Spotted in the Wild
Historical Facebook, Twitter, YouTube, and RSS posts previously curated by the club (2017–present). Not authored by the club — preserved here since the original source feeds no longer carry this history.
A tint of Vermilion with Irene Taylor
Irene Taylor is an award-winning documentary film director known for her intense pursuit of human stories that often push her films and their viewers to the edge of beauty and emotion. Irene’s film Leave No Trace broke…
Hornbeam Hysteria with Brandon Roberts and Brock Arvesen
In recent years Hornbeams have grown in appreciation within the bonsai realm. Yet, the more we love them, the fewer we see of them. This, like many topics, has been bouncing around the workshop at Mirai lately. So, on a…
Bonsai Time with Kevin Faris and Ryan Huston
There’s getting to know someone for the first time and the unveiling of personal stories and background that come with introductions; call it a familiarization of sorts. And then there are discussions with old friends…
Tradman's Bonsai #store #bonsai #tradman #japan #tokyo #marunouchi #bonsaitree
Serious about growing your own Bonsai trees? Then consider enrolling in one of our online Bonsai Courses, taught by expert teachers. For the curriculums and free lectures, go to: https://www.bonsaiempire.com/courses
Japanese Black Pine Styling: #2
Here’s another Japanese Black Pine with major choices ahead. Let’s take a look. A scruffy little Black Pine with a few promising lower branches and a lot of nothing halfway up. After several initial cuts the pine is…
Bonsai techniques: Literati design tips (Bunjin) by Shinji Suzuki
In this video, Shinji Suzuki talks about perhaps the most stunning bonsai style (and most challenging) - the Bunjin style (Literati). The video is part of a video series to celebrate Bonsai Empire's 25th anniversary. To…
Twin Trunk (Sōkan): The Quiet Conversation Between Two Trees
In bonsai, some styles announce themselves immediately. Cascades dramatise gravity, literati defy it, and formal uprights project an almost architectural authority. The twin trunk style— Sōkan in Japanese—does something…
Artist Residency: Triskele Collective at Bonsai Mirai | Bristlecone to Kiln
Triskele Collective x Bonsai Mirai: wood-fired bonsai ceramics inspired by ancient bristlecone pines (White Mountains + Yosemite). A residency with Tom Benda, Andrew Pearson, and Thor Holvila, guided by Ryan Neil,…
Full-Moon Maple Development & Reshaping After Falling
I like the Full-Moon maple, Acer japonicum, which is native to Japan and Korea. It is a similar to the widely popular Japanese maple, Acer palmatum, which is also native to Japan, Korea China and Russia. The Full-Moon…
Bonsai techniques: Reducing leaf size on Bonsai by Rafael Torres
In this video, Rafael Torres answers the question; How to reduce the size of leafs on a Bonsai? The video is part of a video series to celebrate Bonsai Empire's 25th anniversary. To boost your learning journey, consider…
Japanese Black Pine Styling
Last week we took a look at this leggy Black Pine. The pine reminded me of a crane. Taking off with its long neck stretched out. It won’t be a good bonsai with such wings. So they need to be tucked in. And that neck is…
Bonsai techniques: Growing Maple bonsai from cuttings by Nik Rozman
In this video, Nik Rozman talks about growing Maple bonsai from Cuttings. The video is part of a video series to celebrate Bonsai Empire's 25th anniversary. To boost your learning journey, consider enrolling in one of…
Amazing Bonsai #miniature #art #livingart #bonsai #tree
Serious about growing your own Bonsai trees? Then consider enrolling in one of our online Bonsai Courses, taught by expert teachers. For the curriculums and free lectures, go to: https://www.bonsaiempire.com/courses
Pruning flowering quince
I usually aim to prune flowering quince such as boke, toyonishiki, or chojubai in fall after most of the leaves turn color and begin to fall off. In recent years, however, my garden has lacked the cold required to make…
How Kaizen May Be Applied To Bonsai
In the 1930’s engineer Walter Shewhart developed the Plan-Do-Study-Act (PDSA) cycle of work. This inspired Taiichi Ohno in the late 1940’s with the idea of kaizen , a manufacturing mindset of continual, incremental…
Taikanten Bonsai exhibition 2025, Kyoto
The long-format video of the Taikan-ten 2025, held in November in Kyoto. The Taikanten is one of Japan's leading Bonsai exhibitions, with an incredibly high level of Bonsai trees on display. The best of show is awarded…
Bonsai techniques: Backbudding on Pine Bonsai by Koji Hiramatsu
In this video, Koji Hiramatsu talks about how to get bonsai pines to back bud. The video is part of a video series to celebrate Bonsai Empire's 25th anniversary. To boost your learning journey, consider enrolling in one…
New bonsai season begins
As we step into 2026, a new bonsai season awaits us. Winter has finally arrived, bringing below-freezing temperatures that play an essential role in the life cycle of our trees. This cold period helps them enter deep…
2025 Blooper Reel
To continue with tradition, here is the year’s photographic odds and ends. Hope you enjoy. It’s always best to start things off with a chicken, if you have one. This one was drinking water drops off my glass doors. Your…
Winning Bonsai trees #ppbi #wbff #bonsai #bonsaiempire
Serious about growing your own Bonsai trees? Then consider enrolling in one of our online Bonsai Courses, taught by expert teachers. For the curriculums and free lectures, go to: https://www.bonsaiempire.com/courses
Bonsai techniques: Backbudding in Bonsai by Heike van Gunst
In this video, Heike van Gunst answers the question: how to get a bonsai to grow new buds and branches in specific places? The video is part of a video series to celebrate Bonsai Empire's 25th anniversary. To boost your…
Bonsai techniques: Bonsai substrates (for specific tree species) by Mauro Stemberger
In this video, Mauro Stemberger answers the question: What soil mixes are best for development and refinement for popular bonsai species? The video is part of a video series to celebrate Bonsai Empire's 25th…
Bonsai techniques: Developing Pine Bonsai from scratch by Jonas Dupuich
In this video, Jonas Dupuich talks about how to develop a pine bonsai from scratch. The video is part of a video series to celebrate Bonsai Empire's 25th anniversary. To boost your learning journey, consider enrolling…
Transforming Korean Hornbeam: Cutback, Wiring, Ramification (Long-Form Lesson)
Korean hornbeam (Carpinus turczaninowii) bonsai progression—a full, 1h19m working session charting a tree’s recovery, structural reset, and refined design. We cover collaborative problem-solving, branch adjustment…