Philosophy of Bonsai with Ryan Neil - Bonsai Time Podcast Ep 53

  In Vivo Bonsai Announcements/Upcoming Events in Columbus

• Over winter break, I started updating my Trees for sale page. You'll notice the tropical trees now have care guides by species, and I am adding more pictures of my outdoor trees for sale in the coming weeks. Outdoor trees are shippable immediately and tropical trees are too if requested, but it's a bit riskier and more costly to ensure they don't come damaged in winter. Otherwise, pick up locally in Columbus, or at my upcoming trips to Cincinnati and Ann Arbor bonsai clubs in February and April, respectively.
• I also have many pots for sale, see here. Easy to ship. If you listen to Bonsai Time Episode 54, you will also find a discount code.
• NEXT Columbus Bonsai Society meeting: Repotting Demonstration and Discussion by Bryan Six - 02/15/2026. All day at Franklin Park Conservatory.
• BONUS EVENT: Thursday February 2/19, 6-8pm, I will be presenting on local yamadori collection techniques for the Cincinatti Bonsai Society. We also intend to do a dig your own tree workshop on the following Saturday but if it is still snowy and cold, that is likely delayed to March.

 I. Episode Summary & Links

            Today’s episode is a special one! Your hosts Ryan Huston and Kevin Faris sat down with Ryan Neil of Bonsai Mirai, just outside Portland, Oregon. We dive into bonsai, life, apprenticeships, family, purpose through the art — and so much more. Enjoy and Bonsai on!

YouTube version is here!

 The podcast version of Episode 53 is here!⁠

Guest Info:

            Ryan Neil is already known by many in the bonsai world for his accomplishments, including serving a 6-year apprenticeship in Japan under the world-famous artist Masahiko Kimura. He then went on to found his garden and educational operation Bonsai Mirai which for years has done both in-person and live-streamed advanced bonsai education. He is one of the first and biggest players in the bonsai educational subscription content/community scene which has now evolved into an app most recently.

• Bonsai Mirai Website
• Bonsai Mirai YouTube
• Mirai Mobile App on Android and Apple

Sponsor Info:

            This episode is sponsored by Chris Meade of the Columbus Bonsai Society and 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.

Mailbag submissions/Community:

• NEW BT DISCORD Chat
• BT Facebook Group

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See the relevant images and links from this episode below.

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 the Melted Hemlock

Source material: April 2017

          Melted wood?? Yes, melted wood. How else do you describe this hunk of mountain hemlock below? As the Covid-19 virus spreads around me here in Seattle, I have some extra time to also call the melted mountain hemlock below the subject for this week's Throwback Thursday. Today's post is short, so if you're curious about how a tree can become as mangled as this one, read on. 

From this view, we can appreciate some of Dan's deadwood carving, which starts to look more natural as it  naturally weathers over time.

A Rocky Obsession

Source material: 2017, March-April

          To hardcore bonsai enthusiasts, our hobby really does become an obsession. I find myself constantly analyzing trees in my neighborhood considering their potential as a bonsai or looking at what patterns are in a full-sized tree to inspire my styling. However, that is not the obsession I am referring to in this post. My teacher - known to my friends as Bonsai Man Dan, known to the bonsai world as Dan Robinson - has a recent obsession with rock plantings. Over his 50+ years in bonsai, he has been a collector of great trees and rocks. Normally Dan values a powerful trunk above all else in bonsai design, and many of his bonsai are therefore liable to visually overpower a rock that on its own does have merit. Lately, though, Dan has expanded his usual "focal point bonsai" philosophy beyond visually impressive trunks and towards smaller, gnarly trees that might be okay on their own in a small pot, but which can become as powerful as his large-trunked trees when combined with a stunning rock. Below is one example we placed onto a rock this past spring that excited Dan the most. It should be striking to beginners in particular that the slender-trunked trees in this post (the sort of bonsai beginners have) are dramatically more captivating once transplanted into a worthy rock to create a scene as dramatic as a unique deadwood feature can be on a larger wild bonsai tree.

Sections:

1. The Juniper Forest
2. Tiny Chinese Elms
3. The Others

Dan's new favorite rock planting. The rock is a rhyolite specimen from Utah.

The Acer palmatum baobab bonsai

Source material: 2017, March 18

          Today at Elandan Gardens, Dan pointed out this unique maple tree he has been styling to mimic the African baobab. Dan wanted me to share this particular tree to get people's thoughts on the unconventional maple design.