Robert Baran: Inside Bonsai’s Past & Present History - Bonsai Time Podcast Ep51

In Vivo Bonsai Announcements/Upcoming Events in Columbus

• NEXT WORKSHOP 01/17/2025 - Bonsai on Tap - Intro to Indoor Bonsai at Nocterra Brewing in Powell (all are welcome!). More details and sign up here.
• I've added many new pots available for sale. Find them here or at invivobonsai.etsy.com, but generally, if you contact me directly, I can give you a discount from what is listed there. Each Etsy listing comes with free US shipping. I am in the process of adding more trees to my website here also, so stay tuned and check back.
• NEXT Columbus Bonsai Society meeting: Bonsai Deadwood Styles, Mechanisms, and Methods - 01/18/2026. More info here. Presentation, discussion of member trees, and potential demonstration by yours truly.

I. Episode Summary & Links

            In this episode of the Bonsai Time Podcast, Kevin and Ryan sit down with Robert Baran, one of the world’s most respected bonsai historians and researchers. Robert shares the stories behind decades of archived bonsai knowledge and how he built Magiminiland.com into a global resource for miniature tree history. The conversation explores how bonsai traveled across cultures, how early masters shaped the art, and why preserving bonsai history is more important than ever. You’ll hear Robert reflect on his personal journey, his passion for research, and the untold stories that shaped the bonsai world. This episode is a must-listen for anyone who loves bonsai, history, and the deeper meaning behind miniature trees.

YouTube version is here!

 The podcast version of Episode 51 is here!⁠

Guest Info:

            Robert Baran is the bonsai historian and researcher behind the most comprehensive publicly available bonsai archive linked below, which he is continually adding to. He has also written several articles and contributed to books on this subject.⁠

• ⁠MagiMiniland.org⁠
• Robert also has a ⁠YouTube channel⁠ with a few interviews.
• Robert's various books and book contributions can be found ⁠here⁠.

Sponsor Info:

            This episode is sponsored by our co-host via the Kevin Faris moving sale of bonsai pottery, tools, and trees. View these items at In Vivo Bonsai of Columbus, Ohio, USA in-person, or online (shipping available) at ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠invivobonsai.etsy.com⁠⁠⁠⁠, or go to ⁠⁠⁠⁠⁠www.InVivoBonsai.com⁠ and navigate to the consignment ⁠pottery⁠ and ⁠tree⁠ pages.

For Etsy sales, there is currently a 10% off Black Friday/Cyber Monday deal with the code CYBER25.

Mailbag submissions/Community:

• NEW BT DISCORD Chat
• BT Facebook Group

Support the Pod:

            Anytime you listen, subscribe, rate us, or share us with friends you help keep us motivated to keep making episodes for you all! If you want to take it to the next level, you can also help keep the podcast going by donating to us or by sponsoring an episode (contact us directly for that). All donations go back into the podcast such as for our web hosting, recording gear expenses, etc.

See the relevant images and links from this episode below.

From Trash to Treasure: Origin of the Waterfront Botanical Garden - Bonsai Time Podcast Ep46 Part1

In Vivo Bonsai Announcements/Upcoming Events in Columbus

• I have a number of consignment trees and pots for sale. These are from CBS members who moved away including my friend Kevin from the Bonsai Time Podcast. Trees up to moderate size I now ship within the USA with some potential limitations by state laws. Contact me for a shipping estimate or to arrange a visit in person in Columbus or for drop off at or on the way to a local bonsai show I will be attending (DC, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Cinncinatti).
• June 18, 6-9pm. Clip and Grow Styling for Succulent Bonsai - Lecture and Workshop with Central Ohio Cactus and Succulent Society.
• This is my next lecture/workshop here in Columbus. Since the Central Ohio Cactus and Succulent Society are already knowledgeable on succulent growing, for this educational day I will focus first on discussing styling via clip and grow. I will share some examples from Brucera (Frankincense), Jade, Dwarf Jade, and others so you can see the technique in action over time. Then you will get the opportunity to plant and style your own succulent bonsai. Species available include jade, gollum jade, dwarf jade, and others. Facebook event is here. Sign-up info coming soon.
• July 19-20. Columbus Bonsai Society Annual Show!
• Details coming soon but there will be vendors, workshops, and great trees! Facebook event here.

I. Episode Summary & Links

            In this episode, Kevin, Kelly, and Ryan sat down with Megan Bibelhauser of the Waterfront Botanical Garden and Russel Stevens of Twisted Nature Bonsai in Louisville, Kentucky. Among other things, in Part 1 we discussed how the Waterfront Botanical Garden was founded only 5 years ago and their major events. Then in Part 2, we focused on their new bonsai training program, bonsai collection, and Japanese garden that is under construction.

The YouTube version of Episode 46 is here!

The podcast version of Episode 46 is here!⁠

The YouTube version of Episode 47 (Part 2) is here!

The podcast version of Episode 47 (Part 2) is here!⁠

The Bonsai That Survived Hiroshima — and What It Teaches Us, Bonsai Time Podcast Ep 45

In Vivo Bonsai Announcements/Upcoming Events in Columbus

• I have a number of consignment trees and pots for sale. These are from CBS members who moved away including my friend Kevin from the Bonsai Time Podcast. Trees up to moderate size I now ship within the USA with some potential limitations by state laws. Contact me for a shipping estimate or to arrange a visit in person in Columbus or for drop off at or on the way to a local bonsai show I will be attending (DC, Louisville, Pittsburgh, Cinncinatti).
• June 18, 6-9pm. Clip and Grow Styling for Succulent Bonsai - Lecture and Workshop with Central Ohio Cactus and Succulent Society.
• This is my next lecture/workshop here in Columbus. Since the Central Ohio Cactus and Succulent Society are already knowledgeable on succulent growing, for this educational day I will focus first on discussing styling via clip and grow. I will share some examples from Brucera (Frankincense), Jade, Dwarf Jade, and others so you can see the technique in action over time. Then you will get the opportunity to plant and style your own succulent bonsai. Species available include jade, gollum jade, dwarf jade, and others. Facebook event is here. Sign-up info coming soon.
• July 19-20. Columbus Bonsai Society Annual Show!
• Details coming soon but there will be vendors, workshops, and great trees! Facebook event here.

I. Episode Summary & Links

In this episode, Kevin, Kelly, and Ryan discuss how we can better preserve history through our bonsai and elevate them into an ambassador role between cultures and places. Kevin was specifically thinking about the famous Yamaki White Pine Bonsai that survived an atomic bomb and was later gifted by Japan to the US National Bonsai Museum. This tree has a powerful presence for all those who visit it. Likewise, Kevin compared it to his recent visit to the Hiroshima Peace Memorial Museum in Japan and the powerful impression that place leaves on visitors as well.

The YouTube version of Episode 45 is here!

The podcast version of Episode 45 is here!⁠⁠⁠⁠

Sponsor Info: 

This episode is sponsored by the Waterfront Botanical Gardens 3rd Annual Bonsai Weekend in Louisville, Kentucky. Details at BonsaiWeekend.com. Come visit Kentucky's newest botanic garden and see what's growing with the Greater Louisville Bonsai Society. The show will feature guest judge Owen Reich, bonsai workshops, demonstrations, cultural activities, food and drink, koi fish on display from the Louisville Koi Society, and an expanded selection of vendors for all your bonsai needs. I'll be there too, and I hope to see you there May 30th-June 1st. Tickets are on sale now at ⁠BonsaiWeekend.com⁠.

Support the Pod:

            Anytime you listen, subscribe, rate us, or share us with friends you help keep us motivated to keep making episodes for you all! If you want to take it to the next level, you can also help keep the podcast going by donating to us by sponsoring an episode (contact us directly for that). All donations go back into the podcast such as for our web hosting, recording gear expenses, etc.

See the relevant images and links from this episode below.

13 Tips for Juniper Bonsai Styling and Care

Source material: May 19, 2024

            This week I have another post with species-specific tips - this time for juniper bonsai! These are tips from my experience working with and digging this genus, although my experience is still limited. Therefore, as with the last post on Alberta spruce, I also am incorporating here a few tips from online sources, discussions, and club presentations from other knowledgeable folks such as Kevin Faris, Hugo Zamora, Jonas Dupuich, Eric Schrader, and Julian Tsai. Check out their work if you are hungry for more juniper bonsai information! After the 13 tips, I also share a few sample juniper bonsai that Kevin and I have styled and explain how the tips we are using relate to the styling actions taken on these trees. This quick baker's dozen worth of tips is NOT meant to be exhaustive but still I hope this article gets you thinking about this unique and popular bonsai type and hopefully improves your care and styling outcomes no matter your starting point. And for those of you who consider yourself advanced in the realm of juniper bonsai, I challenge you to think of your own tips that I missed and add them to the comments! Maybe I'll revisit the subject and cite those other suggestions someday.

Sections:

1. Tips for Healthy Juniper Bonsai
1. Sunlight, Growing Environment, Yamadori/Digging Aftercare
2. Pruning, Styling
3. Tips for Juniper Aesthetics
2. Juniper Styling Examples - Tips in Action
1. Kevin's Juniperus chinensis 'shimpaku' styled during Hugo Zamora workshop
2. My Juniper procumbens Before and After also styled at the May CBS Hugo Zamora Workshop
3. Shimpaku Juniper Styled by Hugo Zamora
3. Remaining J. procumbens available for 6/29/24 workshop. Only 1 spot left!
1. Intermediate Juniper Styling Workshop Material
2. Beginner Yew Styling Workshop Material

In Vivo Bonsai / Columbus Bonsai Announcements

1. My next workshop is Saturday 6/29, Kevin Faris and I will be teaching beginner-intermediate bonsai styling and care for junipers and yews. For the intermediate level, the junipers we have are unique, aged material (20 years old+), meanwhile for the beginner level we have some nursery stock yews which are flexible to a variety of styles. Sign up and see pictures and full details here and contact me with any questions! There are only 1 spot left and observers are welcome.
2. See my yews, boxwoods, barberries, and consignment trees available in Columbus or with potential delivery to nearby states' bonsai events. Or, contact me to make an appointment at my nursery sometime and see the full and ever-changing selection of seed-grown prebonsai and local yamadori/collected material.
3. The Columbus Bonsai Society's next meeting is 7/20-7/21, our 52nd Annual Show. This year it will be held at a new venue - Chadwick Arboretum at Ohio State University near downtown Columbus. More info will be coming this week and can be found here.

A shimpaku juniper styled by Hugo Zamora in May, 2024 as a demonstration for the Columbus Bonsai Society. Read on for juniper bonsai care and styling tips!

Aussie Natives and Bonsai as Art with Hugh Grant - Bonsai Time Podcast Ep 14

In today's interview, we had the honor of hosting Hugh Grant from Australia who came on to share his story and thoughts on the evolution of bonsai in Australia and around the world. Hugh explained how his background as an art student led him to study at Bonsai Mirai and shapes how he thinks about modern bonsai displays. Hugh also taught Ryan and Kevin about the diversity of Australian ecosystems and the native trees and yamadori there which make for decent bonsai once you learn their quirks! Hope you enjoy and get as much out of this talk as we did.

See the interview in the Youtube video below, or find us on your favorite podcast app. Also, scroll below to find the show notes for this episode including pictures of Hugh's work with Australian native bonsai that we were discussing in the interview. Bonsai On!

Hugh's website

Hugh's Instagram

Insights into the Bonsai Art of Michael Hagedorn - Bonsai Time Podcast Ep 13

In the thirteenth episode of the Bonsai Time Podcast, the renowned Portland, OR-based ceramicist and bonsai artist Michael Hagedorn joined Kevin and Ryan to discuss his time as a Japanese bonsai apprentice, his apprenticeship program in the US, his floating shore pine display in the Pacific Bonsai Expo, his unique invisible slab style plantings, and more! Enjoy the interview!

See the interview with relevant pictures in the Youtube video below, or find us on your favorite podcast app and refer to this show notes page with useful pictures and links regarding what we were discussing in the interview. Bonsai On!

You can help keep the podcast going by supporting us. All donations go back into the podcast such as for our web hosting, recording gear expenses, etc. Even $1/month would be a great help!

⁠https://podcasters.spotify.com/pod/show/bonsaitimepodcast/support

First Year Reflections for the Bonsai Time Podcast - Ep 12

            In today's episode of the Bonsai Time Podcast, Ryan and Kevin reflect on their journey from 2022 including their learning curve in starting the podcast. They also covered what they are looking forward to for 2023 with the podcast, their bonsai gardens, and the local bonsai clubs they are involved in.

See the video interview on YouTube.

Or find the podcast in your podcast apps and on Anchor.fm.

On the Road with Mark Passerrello - Bonsai Time Podcast Ep 08

            In the eighth episode of the Bonsai Time Podcast, my co-host Kevin recorded an interview with CBS president and local potter Mark Passerrello while they were en route to a bonsai workshop. Kevin and Mark went over how Mark found himself in the world of bonsai, his approach to bonsai ceramics, and building confidence in a world full of imposter syndrome as he started his business Ancient Art Bonsai. Mark now regularly sells the pots he makes at local Columbus art events as well as accent plants and bonsai trees for beginner audiences (see pictures below). Kevin and Mark also discussed their experiences with bonsai clubs and how clubs could be made more welcoming to new members as well as Mark's gentle approach to catching the interest of the public during outreach events. Enjoy!

            Mark is one of several prominent bonsai artists who will be in attendance & vending at the upcoming Columbus Bonsai Society 50th Annual Show taking place in September. See here or www.columbusbonsai.org for more information.

Listen to the episode on Youtube.

Or, listen to the episode in your podcast app of choice.