Case Study - First Styling of a "Naturalistic Deciduous" Yardadori Privet

             The 51st Columbus Bonsai Society is fast approaching! Alongside preparing for my first time vending at our local show, and moving my house and bonsai nursery last weekend, I had time to squeeze in a quick styling of this yardadori privet for my donation to the CBS Raffle. There's still much to do so today I will briefly share the backstory of this tree, nuances I associate with naturalistic deciduous bonsai, and show you the before and after. The reason I am sharing this tree, in particular, is that it is an excellent case study of what we will be doing in my "naturalistic deciduous privet yamadori styling" workshop on Sunday afternoon, 3-5pm at the show. If you'd like to sign up for that workshop, you can do so here. I'll also be teaching a beginner indoor bonsai workshop on Saturday, 3-5pm; final spots are available at here. You can also see the other available workshops and more details on the show here. If you purchase any workshop later than Tuesday, 7/25/23, be sure to bring proof of purchase (your email receipt) to the show for workshop check-in.

Final view. Even I was surprised with how much I liked it afterward. Compare below to the humble starting material.

Repotting Scenarios for a Shohin Privet and Intro to Bonsai Soil

Source Material: March 02, 2023

             Welcome back bonsai enthusiasts, today I share a short article focused on a recent repot which illustrates some larger questions we must ask for our trees to look their best. Where should I position my tree in the pot? To the center? To the left? To the right? How do I want the nebari/root flare to look given the options the tree provides? Read on for a closer look at the unique challenges and character of this tree, think through what you would have done if it was your tree, and feel free to share those ideas in the comments below.

Sections:

1. Reviewing Repotting Basics
1. Previous Posts on Repotting
2. Intro to Bonsai Soil
3. An Akadama Substitute?
2. History of the Tree
3. Nebari Decisions
4. Planting Position - What Fits Best?
5. Final Result
6. Announcements

The final product of our repot. March 2023. The pot is from Ancient Art Bonsai by Mark Passerrello.

Making the "Glory to Ukraine, Peace to Ukraine! / Слава Україні, мир Україні!" Bonsai Display

         Like the rest of the world, I was shocked and saddened to watch the invasion of Ukraine unfold in the last 11 days. Although exact numbers are hard to pin down in such a rapidly-evolving situation, early reports indicate that at least 10,000 soldiers on both sides and untold hundreds of civilians have already fallen in this war; meanwhile, over one million people have fled the country in this brief time (Miami Herald, Axios). Putin's self-interest cannot be placed above the rights of the Ukrainians to their lives, their democracy, and their freedoms. While the Ukrainian people are doing the most to maintain their freedom and stop Putin's aggression, many people around the world already understand the importance of this crisis and have taken to the streets in protest, opened their homes to refugees, traveled to Ukraine to volunteer, and donated to charities in support of the Ukrainian people. Although I am an ocean away from Ukraine, I hope these bonsai displays below will cause you to reflect on what you can do to help. For my part, I will be donating 10% of my bonsai seed sales to charities in Ukraine. At the links below you can also contribute directly to the National Bank of Ukraine in support of humanitarian aid or in support of their defense forces. 

Donate Directly

1. National Bank of Ukraine Opens Fundraising Account for Humanitarian Assistance to Ukrainians Affected by Russia’s Aggression

Sections

1. Basics of Formal Bonsai Display/Three-Point Display
2. Objective of the "Glory to Ukraine, Peace to Ukraine! / Слава Україні, мир Україні!" Bonsai Display
3. Preparing the Tree
4. Presenting the "Glory to Ukraine, Peace to Ukraine! / Слава Україні, мир Україні!" Bonsai Display
5. Resource Recap