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44 Years of Bonsai Education and Volunteerism • 1970 - 2014
Volume 44, Issue 2 Spring 2014Newslet ter of the Potomac Bonsai Association
Newsletter of the Potomac Bonsai Association
Be a Part of the 2014 Potomac Bonsai Festival!Register for a great workshop or sign up to volunteer now!
Two Legacy Trees of Aichienby Danny Coffey
A Genuine Treatise on Fertilising!by guest author Peter Warren
And Much More!
Contents
2Spring 2014
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PBA ClippingsNewsletter of the Potomac Bonsai Association
PBA Clippings (ISSN 0160-9521) is published by the Potomac Bonsai Association, Inc. (PBA), a nonprofit organization, in the interests of its affiliate member clubs and societies. Copyright 2014 PBA. The views/opinions herein do not necessarily represent those of the Association or its governing board.
Subscriptions: PBA member Clubs/Societies. Annual subscription is included in the membership dues paid to the PBA club or society of your choice. For telephone numbers or points of contact for information about any member club or society turn to the pack page.
Non-member Subscriptions: Individuals residing within the metropolitan areas of our clubs are encouraged to become members of a club to receive the newsletter. Individuals outside of these areas must submit a request in email form to Seán Coleman at [email protected] for consideration.
Advertising Rates: Download our ad guide for specs and pricing. http://www.potomacbonsai.com/pdf/Clippings_Ad_Specs_2014.pdf
Please send advertising copy, articles, photos or graphics files to the editor at [email protected].
Accepted File FormatsArticles, editorial and advertising copy should be submitted in text (.txt, .rtf ) format, or Microsoft Word (.doc or docx) format only.
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Meet The Board
President: Steven Miller [email protected]
President Elect: LeAnn Duling [email protected]
Educational VP: John Ruth [email protected]
Treasurer: Ross Campbell [email protected]
Secretary: Chris Baker
BBC Representative: Barry Figard
BBS Representative: David Lord
CBS Representative: Todd Ellis
KBC Representative: Godfrey Trammell
NVBS Representative: Judy Schwartz
PVSG Representative: Glenn Reusch
RBS Representative: Tony Yankowski
WBC Representative: Ross Campbell
VBS Representative: Brad Bond
Webmaster: Seán Coleman [email protected]
Clippings Staff
Editor: Seán Coleman
Editorial Committee: Joe Gutierrez James Hughes John Ruth
Contributing Authors: Seán Coleman Danny Coffey Jim Sullivan
Guest Authors: Peter Warren
Special thanks to Colleen Fishter for additional editorial support
In This Issue...
President’s Corner � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 3
The 2014 Bonsai Festival Needs You! � � � � � � � 4
Meet the 2014 Festival Headliners! � � � � � � � � 5
Sensei Sam � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 6
A Genuine Treatise on Fertilising � � � � � � � � � � 7
From The Archives � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � 9
Legacy Trees of Aichien � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �10
Calendar Of Events � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �14
Membership Application � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �15
Club Directory � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � � �15
COVER PHOTO: by Seán ColemanAzalea bonsai on display
at the 2012 Potomac Bonsai Festival
1451 Pleasant Hill RoadHarrisburg, PA 17112
717-545-4555
Our noblest plantappeals to the intellect
as well asto the feelings.
www.natureswaybonsai.com
• Tools, Books, Containers and Supplies
• Bonsai, Pre Bonsai and Collected Trees
• Lanterns and Statuary
• Direct Importers from Japan
• Lectures and Demonstrations by Jim Doyle
President’s Corner
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Steven Miller
Well the last two years have gone by in a flash. Another Potomac Bonsai Festival is upon us next week (May 2 - 4). At the end of May will be our Annual Spring Auction at Behnke’s Nursery in Beltsville, Maryland
(May 24) where we will also be holding elections. This will be my last President’s Message so I will try and make it a good one.
When I began my term I had noble ambitions of how PBA could be improved. My first goal was to improve the guest speaker program, and I believe we have achieved this. Over the last couple of years we have enjoyed visits and instruction from several respected bonsai professionals. I would like to see this tradition continue, as education is a cornerstone of PBA’s mission.
Other goals I hoped to achieve proved logistically difficult. I have often hoped to have a PBA gathering where all members could meet for some leisurely fun. Unfortunately the schedules of our respective clubs and the miles between us often proved too difficult to overcome. I am also fond of the idea of a Fall Show/Symposium (in addition to our spring festival). Perhaps this can be revisited in the future. I would also like to see more joint programs between PBA and the USNA in the way of advanced bonsai education, not just beginner programs.
Although some projects never saw the light of day, I think the past two years of PBA activities have been highly successful and fun. The collection trips, the 2013 Potomac Bonsai Festival and the 2013 Behnke Auction were all well attended, successful endeavors.
All in all, the last two years have been an experience. I am glad to hand the position of president to my successor and wish him or her the best of luck! This brings up the May 24 election. In addition to the position of President, we will also be voting on Vice President, as well as Educational Vice President. Congratulations to our secretary, Chris Baker from the Baltimore Bonsai Club. He will now be serving as Chicago Botanical Gardens Bonsai Curator–so we will be needing to fill the secretary position too.
There is still much to be done in advance of this year’s Potomac Bonsai Festival at the USNA on May 2-4. Many workshops are still open and need to be filled so please register today for one or several of these great educational opportunities. Volunteer slots also need to be filled so sign up to help out at the show. Finally, we have an election to plan for.
I would like to thank the entire membership of PBA for a great two years. I hope you liked the job I have done for you.
Yours in Bonsai, Steven Miller, President
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from the Editor
Seán Coleman
Happy Spring PBA, and welcome to the spring edition of Clippings. This edition is a bit shorter than the last few editions but it is a very
important one because it is the last chance to inform you of the upcoming Potomac Bonsai Festival and Annual Spring Auction at Behnke’s Nursery. Hopefully you will eagerly mark your calendars for both festivities and make it a point to participate!
The Spring Festival
As you may know, this year PBA has played the most active role in recent history in organizing the 2014 Potomac Bonsai Festival. This has required us to take on the duty of handling workshop registration fees and scheduling volunteers to take care of the PBA exhibits among other things. I am personally very proud of the response we have received over the past few months, however we are still low on workshop registrations and we are also still understaffed in the volunteer department. We need you PBA!
I am hoping that everyone reading this will think about what they want to get out of this year’s festival, if
It's not too late to be a part of
The 2014 Potomac Bonsai Festival
you think you are not going to attend, I would ask you why? The Potomac Bonsai Festival is one of the finest bonsai events on the east coast and it is free to the public, aside from a few, affordably priced workshops. Even before I was a member of PBA I used to attend annually, and often for multiple days. The energy surrounding this festival alone is worth the trip! If you are not planning to attend a workshop, I would ask that you reconsider. There are several great opportunities available and all of them still have at least one seat available. If you haven’t volunteered to help, then I will have you know that it is a rewarding experience. I volunteered for many hours of every day last year and the opportunity to help PBA and interact with the general public was quite fulfilling.
The Potomac Bonsai Festival is a mecca for enthusiasts and vendors from all over the Mid-Atlantic region and the country. You owe it to yourself to be a part of this excitement! Please take the time to visit the festival home page, register for a workshop, and sign up to help out as a volunteer.
The Annual Spring Auction.
This important event will allow you to do some spring cleaning and get paid at the same time! If you find you are in need of some new material, tools or accessories, then you won’t be disappointed. There is plenty of great stuff up for bid and it’s for a good cause… PBA serving you and your bonsai education.
After the Auction will be the Annual PBA meeting and we will be holding elections for PBA President and Vice President, as well as Educational Vice President. Think about who you would like to nominate, or if you are interested in running, then let us know.
There are a lot of great things on the horizon for PBA and we get the ball rolling next month. Let's make the 2014 Potomac Bonsai Festival one of the greatest in history. Let's have a great Spring Auction and establish strong leadership to carry us into 2015, our 45th anniversary. Get involved and be a part of something great! ▲
Southern Fried Bonsai!Join us in D.C. for some
➤ PBA Show & Exhibit ➤ Lectures & Demonstrations ➤ Beginner, Intermediate
& Advanced Workshops ➤ Kid’s Workshops ➤ Bonsai Vendors ➤ Food & Refreshments
& Arthur Jouraof North Carolina
Rodney Clemons of Georgia
May 2, 3, 4, 2014
PotomacBonsai Festival
facebook.com/potomacbonsai • www.potomacbonsai.com
Featuring: Something for Everyone!
Get Connected with PBA!
Schedule & Registration on our website
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Rodney ClemonsRodney Clemons spent his childhood in the panhandle
of Florida and moved to Atlanta, Georgia when he was 13 years old. His interest in bonsai started in 1973 when he saw a trident maple forest that inspired him to learn more. Since that time, Rodney has been passionate about bonsai.
Rodney’s approach to bonsai draws heavily on nature. He is infuenced by landscapes, particularly the coastal areas of Florida, where he spent his formative years. He is known for his work creating rock plantings, as well as his affinity for Kingsville Boxwood. In his lectures and workshops you can expect Rodney to deliver an informative presentation with a healthy dose of humor added for good measure!
Arthur JouraArthur Joura began his career as a student at the School
of Visual Arts in New York City, as well as studying bonsai under master Yuji Yoshimura. Today he is the curator of the North Carolina Arboretum, where he manages the arboretum’s bonsai collection.
Arthur’s approach to bonsai focuses on the artistic and creative aspects. He is certainly influenced both by the art and design, as well as nature. He would agree that it is valuable to know the traditional rules of bonsai, but also how to break them appropriately. This approach allows the individual artist’s creative vision to be a defining aspect of the bonsai composition.
Frank MihalicFrank Mihalic is the son of American bonsai master
Tony Mihalic. Although his father specialized in landscape plantings, Frank specializes in single tree compositions. Frank is also dedicated to education. He founded Ichiban Publishing and has several published items to help educate people ranging from novice to advanced, including children!
Frank will be offering two programs at the Potomac Bonsai Festival this year. One is a bonsai workshop oriented to beginners and children, and the other is a bonsai jewelry making workshop. You can see some of Frank’s jewelry and learn more about his active bonsai career at his website.
Meet the 2014 Potomac Bonsai Festival Headliners!
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Sensei Sam
Jim Sullivan
March 17, 2014, an important day to some, but 8” of snow fell last night and going out this evening to celebrate could be an adventure. Tunes on
my CD player reflect my mood–a mixture of sadness and mirth, despair and hope.
Before the snow fell, I inspected my bonsai in anticipation of moving them from their winter quarters. For the first time in years, I saw significant damage, some perhaps lethal. There was winter burn on my sole Atlas Cedar and on several Deodar Cedars. A Japanese White Pine seedling that I purchased last year is in questionable condition. I purchased it because I liked the trunk and saw it as an instant mame and potted it up. It was as dry as straw (my fault, not the vendor’s). Yews that I collected in January look very distressed. I have been successful with most winter collecting, but this winter was nasty with extended deep cold and high winds, and it is possible that all I got on two days of collecting was exercise. I hope
Shock & Awe! The Worst of Winter and the
Best of Spring Revealed
the many club members that were on those collecting trips and other digs were more successful. It was a great opportunity for some very nice material and I thank Ray of the Baltimore Bonsai Club, for arranging the yew digs and Scott of the same club, for arranging other digs this winter. Many of my Japanese Maples have dieback, but it is not severe and I expect full recovery of those. There was damage to many of my Satsuki Azaleas even though they had moderate protection. But the damage seems superficial and there has been no bud drop so far. But the real shock was the condition of my quince bonsai. I have been training it as a single trunk specimen for several years now. On March 15 I was delighted to count 20 flower buds showing a hint of pink. On the 16th there were zero flower buds, apparently all had been consumed by a chipmunk, I suspect.
Update: March 31 – Although there were heavy rains the previous two days and a bit of snow yesterday
afternoon, the temperature has risen to the mid 60’s. But the winds persist and my trees remain in storage for another day or two. I do not believe in April Fools’ Day, but will not tempt fate until April 2. The cedars that showed winter damage are producing healthy buds and the browned needles will be shed, or I will remove them with tweezers; so all seems well there.
The few trees that I wintered over in my unheated garage (some small maples, azaleas, and a boxwood, and a fairly large Trident Maple on a rock) came through winter with no visible damage. But they leafed out early and required being moved in and out of the garage as temperatures fluctuated.
Well, there is nothing much I can do now except hope for recovery and for next winter to be milder or perhaps alter my protection strategy. But it served me well for most of the 40 years or so I have been growing bonsai. In the meantime, I will try to think of the impending bloom of my collected Chinese Wisteria (assuming it endured the winter trials). I hope this bitter winter will not deny me the awe of its transformation from the awkward, almost grotesque branch structure to the beauty of its spectacular hanging panicles of violet.
I know that the spring awakening of our landscape and of our bonsai is not by magic–it only seems so; and that is enough to have endured winter’s assault. Hopefully few prayers, and fewer burials, will be necessary. ▲
~Sensei Sam 4/01/14
Peter Warren is a bonsai professional living in the U.K. He has published several articles, writes a blog and is publishing a book due out in June 2014. You can learn more by visiting Peter's website: http://www.saruyama.co.uk.
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Guest Author
A Genuine Treatise on Fertilising
Editor's Note:
OUR GUEST AUTHOR for the Spring Edition of PBA Clippings is Peter Warren, who has graciously accepted the invitation to have a recent blog post on fertilizer (or fertiliser) republished here for the edification and inspiration of our readership.
I have been interested in the topic of fertilizing bonsai for some time. I also hear the question asked repeatedly by PBA members, new and old - “What is the best fertilizer?” or “What do you use to feed your bonsai?” I was very happy t0 read Peter’s blog post on the topic from April 3, 2014 and think it will give a nice, easy to understand introduction to some of the more complex matters of plant nutrition and soil chemistry.
Referenced in the beginning of the article is Peter’s April Fools' post, which is very funny and can be read here: http://saruyama-bonsai.blogspot.com/2014/03/muck-spreading.html
Enjoy!
Peter Warren
I would hope that by the end of the last post you realised that it was actually a bit of an April Fools inspired post. There is no benefit to placing your fertiliser on your trees in a clockwise fashion from the back, under a full moon with underpants on your head. Glad to see some people came up with some suitable suggestions though. In actual fact, putting dead fish on your trees is a great fertiliser, but very smelly.
There is a lot of nonsense out there about fertilising trees and not a lot of application of common sense. There is no "one size fits all" method, scheme or single product that does everything. What is suitable for John A in his garden with his soil is not suitable for John B in his (There are a lot of Johns in bonsai if you didn't realise). Regular clients should now be used to my seemingly random instructions of fertilise this half strength after the leaves harden and then stop for the summer, and then full strength in the autumn but give seaweed extract on regular intervals. Despite this seeming incredibly complex, it is actually just the application of a few basic ideas.
As you can imagine from the April Fools' parody, I am a firm believer in keeping it simple. All successful bonsai nurseries do and I aspire to be successful. I use only three products on a regular basis and there is no need for anything else. The comment yesterday about using
only organic was a very valid point. (Biogold, maxicrop seaweed extract and another similar seaweed extract with extra iron in it if things look yellow)
The importance of micro organisms and bacteria cannot be stated enough. Without them your bonsai is growing in a sterile environment, and using some of the modern substrate mixes we do in bonsai, this is especially true. How can we encourage an ecosystem in the soil that creates a healthy root system and subsequently a healthy tree? Steer clear of cheap chemical fertilisers... or for that matter expensive chemical fertilisers. There is plenty of information about the benefits of organic over chemical out there and so I need not go into too much depth.
In terms of fertilising, more is definitely not better, especially not if using anything chemical. Balance is key.
Figure 1: Organic fertiliser promotes an ecosystem that is beneficial to the plant.
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A Genuine Treatise on Fertilising Guest Author
I was reading some stuff and I came across this incredibly obvious law, but until I read it, it didn't occur to me...Leibig's Law of the minimum. "Yield is proportional to the amount of the most limiting nutrient, whichever nutrient it may be." This means that if the soil is deficient in Magnesium, then it doesn't matter how much Iron you pump into the soil, the growth is limited to the Magnesium deficiency.
Like I said, it was so outstandingly obvious after the fact but it changed my thinking. That is why we read books I guess. There is a lot of in-depth science that is interesting if you like that sort of thing. But if, like 99% of the Japanese bonsai masters it doesn't matter as long as it works, follow some simple guidelines and success is more likely.
1. Use a good quality solid organic fertiliser. Ideally solid cakes or pellets are best, powder tends to create an hard crust on the surface very quickly.
2. Supplement with a good quality seaweed extract to provide micro nutrients
3. Apply according to requirements and only when average air temperature is between 12 and 34 degrees Celcius (53 to 93 ºF).
The difficulty is in finding 1 and 2 and then figuring out 3. Even in Japan there is great difficulty in finding a good fertiliser. I spent a good hour talking with Akiyama-san recently about how modern abura-kasu (oil seed cakes) were useless because they squeeze all the nutrients out during the pressing and so the stuff that remains is ineffective as fertiliser. Even the gold standard of bonsai fertiliser, Bio Gold, can be patchy depending on when it was made and how much it got mixed up. One of the problems with organic fertilisers is the uneven distribution of nutrients.
Seaweed extract is used not to promote growth and increase extension, but consider it the bonsai equivalent of
taking a vitamin supplement. Strength, resistance to disease, and improved colour are all benefits. Everyone who uses it claims that the colour and the health of their trees improves.
Number 3... apply according to requirements. As long as the pH of the water and soil is fairly neutral and balanced when organic fertiliser is applied, then nutrient deficiency will not be a problem. Only once the pH starts to move towards one end or the other then nutrient deficiency starts to happen. The uptake of nutrients depends on pH as shown in figure 2, in Technicolour.
Iron deficiency in plants is often not caused by an absence of iron in the soil, but a pH that inhibits uptake of iron...so it doesn't matter how much iron you add to the soil, like me at a cheese board, it won't be able to eat it. Reduce the pH and it will solve the problem.
So following on the line of thought... how does the pH of soil get out of whack? Excessive chemical fertilisers and water impurity. Some European growers have such hard water that they need to resort to using reverse osmosis to lower the pH.
So getting back to the requirements... ask yourself the question... what do I want the tree to do? Do I actually want my tree to grow? For some bonsai, the answer is "No, I don't actually want my tree to extend or thicken." For others it is, "Yes, I want the trunk thickness to triple in a year." How to achieve these objectives is not just simply down to how much fertiliser is applied as remember, more is not always better. Allowing unchecked growth assisted by fertiliser is the way. For builidng delicate ramification,
Figure 2: Efficiency of nutrient uptake and soil pH
pinching out the terminal shoots assisted by a complete lack of fertiliser is the way forward. Pushing growth with one hand and stopping it with the other is the way round and round in circles.
Work out the balance between: What does the tree need to stay healthy and balanced all over, versus what do I want to the tree to do?
Why is the temperature so important? Lower than 12º C (53º F) and the bacteria that breaks down the fertiliser into easily absorbed compounds are yet to become active. Above 34º (93º F) and bacterial activity will cause the soil temperature to rise to dangerous levels, killing both the roots and also the bacteria in the soil
I appear to have taken a very simple concept and made it incredibly complicated. Maybe I should have just left it as an April Fool... That'll learn me. ▲
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Maples. Excellent Bonsai.Cliff Pottberg • March 1972
One of the best of bonsai materials is the Trident maple (Acer Buergerianum). Because it has
drawbacks as landscaping material, it has been somewhat difficult to find locally. Fortunately, some nurseries do carry it now, and it can be obtained from several mail-order nurseries,.
Leaves of the Trident maple are small and quite colorful in the spring and fall
drawback. In a bonsai container, however, its roots look buttressed quickly. For this reason, it is used extensively for exposed-root and root-over-rock styles. It also lends itself to most other deciduous tree styles as readily.
Maple materials which are similar and easier to find include our own red maple (A .Rubrum), the hedge maple (A. Campest re), David maple (A. Davidii), amur maple (A. Ginnala), paperback maple (A. Griseum), and, tentatively, our silver maple (A. Saccharinum). The leaves of the last mentioned silver maple are much too large for an ideal bonsai, but for someone with patience, a rewarding experiment might be to graft a new system of branches on a good root systemed silver maple, using as grafting material branches from another maple with small leaves, such as the hedge maple. ▲
from the Archives
Rare, Miniature, Bonsai,And Starter Plant Materials
Rohrersville, MD
301-432-2965www.meehansminiatures.com
www.bonsai-nbf.org/site/campaigngifts.html
periods. While it does not attain too large a size naturally, it grows quite rapidly and hence attains a trainable size quickly.
The bark is the smooth gray of many maples. This does not add particularly to the illusion of age, but is nonetheless attractive. There also is a rough barked form which, unfortunately, is not available in this country.
The Trident's best attribute is its surface roots, which are generally numerous and enlarge easily. This is the landscaping
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Greetings from Aichien
Danny Coffey
Konichiwa Clippings readers! It's Danny, back again with another article from Nagoya Japan. For
those of you who may not know, I have been in Nagoya for a little over one year as of spring 2014. Living, working, eating, sleeping, and dreaming bonsai all day, everyday; as an apprentice to Mr. Junichiro Tanaka, 4th generation owner of Aichien Bonsai Nursery. The history of Aichien runs deep and while I've not learned everything about this nursery, I've managed to gather a few of the who's, what's, when's, where's and why's. I find it all to be incredibly fascinating and inspirational. In this article I'll share some of the highlights and talk about two "legacy trees" of Aichien.
The name Aichien comes, in part, from the location of the nursery, Nagoya being in the Aichi prefecture of Japan. The literal translation of this name from Japanese to English is "Know Love Garden" very fitting for a bonsai nursery. Aichien's humble beginnings took place in the late 1890's. At the age of 17, Mr. Sukijiro Tanaka locked
his sights on becoming a professional bonsai grower and got started by setting up a field of Ume trees (flowering apricot) to be used exclusively as bonsai material.
The initial crop of Aichien Ume was about 1,000 in total. Of those trees, only one remains at Aichien. It is by far the most sentimentally valuable tree in the Tanaka collection. The photo above clearly displays the elegant beauty of Aichien's Legacy Ume. Finding a bonsai in Japan
with a confirmed age such as this one is not an easy task. Mostly due to the nature of trade in the bonsai industry, the vague history of many trees that have been collected from the mountains and a mind boggling lack of record keeping. Being able to say for sure that this tree is 120 years old to date is truly remarkable. Additionally, this tree has no dead area or scars on the trunk, something that is really hard to come by in ume bonsai, especially at this
Mr. Sukijiro Tanaka (man in the mid-ground). 1st Generation Aichien owner (left).
age. Take a look through any Kokufu book and you'll notice it's almost impossible to find a solid trunk ume. You see, most ume bonsai in Japan had a long life as trees grown for the purpose of harvesting their fruit, decades before they ever became bonsai. Each year being cut back
Aichien Legacy Ume as it appeared in March 2014 (above).
Close up of the Ume flowers (right).
Legacy Trees of Aichien
Legacy Trees of Aichien
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aggressively, with the main focus on fruit harvest rather than tree appearance. That's a tough life for a tree and caused most of them to have large dead portions. While the dead wood looks great on old ume, there is something to be said for a tree that has survived this many years with it's trunk still 100% intact. It is safe to assume that being grown exclusively for bonsai and receiving a high level of care is the main reason for the perfect trunk.
One thing that is very important to keep in mind when we are viewing any living Japanese bonsai of this age (not just Aichien trees) is the fact that they are all survivors of World War II. Nagoya was bombed heavily during the war and for a period of about six years the focus of bonsai growing was forced into a hold at Aichien. To give the trees a fighting chance, they where all taken out of their bonsai pots and planted in the ground. All in preparation for the possibility that no one would be available to water them. They needed to be somewhat self-sufficient. This proved to be a good plan as Aichien suffered a bombing.
The Aichien home was destroyed completely, however the trees were miraculously un-effected and no human lives where lost.
After the war, Aichien continued to grow bonsai and at this point was not only focusing on producing field grown stock, but had begun to build its reputation as a high end bonsai development and refinement nursery. By this time Aichien ownership was already passed from Mr. Sukijiro Tanaka on to his first born son Mr. Koushiro Tanaka.
During Mr. Koushiro Tanaka's time, Aichien was not only growing ume but had several fields set up in the Nagoya area with crops of trident maple and black pine. Many of the Aichien trees that began in this generation are now fairly well known in the Japanese bonsai world. Notably some of the root on rock style trident maples. In addition to field grown trees, several of the trees that were being refined as Mr Koushiro Tanaka's personal bonsai collection during this time are still here at Aichien. One red pine bonsai in particular really stands out as
Mr. Koushiro Tanaka. 2nd generation Aichien owner. The Aichien Legacy Red Pine of Mr.Koushiro Tanaka, 2nd generation Aichien owner. As it appeared in 1976.
an amazing tree. Though the origins of Mr. Koushiro Tanaka's red pine are not entirely known, we do know that at some point the tree was collected from the mountains near Aichien and likely spent a few years growing in the field before being moved to a bonsai pot. The exact age is unknown although it shows evidence of being in the 160-180 years old range. The above, center photo is from the 1976 Meifu bonsai exhibition book. I took this photo recently while Mr. Junichio Tanaka (current Aichien owner) and I had a long discussion about Aichien history and flipped through some old books in the tea room.
The Red Pine and Aichien as a nursery, continued to be refined through the decades and was later passed on to Mr. Koushiro Tanaka's, son Mr. Kiyomitsu Tanaka (3rd Generation Aichien owner). In more recent years, when Mr. Junichiro Tanaka (4th generation/current Aichien owner) took ownership of Aichien, he made the difficult decision to drastically re-design his grandfather's red pine. In the late 90's the tree was completely transformed
The Aichien Legacy Red Pine as it appeared in March 2014. Almost 20 years after complete re-styling.
Legacy Trees of Aichien
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12Spring 2014
Newslet ter of the Potomac Bonsai Association
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by Mr.Junichro Tanaka, turning it 180 degrees and tilting it forward. Making the previous back of the tree the new front and creating a completely new image that shows almost no signs of the tree's previous form. By making this move the tree was positioned to have a promising future as a more visually dynamic tree. The change allowed one of the strong branches (previously in the back) to become the new main branch, descending down the left side of the tree and flowing in the same direction as the tree's natural movement. It paid off! The top, right photo on page 11 is of the tree in its current form as of March 2014.
We recently set up the two tokonoma displays with the legacy trees shown in this article in preparation for a Japanese television show that came to document Aichien. Mr. Tanaka was kind enough to grant me the privilege of performing the maintenance, clean up and show preparation
work for the legacy red pine. I really enjoyed the work and feel honored that he was confident with my ability to work on one of his family's most important bonsai. It's incredible to think that the Tanaka family history could have such a huge effect on the life path that I am on. What are the odds!? At any rate, I'm thankful for the opportunity to be here and for my chance to share this story with the world.
So that's a little snap history of Aichien. Not the entire story, just a slice of the pie. Sometime in the future I hope to expand on this article and will re-publish a more complete history on my website www.treethepeople.com. For now I'll close this out with a couple of cool fish eye shots of the two tokonoma rooms at Aichien with the legacy trees set up on display. Additionally I have a request, for my next Clippings article I'd like to field questions from you, the readers. We can cover a wide range of bonsai related topics such as growing techniques, pottery, styling tips, apprentice life, etc. It's all up to you.
Anyone interested in participating, please email your questions to [email protected]
Thanks again to PBA for allowing me the opportunity to write for Clippings and to Sean Coleman for doing such a fine job of putting these newsletters together. I'll be visiting the US to attend the Potomac Bonsai Festival coming up in early May. I'd love to meet the Clippings readers, so if you see me please say hi.
Hope to see you there! ▲
~Danny Coffey
Greetings from Aichien
This is me at about 1:00 am preparing the Aichien Legacy Red Pine for display.
The Aichien Legacy Ume in full bloom displayed in a Tokonoma room in the Tanaka home at Aichien. March 2014.
The Aichien Legacy Red Pine set up in a Tokonoma room in the Tanaka home at Aichien. March 2014. The painting on the right side of the room is of Mr. Kiyomitsu Tanaka. 3rd Generation Aichien owner and father of Mr. Junichiro Tanaka.
13Spring 2014
Newslet ter of the Potomac Bonsai Association
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Bonsai Jewelry with Frank Mihalic & Cindy Blackburn
Saturday, May 3, 2014
Southern Fried Bonsai!Join us in D.C. for some
➤ FREE PBA Show & Exhibit
➤ FREE Lectures & Demonstrations
➤ Beginner, Intermediate & Advanced Workshops
➤ Kid’s Workshops
➤ Bonsai Vendors
➤ Food & Refreshments
& Arthur Jouraof North Carolina
Rodney Clemons of Georgia
May 2, 3, 4, 2014 • 9 am to 5 pmUnited States National ArboretumNational Bonsai & Penjing Museum3501 New York Ave NE • Washington, DC 20002
Potomac Bonsai Festival
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Featuring Bonsai Pros:
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Something for Everyone!
Schedule & Registration information on our website
Annual New Talent Competition! Bring Your Own Tree Workshops • Saturday & Sunday!
Shimpaku Juniper Workshopwith Arthur JouraFriday, May 2, 2014
Root Over Rock Bonsaiwith Rodney ClemonsSaturday, May 3, 2014
Bonsai Display Lecturewith Jack Sustic
Sunday, May 4, 2014
Spruce Bonsai Workshopwith Arthur Joura
Sunday, May 4, 2014
FREE PBA Exhibits All Weekend!
All of These Activities
AND MORE!
Forest Bonsai Workshopwith Rodney ClemonsFriday, May 2, 2014
Kids & Beginners Workshopwith Felix Laughlin
Saturday, May 3, 2014
Kids & Beginners Workshopwith Frank Mihalic
Sunday, May 4, 2014
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We have a full line of bonsai supplies in-stock and ready to go. Come visit our showroom or our online store at: MECOBONSAI.COM1-866-256-1492
14Spring 2014
Newslet ter of the Potomac Bonsai Association
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Calendar
April 2014• 25th - 27th • Mid Atlantic Bonsai
Symposium - East Hanover, NJ
• 26th • Potting/Re-potting and Deciduous Refinement Workshop - Meehan’s Miniatures Bonsai
• 27th • Bonsai Basics Workshop - National Bonsai & Penjing Museum
• 28th • RBS Meeting - Topic TBD
May 2014• 2nd - 4th • Potomac Bonsai Festival -
Washington D.C.
• 8th • BBS Meeting - Azaleas
• 8th • San Jose Juniper Workshop with Peter Warren - Nature’s Way Nursery
• 9th • BYOT Styling Workshop - Minoru Akiyama - Nature’s Way Nursery
• 9th • 7:00pm Free Demo w Peter Warren & Minoru Akiyama - Nature’s Way Nursery
• 9th • CBS Meeting
• 10th • NVBS Meeting - Azaleas with Joe Gutierrez
• 10th, 17th, 24th and 31st • Photography as Zen Art Workshop (4 sessions) - U.S. National Arboretum
• 10th • World Bonsai Day! - Open House - National Bonsai & Penjing Museum
• 10th • 41st Spring Bonsai Festival featuring Peter Warren and Minuro Akiyama - Nature’s Way Nursery
• 17th • Free Trident Maple Demonstration featuring Owen Reich - Meehan’s Miniatures Bonsai
• 17th • Japanese Hornbeam Workshop with Owen Reich - Meehan’s Miniatures Bonsai
• 17th • Kusamono Workshop with Young Choe - National Bonsai & Penjing Museum
• 18th • RBS Annual Picnic and Auction
• 23rd - 25th • Brussel’s Bonsai Annual Redezvous
• 23rd - June 2nd • (Fridays - Mondays only) - Art Blooms: Satsuki Azalea Bonsai Exhibit - National Bonsai & Penjing Museum
• 24th • Annual PBA Spring Auction - at the Behnke Nursery in Beltsville, MD
• 31st • Introduction to Bonsai - Nature’s Way Nursery
June 2014• 1st -2nd • Art Blooms: Satsuki Azalea
Bonsai Exhibit - National Bonsai & Penjing Museum
• 6th - 8th • VBS Annual Bonsai Show - Norfolk Botanical Gardens, Norfolk, VA
• 12th • BBS Meeting - with Steve Tolley
• 12th - 15th • Steve Tolley visits PBA Clubs
• 14th • CBS - field trip to Acer Acers
• 14th • NVBS Meeting - Shohin Black Pine with Richard Bryan
• 14th • Pine Workshop with Marco Invernizzi - Nature’s Way Nursery
• 28th • Creative Carving Demo and Workshop with Bill Patterson and Martha Meehan - Meehan’s Miniatures Bonsai
July 2014• 10th • BBS Meeting - Topic TBD
• 11th - 13th • Nashville Bonsai Festival
• 12th • NVBS Meeting - Repotting Tropical Bonsai with Martha Meehan
• 19th • Kusamono Workshop with Young Choe - Nature’s Way Nursery
• 27th • Bouganvillea Workshop - Meehan’s Miniatures Bonsai
• 28th • RBS Meeting - Tropical Bonsai with Martha Meehan
August 2014• 1st - 3rd • Prairie State Bonsai Festival -
Chicago, IL
• 9th • NVBS Meeting - Watering with Jim Hughes
• 15th - 17th • Mid-America Bonsai Symposium - Chigago, IL
• 29th - 31st • Ron Lang Kiln Opening
• 30th • Building Slabs Workshop - Meehan’s Miniatures Bonsai
September 2014• 5th • NVBS Meeting - Group Planting with
Stephen Ash
• 11th • BBS Annual Bonsai Auction
• 13th - 14th • U.S. National Bonsai Exhibition - Rochester, NY
• 20th • Introduction to Bonsai - Nature’s Way Nursery
October 2014• 9th • BBS Meeting - Topic TBD
• 10th - 12th • Bonsai Expo - Asheville, NC
• 11th • NVBS Meeting - Larry Jackel
• 16th • Collected Species with David Easterbrook - Nature’s Way Nursery
• 17th • BYOT Style Workshop with David Easterbrook - Nature’s Way Nursery
• 17th • 7:00pm Free Evening with David Easterbrook - Nature’s Way Nursery
• 18th • Fall Open House & Sale with David Easterbrook - Nature’s Way Nursery
• 25th • Introduction to Bonsai - Nature’s Way Nursery
• 25th • Japanese Larch Literati Workshop - Meehan’s Miniatures Bonsai
November 2014• 8th • Tropical Workshop with Yamil Collazo
• 9th • NVBS Meeting - Tree Critique
• 9th • Styling Theatric Fun with Tropical with Yamil Collazo & Jim Doyle - Nature’s Way Nursery
• 13th • BBS Meeting - Overwintering Techniques
• 29th • BYOT Workshop - Meehan’s Miniatures Bonsai
December• 5th - 7th • Winter Study with Walter Pall &
Jim Doyle - Nature’s Way Nursery
• 6th • Holiday Sale at Nature’s Way Nursery
15Spring 2014
Newslet ter of the Potomac Bonsai Association
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Baltimore Bonsai ClubMeets 4th Sunday, 1:00 p.m. River Hill Garden Center, Clarksville, MD Contact: Barry Figard (410) 531-3937 or [email protected]
Brookside Bonsai SocietyMeets 2nd Thursday, 7:30 p.m. 7901 Meadowbrook Lane, Chevy Chase, MDContact: Jim Hughes (301) 779-2891 or [email protected]
Charlottesville Bonsai SocietyContact: Todd Ellis (434) 249-4645 or [email protected]
Kiyomizu Bonsai ClubMeets 4th Sunday, 2:00 p.m. Clearwater Nature Ctr, 11000 Thrift Rd, Clinton, MDContact: Essie Wilson (301) 839-2471 or [email protected]
Kochino Kai Study GroupMeets 1st Saturday Membership is limited for this study groupContact: Jack Sustic [email protected]
Northern Virginia Bonsai SocietyMeets 2nd Saturday, 9:00 a.m. Walter Reed Community Center 2909 16th St South, Arlington, VAContact: [email protected] our website: nvbs.us
Potomac Viewing Stone GroupMeets irregularly (~ 6 times per year)Contact: Glenn Reusch (540) 672-5699 or [email protected]
Richmond Bonsai SocietyMeets 4th Monday, 7:00 p.m. Activity Room, St. Mary’s Woods, Richmond, VAContact: [email protected] our website: richmondbonsaisociety.org
Washington Bonsai ClubMeets 3rd Saturday, 2:00 p.m. Call first (no July or August meetings) U.S. National Arboretum, Washington, D.C.Contact: Ross Campbell (301) 587-6898
Virginia Bonsai SocietyMeets 1st Thursday, 7:00 p.m. Norfolk Botanical Gardens, Holly Room in Baker Hallvisit our website: www.virginiabonsai.org
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