Tag Archives: bonsai

Saikei—Build a Garden on a Rock.

“Saikei” is a Japanese art form that involves “a garden on a flat surface.” This art form usually involves bonsai, but it can lead to an intriguing chain of experiments. In early 2018 I found and joined a Facebook group entitled “The art of Saikei.” Members of the group showed me many beautiful pictures and […]

Plant a bonsai on a mountain side in a shallow dish

A friend gave my wife a beautiful small bonsai dish and then a few weeks later, the same friend presented me with a carefully-chosen small evergreen that was well shaped and only needed a touch up to become an excellent bonsai starter. The plant is chamaecyparis obtusa nana lutea The dish was rather shallow and […]

Trucking Buddies Stumble Upon a Bonsai Show

Dekie was studying the road atlas. She said, “Look, here’s a mention of what looks like a small botanical garden. Maybe it would be fun.” We had spent the night in Nashville on our way back to Georgia from the trip to Iowa—not because it was Nashville, but because it was a good place to […]

Before and After—Revisiting the Sites of Articles Past

Before and after. Here are some pictures of my visitations during the first week of December, 2013 and the links to the articles that tell about the inception of the projects.

Turn Overgrown Front Door Plants Into Nice Topiaries

Sylvia had asked me to deal with the plants by her front entrance some time ago. It seems that the blue point junipers were getting a bit out of hand. I like blue points but they take either a lot of room or a lot of care. There’s definitely not much room in this yard. […]

Pruning for Betty. Japanese Maples, Topiaries and Bonsai

I got a text message the other day saying that the Japanese maples needed pruning. I had been expecting this so I shifted my schedule around, sharpened my Felco pruning shears, grabbed my camera and headed out. Betty has been a special friend and client for a number of years. She has also been a […]

Pruning a Japanese maple

Japanese maples are special and as such they require special treatment. They are such cute little trees when we plant them but after a while they get much larger. It is a matter of personal preference as to whether the tree looks better in its natural state or whether it is more desirable to prune it. I am generally of the latter opinion.

Foundation planting with containers

  Today’s article is about what I call a “Barbie Doll Garden.”  Here’s the story: One of my favorite clients for a number of years is very easy to please as long as she gets ­exactly what she wants.  The problem is that I sometimes have to get really creative to reach that goal.  I spent […]