
mugo pine bonsai resting on shelf
A newly repotted mugo pine bonsai in a handsome purple-clay bonsai pot. Not for sale yet, needs to settle in.
mugo pine bonsai resting on shelf
A newly repotted mugo pine bonsai in a handsome purple-clay bonsai pot. Not for sale yet, needs to settle in.
At Ponsonby Plants, we’re now making our own hand-made pots. Here’s a shot of some, with good proper, huge, drain holes. No glaze yet, these are just raw, thrown pots. More to come…
bowls
Pulled this juniper out of the bush (well nearly, abandoned in a grown over area of an Auckland nursery). Nice curves and a good taper of the trunk. A good example of how you can find a stylish but affordable tree if you hunt for it. Not a bonsai per se, but bonsai-esque.
And not as nice as this one, in its natural setting (source).
Not as big a fan as some when it comes to Junipers as bonsais (junipers were a common hedge in our yard growing up in Montana), but this one pleases me: upright with long cascading branch in the black cascade pot. This one has enough age to make it among the few bonsai I have that are a constant source of pleasure. Needs some styling but I’m not too fussed about that.
The Chinese Elm, a popular bonsai favourite: hardy, small elegant leaves, shapely trunks with attractive, mottled bark.
Mine, an informal upright of about 10 years, has a new set of leaves and has been lightly pruned this week. The elm (a semi-evergreen) is semi-deciduous in Auckland.
Shaping and pruning is on the informal side with this tree, but will get a good shaping in the spring. Has good branch structure and is a vigorous grower in recent years, with stout little branches.
As shown in the last image, you can grow a Chinese elm from cuttings.
More on the Chinese Elm as a bonsai here.