VIDEO: SandevBonsai - Winter storage for bonsai trees...cold winter shelter

VIDEO: Kevin Willson Demo - Pinus mugho literati

VIDEO: Kevin Willson - Demo - Fat olive

VIDEO: Kevin Willson - Demo - Picea abies Part I

Kevin Willson is working on a yamadori spruce, a very difficult material. His technics and a feeling for design are just fantastic...and the result, the difference from start material and almost finished tree is unbelivable. When I was planing the workshop, I was thinking...let's see what will he do if I give him this terrible tree. And at the end...we all were just stunt with the result. The man is a genius. And, remember the film when Picasso is painting a bull on a piece of glass and the camera is from the other side, so you can see every stroke with a brush...I've had the same feeling while Kevin was doing a deadwood. In a few strokes with Makita, the straight and uninteresting parts just start to move. It is dinamic and misterious...simply fantastic. He is a virtuoso with Makita!

Just see the videos:

VIDEO: Kevin Willson - Demo - Picea abies Part II

Shohin Maffia

Kevin Willson and guys from Shohin Maffia in my garden.

This weekend was special because of Kevin Willson's demo and workshop, but also, because I've had a great opportunity to meet and spend some time with our friends from Hungary, the guys from Shohin Maffia http://shohinmaffia.blogspot.com/.

These people are just amazing. Very nice, very friendly, they have spent the whole weekend with us watching Kevin's work on bonsai with great interest. I am very happy that I was just so lucky to meet these guys...so, thank you shohinmaffia for all your effort travelling so far to my garden. Now, I have new friends in Hungary that I'm proud of.

Thank you Balint and all of you people for wonderful bonsai pots that you make. These are very beautiful and very special.

Kevin Willson

Last weekend, we've had a special guest in our garden. Kevin Willson was here. What to say about the man everybody already knows...he is one of the most popular bonsai artists in the world today, a brilliant bonsai designer and technician, a true artist and nature lover, a free spirit, great personality, drawer, gardener...

To say the truth, I didn't expect such a package of different but in the same time compatible qualities.

We were laughing to tears, he knows to be so funny. We have learned so much about bonsai and especialy designing and making deadwood. His work with deadwood is second to none. A brilliant technician and teacher. Our whole group was amazed how many fantastic things and tricks we've learned in this few hours of his demo and workshop.

I have about 10 Gbytes of photos and videos with Kevin. I need some time to edit all this material.

First of all, you will see an incredible demonstration work on a Picea abies.

After that, I will post all videos one by one, as I manage to edit them. Probably every day or two I will do one. Till the end of week, everything will be here. Just for a start, a few photos of Kevin while he was drawing some of my trees. First video of Kevins demo...tomorrow.

Thank you Kevin Willson for everything. You didn't leave a trace on the trees only... you've carved our hearts with the most powerful tool of all...your free spirit.

From Croatia to you...we send our love and deepest respect.

Thank you

Google Maps...Kevin Willson workshop place

Click on the link to find Kevin Willson workshop in Bistra in Google Map

 <http://maps.google.com/maps?ll=45.888858,15.863335&spn=0.006631,0.015213&t=h&z=16&vpsrc=6&msa=0&msid=212217307126104689674.0004acffee26c7c203e07>

Randy Knight and his beautiful wife with Walter Pall in my garden

We've had a nice evening in Zagreb. First photo is taken in front of St Marco's church in the old upper town of Zagreb.

In my garden...

VIDEO: Randy Knight - About BonsaiAutumn 2011, travelling Europe, friends

Kevin Willson Bistra 2011

For everybody who is coming to meet and work with Kevin Willson, the adress is:

Novaki Bistranski
Selska 43
10 298 Donja Bistra

We will be starting the saturday's demo and sunday's workshop at 10.00h.

Thank you!

See you soon.

Kevin Willson - Bistra, Zagreb - SECOND CALL ! ! !

Everything is here, click on the link:

http://sandevbonsai.blogspot.com/2011/06/kevin-willson-zagreb-bistra-24-25092011.html

And now something completely different...VITIS VINIFERA (GRAPE VINE) BONSAI

This is something completely new and different to me...not that I haven't seen grape vine bonsai before, but to have one....that's just amazing. I adore the plant, this is one fantastic tree. I am so happy that it found the way to my garden :)

Just look at this bark...click on the second photo to enlarge it...just fantastic...

Carpinus orientalis - summer photos

This is one carpinus that is very "treelike" already. I like it. Next year in spring bonsai pot...+ wiring.

Hedera helix - Foliage canopy...foliage to pot ratio

These photos show clearly a crown width...a foliage to pot canopy of my Hedera bonsai. It is interesting to see it from this perspective.

VIDEO: Hedera helix - Ivy, Cleaning roots, removing the moss

Carpinus orientalis Octopus...2011 update

One stage further...next year this orientalis will already be a killer tree. I am happy.

Whole story here:

http://sandevbonsai.blogspot.com/2009/01/carpinus-orientalis-yamadori-collecting.html

and here:

http://sandevbonsai.blogspot.com/2010/03/4th-south-east-european-bonsai.html

and here:

http://sandevbonsai.blogspot.com/2010/04/after-workshop.html

and here...VIDEO:

http://sandevbonsai.blogspot.com/2011/04/video-sandevbonsai-octopus-carpinus.html

 

TODAY

Fat prunus mahaleb...2011 update

Fat prunus mahaleb...beginning to look like a tree. Further corrections of deadwood needed. I'm looking forward to see the tree in spring with little white frowers

Find the story of mahaleb here:

http://sandevbonsai.blogspot.com/2008/09/prunus-mahaleb.html

and here:

http://sandevbonsai.blogspot.com/2008/09/prunus-mahaleb-danas.html

and here:

http://sandevbonsai.blogspot.com/2010/05/more-drilling-for-prunus-mahaleb.html

and here:

http://sandevbonsai.blogspot.com/2010/06/fat-prunus-first-wireing.html

New Hedera project

I believe, many of you know my old Hedera bonsai...let's name it Hedera 1. That tree was very successful to me and I love it very much. And of course, that triggered an idea to start a new one all over again. A few years ago, I saw a huge hedera tree growing on and over a big stone at the graveyard...it was leaning to the stone and embracing the rock with his almost humalny rough branches..."hands". And the idea was there :)

As far so good. I have found a nice Hedera plant, already 2-3 cm in diameter on the base, and I have tied it to this rock. That happened 5 years ago. For all this 5 years the tree was forgotten in the corner of the garden...almost never watered and only rarely fed. For five years the tree was not repotted. And I remembered it today. I am only sorry that I didn't take a photo of neglected and overgrown pot with lot of weed growing in it.

I have cleaned the pot, removed fat wires that were holding the trunk of the tree closely to the rock for 5 years, and I did the first ever wiring.

I am very happy with the result, and I can see, even now, that this will be in another five years one more nice and very interesting Ivy.

Now, I will dedicate myself to crown construction and the tree will be repotted next spring. Here on this set of photos the tree is defoliated for easier wiring.

After leaf cutting before wire...

 Possible front...

 Further left view...

 Nebari, still full of moss...needs to be cleaned further...

 Wiring done...

 Wiring done completely...

Croatian Television HRT in my garden

Two days ago, Croatian Television crew came to my garden to make an interview and a small 5 minute reportage about bonsai. The filming is not very well, too many close ups with no view of whole tree...but, it's ok. That is already very good for a crew who doesn't know what bonsai is and how to take a photo of one. I speak in Croatian, of course, sorry.
Here is how it came out:

http://djh.hrt.hr/propustili-ste-pogledajte/3555-bonsai

VIDEO: Kevin Willson - Olive

Kevin Willson, Zagreb - Bistra 24.-25.09.2011.

Previous first notice post: http://sandevbonsai.blogspot.com/2010/12/kevin-willson-demo-workshop.html

Ok, now it is time to start preparing the workshop.
There are still a few places free for the workshop, so please, let me know AS SOON AS POSSIBLE if you want to participate.
The workshop will be dedicated specialy to drilling technics and you will be able to see, try and learn drilling technics from one of the best and most renown bonsai artists in the world, a specialist for deadwood and shari.
You will be able to ask questions and Kevin will show you technic and help you to finish your tree.
We plan a hard working weekend, but not without fun and hanging out together, good food and good drinking :)
Recomendations for accomodation: MOTEL GEC http://www.booking.com/hotel/hr/pansion-gec.en-gb.html?aid=333370;label=pansion-gec-J925ef2rlKd3C_h9IjowkQS5027505330;sid=cc769d94b0ce00bd668249d63edd91c0;dva=0
is close to place of workshop and demo. It is moderately priced and very clean.

Admission fees:

Workshop participants: 50 euro per person (workshop fee includes watching Kevin's demo first day, so this is a two day participation fee)
Spectators and participation in discussion:
saturday Kevin's demo: 20 euro
sunday workshop with Kevin Willson: 20 euro
If you pay as a spectator for saturday and sunday, the admission fee for both days will be 30 euro.

You have to bring your own tools including power tools and drilling bits.
You need to bring your own wire.

All aditional informations, please do not hesitate to ask: sandevbonsai@gmail.com

No need to pay in advance, payments can be done before workshop or demo starts.
In case of withdraw and cancelation of you participation in the event, PLEASE, let me know so somebody can get your place instead  of you ...thank you for your cooperation :)

REGISTRATION CLOSING TIME: Septemeber the 1st, 2011.

REGISTRATION: sandevbonsai@gmail.com ...please write in title subject..Kevin Willson registration
I will post this text for few times on my blog and forums in the next two months...just to remind you guys
Hope to see you all soon

Sebastijan

Garden late spring 2011 - Tea House

Finally, Tea House is finished.

A few glimpses of my garden...now with a tea house :)

First photo...tea house spot without a tea house...rear fence without a wooden part. Start of a construction.

Two weeks later...today...

 Hedera is coming in leaf...

garden still not finished...neverending story...