tree a pleasing harmony. The
main empty space would remain on the
inside of the most interesting curve; The lower part of the trunk
the branch at the back and the jin at showed an attractive movement.
the base, seen from the front of the
tree, would give the depth. Framed
by the foliage mass, the inside curve
would be the focal point, which would
enhance the tachiagari’s movement
Two possible options
After analysis, the tree suggested
and orientation and create continuity two options to begin with: a slanted
with the upper part of the tree, as well style (shakan), or a semi-cascade
as improving the equilibrium, the unity (han-kengai). However, these two
and compactness of the composition. styles would not palliate the lack
To attain this objective, the upper of movement in the upper part of
part of the trunk – as thick as an arm – the trunk and the eye would still be
had to be bent by 180 degrees, which drawn away from the most interesting
would result in a cut-off point and part of the tree. In addition, the
enhance the tree’s attractiveness. main empty space would dominate
The pine’s asymmetry will be improved, the outside of the curve, which
as well as the movement to the would not be appropriate if one
right, which will be strengthened were to follow the words of Seya
by the downward movement of Takeshi. “The main empty space is
the main branch. This will give the much more attractive on the inside
tree a very powerful, dynamic of the most important curve.”

60 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93
 1 The next step was to choose the branches 2 We chose the best 3 We preserved the alternating bifurcations,
to be kept, by eliminating those that were judged placed shoots. to avoid two branches emerging from the
to be incorrect or of no use to the project. same point.

4 This large branch was cut 5 Using pliers we opened 6 Using a gouge we loosened the
and turned into jin. it up and discarded the tip. wood fibres so that we could then pull
them with jin pliers.

equilibrium, for a trunk that expresses

considerable character.

Choosing the branches

The first step was to remove branches
that were too thick or too rectilinear.
Most of them were characterised by
weak shoots that were only present
at the tips, and therefore, too far
from the trunk and too difficult to
incorporate into the tree’s design.
We then cut all the branches that were
growing incorrectly inwards, downwards,
or vertically without taper. We chose
the secondary branches, and in order to
give the impression of age, we removed
all the shoots from the first third of
the base of the main ramification.
By orienting the upper half of the tree
towards the right, a powerful branch
at the bifurcation was brought to light,
which we kept in the same position on 7 The wood will be exposed to strong weather conditions to
the left. Because it projected beyond be patinated by the sun and humidity. When the jin has acquired
the crown, it was turned into jin.  the desired aspect, we will clean it and protect it with jin seal.

#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 61
 Spotlight
on Conifers

Bending the trunk

Four people were needed to bend
the trunk. We protected the wood
with dampened raffia to stop it from
snapping. We then added a wire
armature and wrapped the whole with
a protective rubber covering. During A The trunk
this operation, we anchored tensioning
was to be bent
cables into the pot to hold this part of at 180 degrees.
the trunk in place. We chose to do the
bending process manually, so that we
could better judge the pressure exerted
during this very delicate operation.
Despite all precautionary measures, a
weak point appeared at the bifurcation,
which we continuously monitored.
When the crown reached the indicated
point, a small tear appeared indicating
that we could not go further. 

B To do this without risk, the branch had to be C We placed copper wiring on over
tightly wrapped with dampened rafia. the rafia to strengthen the area.

D For
extra
protection,
we covered
the entire
copper E Using heavy gauge copper wire, we wired
armature twice round this part of the trunk that was to be
with rubber. heavily bent.

F Everything is ready G In many successive stages, we shifted

for the heavy bending. the upper part of the tree so as to place it
above the nebari.
62 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93
 H When it reached
the required position,
we fixed the
tensioning cables to
prevent the tree from
returning to its
original position.

I The end of the trunk had

to be adjusted so that it was not
too upright in this area.

J We protected this
area so as not to damage
the bark when we fixed it
to the second tensioning
cable.

K The goal is
to show of the
upper part of the
trunk and the
crown and to
create a slight
curve to
accompany the
tachiagari
movement.

#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 63
 Spotlight
on Conifers

Finally – the shaping

With the bending completed, we
wired the branches with copper
wire with different gauges (O,5
to 4mm) (1/32 in. to 5/32 in.).
And then came the shaping of the tree.
The first branch to be positioned was
the sashieda (the longest branch),
which was to fall back giving movement
to the tree and allow for the disposition
of the other elements. To lighten it a
little, we decided to divide the foliage
up to form pads of different heights
and depths, going from the lowest
part of the crown to the summit. In
addition, since the trunk of this pine has
pronounced curves, we positioned the
apex on the vertical axis of the nebari,
at one third of the width of the crown.
In the initial stages, and erring on the 1 Now it is a question of wiring all the branches to
side of caution, we chose to keep more the furthest shoots, with suitably sized copper wire.
branches than are necessary. As we
progressed with the positioning of
different masses of greenery and the 2 The shoots need
creation of important empty spaces, to be arranged in a fan
we removed unwanted branches. so that they all receive
This informal moyogi has a very stable the same amount of
appearance and gives the impression light and air in order to
of a majestic, proudly standing tree. grow and to remain
vigorous.
The pine still faces numerous It is important to
challenges. The spiritual journey of create lightweight
the art of bonsai is extremely long and masses that are
winding, and it is just this complex subdivided on
trajectory filled with interesting diferent planes, so
as to fill each level.
surprises, that has bestowed it This will strengthen
with a deserved appeal.  the impression of
perspective and depth.

3 The back of the tree must be worked
with the same attention to detail because it
is important to give the bonsai a third
dimension. This kind of detail gives an
impression of refinement and aesthetic
control.
4 We allowed our hands to design the project as
we went along. We started from the trunk to reach
the apex, and used other features to achieve perfect
equilibrium.
5 The branch on the lower left, that
was kept to be integrated into the project,
gives too much emphasis to this side of
the tree. To give an impression of power
and dynamism, the tree must show strong
movement in the opposite direction.

64 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93

6 We removed this
branch. In this way, the
bonsai has become compact
and gained unity, rhythm,
asymmetry, and a dynamic
equilibrium.
8 In the next few days, the jin on the left was
corrected when it was shortened and better angled.
7 The final aspect of the tree, but
for a few corrections and final
touches: the front of the tree needs to
be slightly altered by turning the tree
a few degrees clockwise and turning
the tip of the jin at the base so that it
also displays a movement to the right.

Posing in front of the Scots pine

3 with its owner, Antonio Morena.

4
6 During the next growing season, the tree will stay in its
5 7
Analysis of the diferent elements that were taken into
account at the design stage of this bonsai: the objective
being to heighten its aesthetic and visual impact.
1 Convex 2 Concave 3 The trunk’s cut-of point
4 Counterbalance and depth elements 5 Secondary empty space
6 Principal empty space 7 Dynamic equilibrium
The future
cultivating crate to recover its strength. We will work
on the foliage mass to thicken it and encourage back
budding for more compactness. Ideally, it would be best
to leave enough empty spaces to reflect the principal
characteristics of the Scots pine – fluidity, lightness and
elegance. We must also work on the spaces to ensure
that they are consistent and follow the same direction
as the tree’s other features. In this way, the spaces left
by the shoots will increase as we move in this direction.
When it has recovered from this work, the tree can
be put in a pot, but not in its final pot. We can then
reduce the root ball, control and stabilize growth,
finalise the foliage and make it more compact
and lastly, reduce the length of the needles.

#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 65
Re-imagining
a Tree

The hidden beauty of a forest

Despite its unobtrusiveness this forest, by Swiss bonsai artist Jürg Stäheli, was awarded
a prize at the Noelanders Trophy 2018 by our German colleague Bonsai Art.

66 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93
Re-imagining a tree
This section sets out to analyse the choices made by the artist through
trying out other options – to demonstrate the significance of these
choices, and quite simply to learn how to admire …
Certain works of art may be obscured
at irst sight. This hornbeam forest by
the Swiss bonsai amateur Jürg Stäheli
is a perfect illustration of this.
Author: François Jeker
T
here were a number of
spectacular trees displayed
at the Noelanders Trophy
2018. Most visitors light-heartedly
paused in front of these trees
loud in their praise for them. The
few who stopped in front of this
little hornbeam forest remained
rooted to the spot for long minutes,
strongly and visibly moved by it.
The forest was created by self-
taught Swiss amateur, Jürg Stäheli
from a double-trunked yamadori
collected in 1986. The other trees
are the result of cuttings and air-
layering from the same stock.
A palpable
naturalness
Everything seems simple and natural
in this composition: an irregular
silhouette, the coherent branch
direction of a deciduous tree, well-
balanced illumination and a very
effective perspective thanks to the
tiny trees behind. The ramification
is fine, dense and controlled – the
result of 32 years of work and care.
A note of interest: Jürg is a sculptor
and made the pot himself – from
dolerite stone! The stone has
simply been polished not glazed.
The forest will be displayed at
Bonsai Euro top 20 and at the world
BCI (Bonsai Clubs International)
convention at Mulhouse on
4 to 14 October, this year.
1 The soul vanishes with a regular
silhouette and without empty spaces
Option 1 :
A regular silhouette
without empty spaces
The silhouette of the original
forest is irregular with recesses,
ramifications that protrude from the
outline, others that drop back, and
small, barely visible spaces. With a
regular outline, and without empty
spaces, particularly in the interior,
the forest loses its naturalness
and we can no longer see the
trunks and large branches of the
upper parts. Before, we could see
into the soul of this grove, now we
can only see its outer covering.
2 The composition becomes flat
Option 2 : without the little trees at the back.
Without the small
trees at the back
The small trees at the back gave a
wonderful depth. Here, the trees
are all planted at about the same
height and the space between the
main trunks, which was given over
to these small trees, has now been
transformed into an unattractive gap.
Option 3 :
A sawtooth silhouette
The empty spaces created on the
outline makes one think of a conifer
that has gone through through a
destructive shredding process of
certain pseudo-Japanese rules.
All the naturalness and serenity of 3 With a sawtooth silhouette is this
this Yose-ue have disappeared.  a hornbeam or a conifer forest?
#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 67
 Potters
Pots and

© Martin Englert
The German ceramicist Martin Englert excels
in creating stoneware pots which he wood-
fires, as well as fine white porcelain ones that
he paints with rich decorative designs.

Martin Englert
From white porcelain
to primitive firings
German potter Martin Englert’s work is a
veritable yin and yang of bonsai ceramics,
going from one extreme to another: ine
porcelain on the one hand, and rough wood-
ired pots on the other.
Text: Xavier Dreux
Photos: Pottert,
unless stated otherwise
On a Sunday morning
in Belgium, a happy encounter took place
on the stand of a German potter who had
come to display and sell his work at the
Noelanders Trophy 2018 exhibition. I had
arranged to meet Martin Englert, who is
also German, for an interview. Martin is
very likeable and is in love with his art: he
could talk for hours about his work as a
ceramicist, in which he spans the wide
gap between porcelain and primitive firing.

68 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93
The potter’s seal on This pot is made out of heavily grogged material and was
a stoneware pot. placed in the kiln on the top level, directly hit by flames and
ash. Dimensions: 21.5 × 15.3 × 5.8 cm (8½ × 6 × 2¼ in.).

The potter’s seal on a The white porcelain pots are finely decorated and fired in an
porcelain pot. Dimensions: electric kiln. Dimensions: 6.2 × 6.2 × 6.3 cm (2½ × 2½ × 2½ in.).
12.4 × 6.6 cm (4⅞ × 2⅝ in.).

Opposites attract
In his workshop near Osnabrück, in
Germany, two completely contrasting
ceramic approaches come together and
share a home. On one side, Martin Englert
creates delicate bonsai pots in white por-
celain with painted decoration in keeping
with Chinese and Japanese art and tra-
ditions.
On the other, he uses dark, grainy clays
to create plain pots in simple forms. These
pieces will have to fight fire and emerge in
glory, made beautiful by the flames, the
ash and sometimes a bit of help from the
potter.
This 58-year-old musician and produ-
cer came to the world of ceramics through
bonsai, when he was looking for interes-
ting and unusual pots for his own trees. It
was partly a matter of luck, too, because
after some naturally unsuccessful initial
attempts, he met the ceramicist and bon-
saist Monika Herbst, who set him onto
the right track. Monika Herbst is not just
a great specialist in wood firing, but also
worked in Japan for a year, in Bizen (one
of the legendary cities of Japanese pot-
tery), with traditional Japanese kilns. For
Martin Englert, she is an important source
of information on Japanese culture and
aesthetics, and on the particularly magical
aspects of Japanese firings.
Wood firings
So it was that primitive firings became
Martin’s way into a profession as a bon-
sai potter. He especially loves this sort
of firing: taking the clay from the ground,
and wood from the forest, to transform it
into “stone”. It is about going back to the
very origins of ceramics, which emerged
several thousand years ago: something
simple, rudimentary, but – at the same
time – magical.
After lengthy research, Martin built his
own kiln. The second time he used it for a
firing, the high temperatures made some
of the kiln’s bricks melt, and he had to use
a grinder to take the pots out. Since then,
the repaired kiln has already coped with
over 50 firings.
Any type of wood can be used for
firings; but to go beyond 1280°C (2340°F),
the last phase requires the use of very
dry oak. It takes between 15 and 19 hours
for the kiln to get up to temperature, and
three days for it to cool down.
“I use a lot of different clays, because
the clay body is the main influence for the
final appearance of each pot,” says Martin
Englert.
Indeed, each clay behaves differently
with slips, glazes, salt, flames and above
all during the reduction phase. The artist
enjoys using very grogged clay which has
good resistance to the violence of wood

#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 69
 Pots and
Potters
The potter built his wood-fired kiln himself. Any type of wood can be
used to fire it, but he uses only oak towards the end of each firing.
firings, but also because it allows him to
create more structured, textured surfaces
when assembling the pots.
Salt in the kiln
Martin prefers to let the flames leave
their mark, and only uses a little glaze: a
shino he makes himself, which behaves
differently from Japanese shino; ash
glazes made out of oak or birch ash
recycled from an earlier firing; and finally
slips (clay or porcelain) and oxides.
This unconventional potter also car-
ries out salt firings, which consist firstly of
placing small pots one-third full of salt in
amongst the pieces that are being fired,
when the kiln is being loaded. Then, when
the firing temperature is reached, and just
70 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93
Melted oak ash on a clay body with
a high iron content. Dimensions:
18.5 × 16 cm (7¼ × 6¼ in.).
© Martin Englert
© Martin Englert
The first firing of the stoneware pots is done in the electric
kiln: here, they are at the biscuit stage. After the application of
glazes, the pots will undergo a second firing, in the wood kiln.
before closing the kiln for the reduction
phase, more salt is added to the firebox.
The more salt there is in the kiln, the
shinier the surfaces of the pots will be.
The difficulty lies in judging the quantity
needed for the desired result, but also
The wood-fired kiln gives pots a
in the fact that the salt remains on the beautiful natural patina. Dimensions:
walls of the kiln itself. This residual salt 17.2 × 8.3 cm (6¾ × 3¼ in.).
can affect the results of several sub-
sequent firings. “Too much salt
can ruin the next three firings,”
says Martin.
Painted porcelain
Martin enjoys experimenting
with techniques, but also with
materials. Naturally, he eventual- Martin Englert also works with shino glaze,
ly came to study porcelain. It was here on a white clay body. Dimensions:
30.8 × 25.3 × 8 cm (12⅛ × 10 × 3⅛ in.).

The German ceramicist uses a pen to create
decorative motifs on the porcelain.
when he saw a Meissen pot, with an orange
dragon painted on it, that he wondered
how he could do something similar. His
first attempts were disastrous, but this
did not dampen his interest.
He went on to carry out numerous
other tests of porcelains, glazes, colours
and firing temperatures, before he saw the
first positive results.
These days, he uses a white Austra-
lian porcelain called “Southern Ice”, and
the colours come from a small specialist
shop in Bavaria. The painted decoration
is applied over the glaze, and on firing the
two fuse together, because they have very
similar melting temperatures. The result is
a better finish: the colours become part of
the material, rather than sitting on top of
it. These pieces have to be fired at 1180°C
(2160°F), while ordinary colours are gene-
rally fired at around 900°C (1650°F).
The porcelain pieces are fired not in
the wood kiln – which is too violent – but
instead in an electric kiln from the German
brand Nabertherm. This is also the kiln
used for the first (biscuit) firing of pots
that will subsequently go through the
wood-fired kiln.
© Martin Englert
Martin produces mainly round porce-
lain pots, thrown on the wheel. His rectan-
gular pots are always slab-built, without
a mould.
Inspired by nature
Porcelain imposes its own way of wor-
king. This type of clay is far more deman-
ding than classic clay: there is no room for
The potter’s inspiration comes
partly, but not exclusively, from
traditional Japan. Dimensions:
10.5 × 8.8 cm (4⅛ × 3½ in.).
China is another source of inspiration
for the decoration. Dimensions:
10.8 × 6.6 cm (4¼ × 2⅝ in.).
Usually it takes one day’s work to decorate a pot,
but sometimes it can take longer. Dimensions:
17.1 × 13.2 × 5.5 cm (6¾ × 5¼ × 2⅛ in.).
error when working it, because it keeps a
memory of any flaws, and they will reap-
pear during firing.
Once the pots have been made, fired
and enamelled, there is the decoration
phase. Martin can spend several days on
a single pot, depending on the complexity
and size of the design, the dimensions of
the pot, the amount of colour etc. Most
pots require a day’s work, but the intense
concentration required means that he has
to break it up into shorter bursts.
“Since I have found my own technique,
my attention is now focused on the shape
of the pots and the motifs I paint. I’m
studying Japanese culture, mythology
and differences between Japanese and
Chinese art and looking for inspiration in
the nature that surrounds me,” the artist
concludes. 
#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 71
 Bonsai
Besides

The craftsman
burns his
signature into
the wood using a
pyrographic pen.

Pascal Houdusse loves

wood and creates bonsai
display tables in his
workshop in Ille- et-Vilaine
(Brittany). Simple lines
and matt varnish are the
hallmarks of his work.

Bringing art to the table

Display tables are
indispensable for exhibiting
bonsai. Those made by Pascal
Houdusse are exquisitely
This little shohin display table has
reined and elegant and serve a silky patina that is characteristic
of Pascal Houdusse’s work.
to emphasise the unique Dimensions: 300 x 200 x 100
(h.) mm. (11¾ x 7⅞ x 4(h.) in.).
importance of the tree.
sai world. He started to produce display is relatively easy to find the wood locally,
Text: Xavier Dreux tables professionally in 2011, but as for which allows for a consistent rate of pro-
Photos: Pascal Houdusse many craftspeople in this sector, it is a duction without replenishment worries.
complementary activity. “I am a cabinet- Although very much inspired by Japa-
maker because I am passionate about nese display tables, Pascal’s creations are
working with wood, and creativity and also influenced by French cabinetmaking.
beauty.” He explained. Each piece is redesigned with clean simple

P
ressured by his friends, Pascal
Houdusse, a trained cabinet-
maker, turned his hand to mak-
ing display tables for bonsai art.
Although displeased with his first efforts,
this Breton from Ille-et-Vilaine, perse-
vered and in 2012 went to the European
Bonsai-San Show in Saulieu to study the
huge choice of display table styles and
to find the material with which to contin-
ue. Ever since, this 52-year old craftsman
has become indispensable to the bon-
Simplifying the lines
The cabinetmaker has an output of
some 250 pieces, and has made his
tables almost exclusively from cherry
wood. After many trials, he finally decid-
ed on this hardwood species with strongly
marked veining. Indeed, this fine-grained
wood with its consistent density allows for
a high quality finish. It responds well to tint-
ing, which opens up a wide range of tones
from the lightest to darkest. In addition, it
lines that show the essence of the model;
each to his own when it comes to pre-
ferring the traditional Japanese style or
the modern French design of these small
tables.
“My signature is in the lines of my tables:
anything superfluous is systematically
removed. A beautiful piece is first and
foremost a feature – a strong line based
on an elegant light curve and careful atten-
tion to detail at every step. My signature is
also a matt varnish which gives the silky

72 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93

Pascal has chosen cherry wood for his pieces,
which gives a lovely finish as can be seen in
this model, “Elegance”. Dimensions: 500 x
400 x 180 (H.) mm. (19¾ x 15¾ x 7 in.)
finish typical of my work. This recipe is the
result of my collaboration with a varnish
specialist,” the artist continued.
At the beginning, a tree
When Pascal makes a piece that has
not been commissioned, it is nearly always
a delicate, feminine table which seems
to grow from his sketches like the trees
he loves.
A real or imaginary tree is always the
starting point of his creation. The spirit
of the tree guides the craftsman’s pen-
cil to transcribe, in the lines of the table,
what will be communicated to the viewer
admiring the bonsai.
Theoretically, the length of the table
should correspond to the length of the pot
and should be twice as high; and the same
goes for the width – a theory that applies
to trees of standard measurements and
proportions. In reality, it is mostly a ques-
tion of balance and harmony. Only the
bonsai should be showcased: pot and
table are at the service of the tree.
A feminine tree would not be com-
patible with a solid table and vice-versa:
a visually powerful tree would need a table
that is strong enough to support this visual
weight and to balance the display.
A table with a simple
“ladder” design.
There is nothing
superfluous in the
lines of this piece.
Dimensions: 300 x
200 x 80 (H.) mm.
(11¾ x 7⅞ x 3⅛ (h.) in.)
Sober elegant
lines to
accommodate
accent plants.
Contact
Email: houdussepascal@yahoo.fr
Facebook: Pascal Houdusse
The table should harmonise with the
style of the tree and its pot (to enhance
the style), or it can be in opposition to
mute a display. For example, a very dense
bonsai with multiple curves in an elabo-
rately decorated pot calls for a table with
simple lines to offset the display and to
allow the viewer to concentrate on the
At a height of
tree. “When there is too much to see, the 40 cm (15¾ in.),
eye is distracted and misses the essential this unassuming
elements,” Pascal Houdusse commented. piece is waiting
for a shohin
Starting with a photo cascade.
Dimensions:
Tables with a “ladder” design are tradi- 150 x 150 x 400
tionally associated with deciduous trees. (H.) mm (6 x
Cascade styles are best suited to a high, 6 x 15¾ in.).
round or square display table. A bonsai
with a slender trunk, such as a literati, is
usually displayed on a plaque of precious
wood with carved edges called “jita”.
To determine the type of table to suit
a tree, Pascal works from a photograph,
and the measurements of the tree and
of the pot.
In the end, there are as many objective
features as there are subjective to take
into account when deciding the dimen- A dancer’s pretty feet
sions of a table.  for this round table.
#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 73
Ikebana
Sogetsu

 Free styles are taking on a conceptual form

in the West, as artists evolve more towards lines,
while in Japan it is more about massing.

When flower
arranging gets
conceptual
Author: Soazic Le Franc

The Sogetsu school has always de-

fined itself as a modern school of ikebana, and it is
one of the most recent. As Sofu Teshigahara, who
founded the school in 1927, said: “It leaves plenty
of space for its practitioners to be subjective in how
they create freestyle arrangements.”
There have been three Iemoto since Sofu. There
are still a few people following his teaching from
when it was brought to France, and it has consid-
erably evolved since then through Kasumi, Hiroshi
and Akane. The latter has now been in charge of the
school for almost twenty years, and the magazines
that we receive as members of the teachers’ asso-
ciation have got us used to her style. Akane works
with linear plant forms, combined with flower and
foliage masses, in opaque glass containers. This ten-
dency is somewhat surprising to those who studied
 Springtime
Western flower arranging in the 1990s, when the Everything seems calm and simple for the advent of spring. The
juxtaposition of masses – albeit more compact ones Mahonia and the sublime Magnolia stellata for this vertical nageire
– was very fashionable. It seems that ikebana is being no.3 are both from the garden. Arrangement by Soazic Le Franc.
Westernised; although we must all abide by the guide-
lines from Tokyo for the art of flower arranging, there
is a difference of approach between the Japanese and Once this stage is past and you are up and running,
Westerners. you can practise free styles: these are mainly based
on lines and masses. Around Akane there is a team
Precise lines of Grand Masters who help her to prepare booklets
The foundations of the Sogetsu approach lie in of model arrangements that we have to study before
observing the heaven–human–earth triad in arrange- teaching them, and this has somewhat shaken up the
ments, which we call variations: 15°, 45°, 75°, great freedom that was initially given by our school.
vertical or diagonal, moribana or nageire – these are We have to work hard to develop these guidelines
the pillars around which some 32 variations are based. while adding our own style.
While the choice of material is down to the student or Out of sight, out of mind: some Westerners follow
master, it is dependent on the season and geograph- this trend, while others do not at all and go much
ical location. We understand this period of study as further – sometimes too far – in their choices. Our
akin to learning musical scales. Western spirit, which is Cartesian in the sense that

74 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93
  Exuberance
Arrangement based on the Akane style: camellia masses in flower,
wild pinks, azalea and pittosporum, all in varying shades of red,
the theme of the class having been monochrome. Arrangement
by Nicole Sanseau, Asphodelinh studio, Sarzeau, France.

 Soaring Upwards
This composition of lines and masses is based on a model
in the school’s Booklet No.3. Breton talent has given it the
lines of butcher’s-broom, the rhododendron flower and
the “Nana” pine underlining the bloom. Arrangement by
Anne-Marie Le Floch, Asphodelinh studio, Sarzeau, France.

everything must be clear, straightforward and as

intended, is expressed in most modern arrangements,
which are constructed along precise lines and with a  Soushun
focal point of flowers and leaves, all occupying space (Early Spring)
in three dimensions. Lines of eucalyptus
intertwined with yellow
Phormium, and a lily as
Disappearing focal points a focal point between
We are used to a pattern whereby creativity is the one-third and
exercised above all through the choice of the gen- two-third points of the
eral line – which may be made of any sort of plant vertical line: this modern
matter, metal, plastic, paper etc. This line expresses composition from 2008
could not be more
the season or the mood of the day by the direction classic. Arrangement
that is chosen: verticals signify strength; diagonals, by Soazic Le Franc.
dynamism; horizontals, solidity.
Not to beat about the bush, from one modern
arrangement to another, an artist will evolve by sim- To sum up conceptual art in just a few words: it is
plifying lines, or shifting or removing focal points, about knowing how to enter the fourth dimension!
which will lead them towards a conceptual approach Given that the Sogetsu school holds the position of
where expression is the main dimension. This is what “most modern school”, it is strange not to hear the
we Westerners seem to be favouring at the moment. word “abstract” which currently defines a direction
So, for the Japanese, who are close to the school’s in the Ikenobo school. Following an experiment with
leaders, conceptual art is expressed more through my Western flower-arranging students a few years
mass, while in the West it is expressed through line. ago, I replaced this word with the term “conceptual”
This difference is evident for all to see on social media. – a subject that I will soon elaborate on. 

#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 75
Ikebana
Ohara

 A new rose has found a name: Marcel Vrignaud, after the
Grand Master of ikebana. Here is the story of how this beauty
was created, and of the encounter that led to its name.

In the name of my rose

Author and arrangements: Marcel Vrignaud

On 2 July 2016, amidst ten thousand

rose plants in a 4-hectare (10-acre) rose garden called
Les Chemins de la Rose in Doué-la-Fontaine, in the
Maine-et-Loire department of western France (well
worth a detour for the visit), a rose was baptised with
my name: Marcel Vrignaud.
In the presence of around sixty invited guests, I had
the pleasure of putting together ten ikebana based
solely around the queen of flowers, accompanied by
sparkling wine from the Loire region with a dash of  The Marcel
rose syrup! Vrignaud
rose is an
Thanks to contact through several of my ikebana
old-style
students who collect roses, Jardirose, the rose produc- rose, a
ers who own the garden, agreed to grow and promote fragrant
this rose by including it in their vast collection. It once-
was all the outcome of an unlikely encounter with flowering
climber.
a rose breeder.

A hybrid of tea
In May 2014, at an ikebana seminar that I gave at
the Jardin des Plantes botanical garden in Le Mans
for a group of students from the area, the person in
charge introduced me to Jean-Pierre Vibert, a rose
breeder who is passionate about old roses from the
family of rose species that have never been developed
much because they are difficult to hybridise. These
days, with over two hundred creations to his name,
spread across about thirty species, he is a master of
the art of breeding roses. Mr Vibert then showed me
a photo of a rose that was a hybrid of tea, purple in
colour with a hint of fuchsia pink, a climber, and very
fragrant. This rose, which he had produced in June
2002, didn’t have a name yet.  A rose,
To my great astonishment, he suggested naming produced
by the rose
it after me. Having given it some thought, I accepted breeder Jean-
this great honour, in the light of my having spent more Pierre Vibert,
than five decades promoting and teaching ikebana now carries the
in many countries, and of my horticultural training. name of Marcel
To create all the beautiful rose varieties that we Vrignaud, a
Grand Master
see today, it took painstaking and fastidious work of the Ohara
from generations of rose breeders, who displayed school of
great passion, patience, perseverance and know-how. ikebana.

76 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93

 Prelude to the Dance
Variegated dogwood, silver ragwort, Hypericum, roses.
Beauty and fragrance
Hybridisation is the start of a long journey that lasts
about a decade, during which both natural selection
and a series of rigorous selections by the breeder play
 Taking Of
for the South
Fern, weigelia,
roses.
their part, for a rose plant that fulfils all the quality
standards.
This is how the “Victor Hugo”, “George Sand”,
“Mona Lisa”, “Marie Curie”, “Don Quichotte” and
“Centenaire de Lourdes” roses were born, and like-
wise others named after today’s household names,
such as (for the French) Line Renaud, Nicolas Hulot,
Pierre Arditi, Gérard Depardieu and Louis de Funès.
Roses are appreciated for their beauty and their fra-
grance, celebrated throughout the world by countless
poets and writers, and by painters for their colours.
The rose has become the “queen of flowers” in the
West, present in almost every garden and in many
flower arrangements, both Western and Japanese.
The rose has made its mark on history through its
symbolic value: in heraldry; in the language of flow-
ers; in the Catholic religion (the Holy Rosary); as a
national emblem (England, United States, Finland,
Romania …); in popular expressions – not a bed of
roses, smelling like roses, putting the roses back in
one’s cheeks …; in literature and poetry – Umberto
Eco’s The Name of the Rose, Robert Burns’s A Red,
Red Rose; in music and song; and in film. 
#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 77
Club and
Enthusiasts

Passion helped
them overcome
their dificulties. The
pleasure of sharing,
allows the members of
the Brocéliande Bonsaï
Club in Brittany to
cultivate good humour
as enthusiastically as
their trees.

Text: Cinthya Arenas

Photos: Brocéliande Bonsaï Club
 The Brocéliande Bonsai Club in Bréal-sous-Monfort, Brittany shares a
common passion in an atmosphere of good humour: posing with a superb
Japanese pine during a workshop and showing the pleasure of a job well done.

Nestled on the skirts

of the magnificent Brocéliande for-
est, the Brocéliande Bonsai Club in
Bréal-Sous-Monfort, in Ille-et-Vilaine
will celebrate its twentieth anniver-
sary in 2019.
Highs can follow lows, so one must
An ever-increasing
never give up and the Brocéliande
Bonsai Club is an excellent exam-
ple of this saying. “The pleasure
in sharing a common passion in a
and lasting passion
good-humoured atmosphere was
the club’s main characteristic for
many years. We then went through
a short turbulent period, which we
survived, and the better for our
experience, we were able to carry on
as before,” explained Tommy Faye,
 Alain
Bertrand
positions the
branches of
his larch.
BROCÉLIANDE BONSAÏ CLUB
who has been their president for
the last two years. Today the club is
stronger than ever and its values are
based on sharing and conviviality.
Former members
return
Today the club has about a dozen
members, aged between 35 and 80,
with the majority being between 40
and 60 years old. “We have an almost
equal ratio of men to women,” the
president explained. Patricia Breton,
the club’s first president, never left
the club, and the treasurer, Caroline
Lavaure, and Alain Bertrand, the sec-
retary, have also been members for
many years.
The club is oriented to better
welcome beginners. “We are always
very pleased to accept beginners
and to teach the basic techniques.
In addition, in return for a modest
sum, some club members will hand
over their surplus prebonsai trees
that they have prepared.”
Each member has their own level
of experience, as is the case with the
president. “I have had a passion for
bonsai since I was an adolescent 25
years ago.
It was a hobby to begin with, but
since 2015, I have devoted myself
to it full-time. And also, “some of
our former members have now
returned,” and new members are
joining up.
Indigenous species
Indigenous trees are at the heart
of the members’ work, but not exclu-
sively. “The trees worked on by club
members are very varied. They are
mostly local species such as beech,

78 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93

 Duc Nhat cleans and shapes his juniper.
hornbeam, field maple, and Scots
pine, but there are also several Jap-
anese species, Acer palmatum,
Japanese red pine and Japanese
black pine,” Tommy Faye told us.
As for the president, his passion is
for Japanese conifers, and a very
strong partiality for “goyomatsu
(Pinus parviflora). I am particularly
fond of the fine blueish needles that
some of them have, and their bark
is just fabulous.”
The club boasts several trainers.
“The principle of the club is to share
experience. We have two level-one
members, Patricia and Duc. Other
experienced members concern
themselves particularly with training
debutants.” However, the interven-
tion of outside instructors is equally
important. “From the beginning, the
club has drawn on the support of
the FFB (Fédération française de
 Pierre Anne’s meticulous
work on his Scots pine.
 Club members meet one Saturday every
month at the Jardins de Brocéliande. Shown Duc,
Danielle, Patricia and Hubert are present here.
bonsaï), particularly, the late Michel
Sacal, who was really the one to get
the club going from a technical point
of view, and from other professional
visiting instructors such as Oonuma
or Laurent Breysse.” The club still
wishes to call on more instructors,
in order to learn and improve.
An annual exhibition
The club’s members very soon
turned to a full day for their monthly
meetings, as it gave more time to
 A collective analysis of a beech belonging to Alain
work effectively on their trees. Bertrand, led by external tutor Jean-Bernard Gallais.
“Unless prevented by unforeseen
circumstances, we always meet on
the third Saturday of every month in
the splendid setting of the Jardins “There is no doubt that bonsai is
de Brocéliande (The Brocéliande a passion,” affirmed Tommy Faye,
gardens) with whom we have an who likes, as do the club members,
agreement.” The days always fol- “to see the trees evolve”. He also
low the same agenda. “We analyse likes to keep their naturalness and to
at least one tree, so that everyone live with them and to care for them
can express an opinion. After this, daily to ensure their good health.
the members work on their trees The goal is also perhaps, to display
and give each other advice.” them one day at an exhibition. 
The club is very active and every
year participates in events that
enable it to share its passion in
a convivial atmosphere. “The club
holds a yearly exhibition at the
beginning of June in the Jardins de
Brocéliande. In 2016 we hosted the
FFB’s regional exhibition.”
Useful information
Brocéliande Bonsaï Club (BBC)
On June 3 and 4 of this year,
Les Jardins de Brocéliande
the annual exhibition will give club
35310 Bréal-sous-Monfort, France
members the opportunity to dis-
Meeting: 3rd Saturday of the month,
play their trees and also to work in
9.00a.m.–5.00p.m.
front of the visitors to encourage
Email: broceliandebonsaiclub@protonmail.com
discussion and to trade plants, bon-
Facebook: broceliande bonsai club
sai, pots and tools.
#93 EspritBonsaiInternational - 79
 Bookshop Discover and enjoy our book selection
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80 - EspritBonsaiInternational #93
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My Ikebana La vie secrète Flora Japonica Le Japon des jardins Jardins
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Code : MYIKEBANA 49,00 € Code : VIESECRETE 29,90 € Code : FLORAJAP 35 € Code :JAPONJAR 28,00 € Code : PAYSAGES 12,90 €

112 p. – 13 x 1,3 cm

144 p. – 19 x 24 cm

27 8 cm
128 p. – 24 x 29 cm

96 p. – 14,2 x 20,5 cm

148 pp. – 21 x 27,8

Ikebana Ohara Reconnaître facilement Jardins japonais B
Bambous - Comment les LLes jardins japonais
A song of flowers les arbres par leurs feuilles choisir et les cultiver
c T
Traditionnels et contemporains
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C

144 p. – 14 x 21 cm
m
m
148 p. – 21 x 28,5 cm
146 p. – 21 x 29 cm

64 p. – 30 x 21,5 cm
160 p. – 18 x 24 cm

Ikebana PROMO PROMO

L'art floral au fil des Keshiki Bonsaï Les 30 plus beauxx Fleurs et arbress
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208 p.– 24 x 29 cm

156 p. – 21,5 x 27,5 cm

300 p. – 17 x 22 cm
m
224 p. - 21,5 x 24,5 cm
224 p. – 23 x 32,5 cm

Poetical Ikebana Niwaki et jardins japonais L taille des arbres

La Cultiver les plantes
Jardins d'hiver een nuage de Chine et du Japon
Code : IKEPOETIC 59,90 € Code : JARDHIVER 39,90 € Code : NIWAKIJJ 28,00 € Code : NUAGE
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112 p. – 24 x 28 cm

End 2018
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 May
2018
Featured in
the next issue
 Arcobonsai – a major
Italian exhibition
 The Sakkafu-Ten exhibition
– given by Japanese
bonsai professionals
 The 20th anniversary of
the the Quebec Society of
Bonsai and Penjing
 Interview with Japanese
master Mitsudo Matsuda
 Getting off to a good start
 First steps in pruning when
making a bonsai
 Treegazing
 In detail – Shaping
an azalea
 Shaping a mugo pine
 Constructing a bamboo
forest
 Good fertilising with
organic fertiliser
 Restructuring a shohin
Japanese black pine
 Re-imaging a tree
 To do this month
 Clubs and enthusiasts
 A tree stump becomes
a kusamono
 Potters and pots
 Ikebana
 Bonsai World Events
- Bonsai Clubs International world convention
- Bonsai Euro Top 30
- French bonsai federation convention
- European symposium of suiseki
October 12,13, 14, 2018

More than 240ktr

A unique event th
repeated in the co
in Europe.
ees
and 100 suiseill inot be
at w
ming decades
Once
in our lives !

A large market of
50 European The most beautiful trees in Europe, the most beautiful ishitsuki in France, the most beautiful
olive trees in Spain, the most beautiful trees from the JEKER School, the most beautiful
traders trees from the Albert KAHN Garden, exceptional forests, the best French suiseki,
the prestigious suiseki collection from Gudrun and Willy BENZ, the French school of
Ikebana Sogetsu, the kusamono of Othmar AUER.
And 20 demonstrators, a gala dinner in the most famous automobile museum in the world

For more information

and reservations
world-bonsai-mulhouse.fr
TENKEI

BONSAI
ASSOCIATION
Association Française BONSAI CLUB
des Amateurs de Suiseki DE MULHOUSE
ET ENVIRONS BELGIUM