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Normal view

Received before yesterday John Hanby Bonsai
✇John Hanby Bonsai

The story of a Japanese Yew (Part three)

By:John Hanby
26 June 2023 at 17:28
August 2014 – The new growth is clearly visible.
Old bark between the live vein and the dead shari needs to be removed.
It’s easy to get behind the bark with a knife.
Old bark can be removed from the upper surfaces too.
The veins are becoming totally rounded standing proud on the trunk enhancing the maturity and character of the tree.
The centre of the trunk is now hollow too.
March 2017 – The tree had spent time on the sales benches and now stands without wire
There is a sparseness about the foliage but the tree is budding well.
June 2017 – The new growth is strong
March 2018 – After another wiring and styling.
May 2018 – And the new growth is ready for pinching
After the pinching work had been completed.
June 2018 – Before summer pruning.
After the summer pruning.
March 2020 – The tree continues to bud back well
April 2020 – Density is improving.
Time for more pinching work.
April 2022 – The tree is now looking really strong and healthy…..ready for the next wiring and styling.

The final part of this series will bring us right up to date with the latest styling carried out at the beginning of 2023.

✇John Hanby Bonsai

The story of a Japanese Yew (Part four)

By:John Hanby
8 July 2023 at 10:58
May 2022 – The tree is vibrant, strong and healthy. The basic shape is visible but now somewhat unkempt and overgrown.
January 2023 – The tree is brought inside ready for a complete overhaul.
Old needles are removed. Shoots are selected and thinned out.
Work begins on cleaning the live veins and the deadwood areas.
The secondary thin live vein in the centre of the picture is no longer being used by the tree. The bark will be removed and it will be incorporated into the deadwood.
Old cut off roots will be carved and hollowed to create a more natural appearance.
After the work had been completed and lime sulphur applied.
February 2023 – Preparation work completed and now the tree is ready for a total wiring including most of the smaller fine twigs. Most of the main heavy branches are set in place and will not need to be wired.
A view from the rear of the tree prior to wiring. The old root coming straight down from the now redundant live vein and crossing the other roots will be shortened in due course and made into a small jin.
After wiring the entire tree using Japanese copper wire this was the waste material I had left. Economising in the amount of wire you waste is all down to technique and experience.
The tree after wiring and styling with potentially a slight change of angle to the front
A view from the right side.
A view from the left side.
A view from the rear of the tree.
January 2005 the picture taken immediately on his arrival from Japan.

I hope you have enjoyed the story of this yew tree and our journey together. I always knew there was a good tree in that hessian sack that arrived from Japan. It was a case of careful consideration, patience and working together with nature until finally his soul could be released.

✇John Hanby Bonsai

Derek Aspinall bonsai pots for sale (All sold)

By:John Hanby
31 October 2024 at 13:29

These pots are all 25-35 years old and were made by Derek for me for trees I had at the time. All measurements are in centimetres and external.

Large group dish
94 x 44 x 4
Slight damage to one of the feet
30 x 22.5 x 6
Large brown rectangle
64 x 46 x 12
Shallow blue oval
56 x 41 x 6.5
Round drum pot
39cm diameter x 11
Smaller brown rectangle
52 x 42 x 9
Deeper blue oval
39 x 32.5 x 8

If you are interested in any of the above pots please message me at [email protected]

✇John Hanby Bonsai

My collection of bonsai books for sale!

By:John Hanby
25 November 2024 at 21:08

Here is the list of the books I have for sale. I can supply photographs of any front covers on request :-

Forest, rock planting & eco spruce bonsai – Saburo Kato
World bonsai convention Munich 2001 – Exhibition book
Penjing worlds of wonderment – Qingquan Zhao
British shohin association 2009 – Exhibition book
Bonsai Landscapes – Peter Adams
Bonsai design (Japanese maples) – Peter Adams
Bonsai design(deciduous and coniferous) – Peter Adams
Bonsai design(Scots pine, common juniper, larch) – Peter Adams
Art of flowering bonsai – Peter Adams
The art of bonsai – Peter Adams
Four seasons of bonsai – Kyuzo Murata
Museo bonsai de alcobendas – Spanish exhibition book
Japanese gardens – Brooklyn botanic garden
Bonsai art – Noelanders
Mountains in the sea – Lew Buller
Bonsai techniques 1 – John Naka
Bonsai techniques 2 – John Naka
Bonsai from the wild – Nick Lenz
Bonsai from the wild(revised/expanded 2nd edition) – Nick Lenz
A Japanese touch for your home – Koji Yagi
A Japanese touch for your garden – Seike/Kudo/Engel
The gardens of Japan – Teiji Itoh
Creating Japanese gardens – Ortho books
Unione Bonsaisti Italiana 2000 – Italian exhibition book
Unione Bonsaisti Italiana 2001 – Italian exhibition book
Unione Bonsaisti Italiana 2002 – Italian exhibition book
Unione Bonsaisti Italiana 2004 – Italian exhibition book
Japanese Maples – Vertrees
Japanese Maples pocket guide – Vertrees
Create your own bonsai from every day plants – Peter Chan
A life dedicated to trees – Pius Notter
Garden plants of Japan – Gerard Taaffe
Masters book of bonsai – Japan bonsai association
Japanese exhibition book – not Kokufu
Visions of my soul – Robert Steven
Floral treasures of Japan(Satsuki azaleas) – Alexander Kennedy
Classic bonsai of Japan – Nippon bonsai association
Japanese gardening in small places – Tsuboniwa
The art of Japanese gardens – Herb Gustafson
Miniature living bonsai landscapes – Herb Gustafson
Bonsai, kusamono, suiseki – Willi Benz
Bonsai complete guide(paperback) – Paul Lesniewicz
Bonsai complete guide(hard cover) – Paul Lesniewicz
Bonsai in your home – Paul Lesniewicz
Indoor bonsai – Paul Lesniewicz
Creating bonsai landscapes – Su Chin Ee
The secret techniques of bonsai – Masakuni Kawasumi
Kokufu exhibition book number 49
Wisely handbook – RHS
Bonsai – John Ainsworth
Bonsai potters – Giphart and Arzooyan
Bonsai gallery – Bonsai today
Best of bonsai in Europe 3 – Ginkgo exhibition book
Best of bonsai in Europe 4 – Ginkgo exhibition book
Best of bonsai in Europe 5 – Ginkgo exhibition book
Suiseki – Felix Rivera
Path through the Japanese garden – Albright and Tindale
Suiseki viewing stones – Melba L Tucker
Pines Masters series – Bonsai today
Living art of bonsai – Amy Liang
The art of living sculpture – Jack Douthitt
Growing and displaying bonsai – Colin Lewis
The art of bonsai – Yoshimura and Halford
Miniature trees and landscapes – Yoshimura and Halford
(Signed by Yoshimura)
The Japanese art of stone appreciation – Covello and Yoshimura
(Signed by Yoshimura)
The bonsai year book – Paul Goff
The needle juniper, Juniperus Rigida – Working bonsai
Satsuki azaleas – Robert Z Callaham
Bonsai – Susan M. Bachenheimer Resnick

✇John Hanby Bonsai

The Resurrection…Part Two

By:John Hanby
24 July 2025 at 21:24
May 2022 – I had a quite substantial Ittogawa juniper which I thought I could introduce to the dead stump to make a convincing driftwood style bonsai. You may also find this style referred to as a Tanuki bonsai or Phoenix grafting.
I carved channels into the dead stump at points where I thought I would be able to place the Ittogawa juniper.
I treated the stump with lime sulphur to bleach it white and help preserve it.
I stripped the bark off the back of the juniper trunk that would be laid down inside the channels I had created earlier.
I used cable ties to fasten the juniper to the stump. I had prewired some of the branches in this area.
A substantial branch off the main trunk was also teased into a groove.
The pot is prepared correctly!
The tree and stump potted up. You can just see the live vein emerging from the soil to the left of the deadwood.
a branch selection can now be made and the remaining branches can then be wired.
After the initial styling and branch positioning. You can see the live vein emerging from the soil and visible higher up the deadwood.
Viewed from the side the green canopy is well balanced around the deadwood.
A nice snug fit in the groove. As the tree grows and the bark swells it will eventually fold over the edges of the groove and hug the deadwood to give that convincing live vein appearance admired on the old natural junipers you see in Japan.
March 2025 – The tree is growing well and filling out nicely.
After some thinning out and de-wiring.

From the tragedy of the past comes hope for the future and the resurrection is well on its way. The tree now looks a much more cohesive unit than it did originally.

With the amazing deadwood and the desireable foliage of the Ittogawa juniper the hope is that this tree will eventually look better in its new state than it did originally……and then the resurrection will be truly complete!

✇John Hanby Bonsai

Classes almost SOLD OUT

By:John Hanby
21 January 2026 at 15:42

On Sunday 18th January I released my latest class dates for March and April. The response was quite simply overwhelming.

Within 24 hours most dates were completely sold out.

At the time of writing all classes in January, February and March are completely sold out.

In April there are just 4 places available……2 on the 4th, 1 on the 12th and 1 on the 26th.

Some classes were oversubscribed so I am trying to organise two more workshops dates for March. Please keep checking back because I will publish them on the website as soon as I get confirmation.

I can’t thank you enough for your continued amazing support. thank you so much.

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