Here’s a compilation of all the works created during my monthly bonsai and penjing classes throughout this year.
I’ve been so busy lately that I often miss taking photos when the plants are at their peak.
The photos are even more casual than usual this year, so I hope you’ll be forgiving.
Also, I forgot to write dates in my notes, so there might be some mix-ups.
This year’s rainy season was abnormal - it started earlier than usual and was immediately followed by a few days of sudden intense heat right after it ended.
During this brief period, 2-3 bonsai suffered serious damage, but other than that, I think I managed to grow them well.
January
I had to skip class due to sudden temperature changes that affected my health.
February
Fuji Cherry
When I consulted with my teacher about cherry trees not growing well every year, I received this one that had a thick branch cut in a dogleg shape due to disease.
From the opposite side, you don’t notice it at all, and the way the branches grow as if flowing to the left is nice.
Pussy Willow from Shimanto River
Yatsufusa Cherry (a variety of Fuji Cherry)
The pussy willow flowers are still flowers even like this. It shows the fascinating nature of plants.
March
Japanese Larch
Sakhalin Fir
Although they’re pines, they’re not evergreen, so they shed their needles in winter.
April
Miyama Kirishima (Kyushu Azalea)
From here, it will become more beautiful by spreading the branches radially over many years.
The rock is apparently Mt. Fuji lava, and has a very nice color.
May
Japanese Maple
Conandron (Rock Tobacco)
Hosta
Since the maple likes sunlight, I placed it where it could get even a little sun during the rainy season, but due to the sudden end of the rainy season mentioned earlier, the Conandron suffered in just two days…
The others survived the winter well. However, I couldn’t see the autumn colors.
White Forsythia
Beautiful white flowers bloomed just as the name suggests.
Since branches grow in various directions, I’m wondering what shape to create.
Camellia
June
I had to skip due to being extremely busy with the annual app survey reaching its peak.
July
Japanese Zelkova
Japanese Maple
Unfortunately, my favorite maple couldn’t survive the winter, so I received a new one.
August
Chinese Juniper
Daphne
Velvet Sekisho (Japanese Sweet Flag)
I learned that it’s important to consider which direction to extend them.
The Daphne will be extended to the left, the Chinese Juniper downward.
September
I forgot to keep records.
Only a note remains that it was a smaller bonsai.
October
Narrow-leaf Maple
Trident Maple
I learned how to maintain the petrified Tokiwa Fern (cat’s paw) that I had made in a previous class.
Ferns have interesting leaf shapes, and since they prefer shade, they lose vigor if you fuss over them too much or water them excessively, which is also interesting.
I heard there are people who only do fern bonsai.
When you look at mountains, the way ferns grow is distinctive and interesting.
November
The Chinese Juniper I received previously had grown quite bushy, so my teacher improved its appearance.
I called it “the forest.”
Amazing… this is bonsai…
Apparently, it’s important to decide what to showcase. In this case, it’s the undulating trunk. My teacher created this shape over many years when the branches were still thin and bendable.
Personally, I like the whitish parts of the trunk (apparently not shari/deadwood).
After pruning, the color of the foliage will deteriorate quite a bit as it gets colder, but it will become healthy again between April and May.
December
Adonis (Pheasant’s Eye)
The roots are apparently highly poisonous. They were purple in color and so fragile that they would easily break with just a light touch.
While we often think of plants as having lush green leaves in summer, the Adonis completely disappears by summer.
