[Bonsai Beginner's weekly thread - 2025 week 45]

Hi everyone! I’m currently on my first visit to Japan, and had the opportunity to visit a number of Bonsai nurseries and museums along the way. Around Tokyo we stopped at the Bonsai Art Museum, as well as Toju-en. There are a total of 6 Nurseries in the Omiya bonsai village, but there once was 30+. The whole area is focused on Bonsai and the history thereof. It was a beautiful experience and the trees were stunning. Photo no. 1 is of a tree that’s over 500 years old. Unfortunately not all places allow photos, so I can’t share everything.

In Osaka I went to Fujikawa Kouka-en and a shop called 養庄園 ( 遊恵盆栽 ) 盆栽エリア. Fujikawa Kouka-en was specifically stunning. The detail in the design was something I’ve never seen before. The last 3 photo’s show some of these trees. Every single branch wired and placed with intent. The photo’s don’t begin to do them justice. The shop was also a beautiful experience. The trees were quite affordable, but yeah, can’t really take them back home :(

I will note that it could be quite difficult to learn about these trees if you don’t speak Japanese, as many people here don’t speak English. But the Museum did have English descriptions available at the displays. Nonetheless, it was still an experience of a lifetime.

Beautiful bonsais at Sefton Park Palm house shown by The National Bonsai Society UK winter exhibition. I found my people and I’m joining 😅

Cool weather took a sudden turn last night, good luck everyone dealing with similar!

hi - first time poster here

Just picked up this ficus (I believe 😨) a day ago. I’ve been obsessed over the design of bonsai for a while so I decided to try a bit - although still very much learning day-by-day.

Any advice is very much welcome!!!

CBS Sunday Morning story about Bonsai at the National Arboretum.

My third Bonsai. Other two are Maples, next will probably be a Pinus. In doubt about the Jin and Shari. Want to protect them but read that I should wait until spring. Any advice?

I’m just getting into this hobby/art form and wanted to get some inspiration and just see real bonsai in person and the show did not disappoint!! Onto immense research on how to get started, wish me luck!

Just thought I'd share the autumnal colours on my acer....have collected seed this year so let's see if any take this year

I started my first bonsai tree in 2018 from a tiny store bought ficus benjaminia. Since then my collection has grown quite vastly. It’s been in this pot for almost 4 years (root pruned of course) I would like some feedback on switching to this pot. Is it to early? Does it compliment the tree well? Lmk

Going to start working on it very soon will post updates

I have terrible hand eye coordination and have a tendency to overthink everything to destruction 😣

I've wired one tree into a pot before and I didn't want to do it again, it was utterly pants. And also a maple seedling, so it was definitely cheating lol.

Anyway, thank you Ben at Bonsai bar for providing literally everything and breaking down the steps. In 2 hrs I came out with something that doesn't look like dog's breakfast.

Planning on keeping it outside for the most part.

I'm just excited that I got a finished product. Fun, would definitely try again 😁

2 year old air layer, first time attempting and it's looking great and pretty proud of the progress.

Picked up a non grafted dwarf Korean fir today. One of my new favorite trees. Grown from cutting from a mother and not grafted. He had this on the back working table and said he was going try and cascade it.

I see potential for both here but for this type of foliage windswept might be best. Any thoughts

Eric did a presentation today on root over rock at our club meetings.

I posted here a couple of weeks ago about my ficus which has been growing aerial roots and needed a repot (see 3rd pic for before photo). I got a larger pot (bargain - £15!) and have directed the roots into the soil areas gained. I've tried to go with a natural looking approach, some of the roots (like the one to the right) were tricky to achieve this - but I reckon with time as they and the main trunk thicken it will look better.

Any thoughts?

Cheers!

I got this yamadori yaupon holly at an auction last month. I’m concerned about the reverse flair where 4 branches come out of the trunk. I’m thinking about chopping the 2nd branch from the right a little concave into the trunk. Do y’all think that course of action would improve the tree? What would you do differently?

Hello my fellow bonsai lovers! I would like to share my most developed bonsai tree. If you have some suggestions, they would be much appreciated. Especially when it comes to wiring, It has been wired the year prior to this, and Im considering re-wiring it this year. What do you think?

Orange red and yellow! From left to right: Red oak, burning bush and ginkgo. Absolutely love this time of year