BONSAI FOCUS 2015-6 EN PREVIEW

137/160
6/2015 Nov. / Dec.
English edition
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Edition Française
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Bonsai Focus
EDITORIAL
3
Who we are
Publisher
Bonsai Europe Publications
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www.bonsaifocus.com
Chief Editor:
Farrand Bloch
editor@bonsaifocus.com
The 'rocky' garden of David Benavente with some of his famous pines
Editorial staff:
English edition: Ann Scutcher
French edition: Patrick Bosc, Matthieu
Mavridis
German edition: Jörg Derlien
Dutch edition: Hein-Dik Barentsen
Italian edition: Erika Lakin
Spanish edition: Ana Ricart
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Issn UK: 1874 - 6853
Issn US: 1876 - 6137
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© Copyright 2015
Bonsai Europe, world rights reserved. No
part of this publication may be reproduced
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permission of the publisher.
Two Masters
David Benavente, whom I met last year during the Alcobendas show in Madrid, invited
me to see his bonsai garden. It was a short trip by car from the show to his garden
located in the mountains just outside Madrid. We drove up a winding road and slowly
the landscape changed; rocks and pines dominated the view and suburban towns
were left behind us. His garden was even more stunning, it had natural granite rocks
and a great collection of amazing trees. Time did not permit us to do a photoshoot
with him, so we decided instead that he would write an article for us. You can read it
in this issue, a styling with a grand yew, masterly done. 'It is a tree I fell in love with
right from the start,’ David explains. 'Together with my great help, Pablo Comesana,
who did the photography and artwork, we managed to capture the development of
this tree.' The result is stunning and we are hoping to feature David more often in our
magazine.
A new masterclass comes from Hotsumi Terakawa, a regular guest, with work on a
juniper that was being totally restyled in the clean, plain style so typical Hotsumi. The
tree has a very elegant winding shape crowned with an impressive piece of deadwood.
We feature another garden worth visiting, this time very close to Düsseldorf, Germany.
It contains the works of Werner Busch who is famous for his knowledge of native
trees. Find a selection of them in the gallery pages of this issue.
Enjoy the read,
Bonsai Focus has a co-operation with
Kinbon magazine, Kyoto, Japan
Translations:
Peter Warren
Farrand Bloch
Chief editor

4 Bonsai Focus
THIS ISSUE
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Beginner
Advanced
Expert
On the cover
Phillyrea
Height: 32 cm / 12".
Owner: Angelo Sartoriello.
Photo: Bonsai Focus Studio
6
6 The greatness in small things
The Bonsai Museum in Düsseldorf, Germany
8 Incredible skills
Craftsmen show off their skills and combine them with bonsai
12 Bonsai grooming
What to do after a long growing season
14 Life flows through the veins
Hotsumi Terakawa styles a juniper
14
22 Like a sponge
The bonsai passion of Milan Karpíšek.
24 Pyracantha shohin
Simple adjustments to a firethorn
30 Expert opinion
François Jeker analyses David Molin's Taxus baccata
32 Technique
Create lots of bonsai by air layering
38

Bonsai Focus
38 Gallery
A selection of the best trees from the Düsseldorf Museum
40 Step by step
Jean-Philippe Hoareau works on a small native pine
44 Webshop
Various products at special prices for subscribers
46 Masterclass with David Benavente
A huge Japanese yew caught David's eye.
58 No need to win
Rock plantings with accent plants
46
60 Maintaining beech
The best time to pinch for a beautiful branch setting
68 Gallery
A selection of the best trees from the Düsseldorf Museum
60
71 Tony's column
Tony Tickle asks how we can change the distorted perception of
bonsai
72 Sowing the seeds
The challenge to grow an elm from seed
78 The local beauty
The specially designed pots of Laurence and Gilles
8

Bonsai Focus
TRAVEL
7
Large display panels explain the history of bonsai
Cascade larch (Larix kaempferi)
Plenty of native trees to enjoy in the museum
Above: A massive field maple (Acer campestre)
Below: Overview of the exhibits
Larch (Larix kaempferi)
Where to find the Bonsai Museum
Address: Hammer Dorfstrasse 167,
40221 Düsseldorf, Germany
Tel: +49 211 306773
Open 1st March to 31st October:
Monday to Friday, 14:30 until 18:30.
Saturday and Sunday, 10:00 until 17.00.
From 1st November to 28th February: you can visit
the museum, but by appointment only.
More info: www.bonsai-museum.de
Or: www.bonsaiwerkstatt.de

12 Bonsai Focus
MAINTENANCE
Bonsai Grooming
What to do after a long growing season
How mechanism in the leaf retains sugar
Summer daytime
Sunlight
Sugar
Water
CO2
Carbon dioxide from the atmosphere is converted into sugars and
chlorophyll in the leaves is an essential part of that process
Text and photography: Kinbon magazine, Japan
Acer palmatum on Shikoku Island, Japan
Summer nights
Water
Beautiful autumnal colours
Acers are one of the most widely appreciated species in the
autumn when their foliage reminds us of the season. Trees in
nature will create very beautiful colours if they are given the
correct conditions and health; however, it is much more difficult
to achieve the same level in bonsai. It's impossible to control
every aspect of the tree, but here are a few tips for creating more
beautiful autumn colours.
Sugar
CO2
Sugar
Sugars are transported to other areas of the tree or used in respiration
The changing of colours occurs when the average temperature
is less than 7 degC / 44 degF for approximately two to three
weeks continuously. If the temperature drops below 5 degC /
41 degF this speeds up dramatically. The colour change of the
foliage to red, yellow or orange depends greatly on the sugar
content of the leaves, which is generated via photosynthesis.
Once the temperature drops down, demand for those sugars
also drops and they are retained by the leaves and change into
anthocyanin which creates the deep red colours. The higher the
concentration of sugar, the deeper the colour
Autumn night time
Sugar
Water
So as to create the most beautiful autumn colour, it's essential
to have the trees in full sun during the day and allow them to
cool down at night. This is especially important, so place trees
in a position where they will receive cool conditions at night,
without freezing, and a good air flow.
Corky membrane
CO2
Once we are into October, stop fertilising and, particularly in
urban areas, regularly wash foliage by misting during day-time
watering.
A corky membrane starts to form at the base of the leaf, stopping the
flow of sugars which remain in the leaf

Bonsai Focus
PROFILE
23
Pinus mugo
Which trees do you most like to
work on?
I prefer to work with pine and juniper.
From deciduous trees I love working
on Japanese maple or on European and
Japanese beech. For a long time now I've
chosen these varieties and try to learn
everything about them. It is clear to me
that the more varieties I grow, the less I'll
know about them. That's why I'm going
to concentrate on these four species that
fascinate me and which I really like.
Juniperus sabina
Juniperus sabina
Do you favour the Japanese or
Western bonsai style?
I prefer the Japanese style because of its
qualitative, precise and long-term work.
I do not like Western style, because it is
too fast and tries to imitate the Japanese
bonsai too quickly. The western trees miss
the so-called mochikomi — long term
maintenance.
“
Western trees miss the mochikomi
PInus sylvestris
Have you a favourite bonsai?
I don't really have a favourite tree. In
every tree I find something interesting.
What is your best achievement?
I came first in the new talent competition
in the Czech Republic and second place in
the New Talent Competition at the EBA,
Lorca, Spain 2009.
Assisting Seok Ju Kim during the Nöelanders Trophy in
January, 2015

38 Bonsai Focus
STEP BY STEP
Double loop
Jean-Philippe Hoareau works on a small, native-grown pine
Since he first appeared in our magazine, September
2014, JP's knowledge has grown tremendously — so
has his beard . . .
Text and photography: Bonsai Focus Studio
Home-grown scots pines from Giacomo
1
Pappalardo's nursery prove yet again to be
great material to work on. Jean-Philippe
Hoareau, or simply JP, leads you through
the styling process step by step
Analysing the tree
JP: 'I chose this pine from a big selection; I was attracted
by the looping trunk and the lower branch. These are
interesting features.'
JP: 'By plucking the tree's old needles you are already examining its options'
A 'blob' of branches
at the top
Interesting curves
Removing the old needles with fine
shears
The result after cleaning the
branches
Careful plucking
If you use your hands to pluck the
needles, pull out the needle pairs
with care by easing outwards, not by
ripping them backwards.
A very fine branch with plenty of
well-developed side branches

68 GALLERY
Bonsai Focus
Prunus
Bonsai Museum Düsseldorf
60cm | 23"
Larix kaempferi
Bonsai Museum Düsseldorf
55cm | 21"
Ligustrum
Bonsai Museum Düsseldorf
60cm | 23"

Bonsai Focus
NEWS
69
Artisans cup
sets new standard for a bonsai
exhibition
Randy Knight (left) Chelsea and Ryan Neil
During the weekend of the 25th tru 27th
this event, which was organised by Ryan
and Chelsea Neil, was held at the Portland
art museum in Oregon USA. Bonsai Focus
was there to witness this amazing show,
we will do a full report in the January issue,
but give you some preview photos of
the highlights
First prize Winner of the Artisans cup is Randy
Knight, with a rocky mountain juniper

Bonsai Focus
NEXT ISSUE
81
Issue 138 January / February
Very practical
Hints, tips, dos and don'ts to help improve your bonsai
Team work
Giacomo Pappalardo works on a sabina juniper together with
his team of students
Masahiko Kimura
The masterly touch of Kimura brings a juniper back to life
Satsuki on the rocks
Quite unusual to plant satsukis on rock — even more surprising
to make whole landscapes with them

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