Say what you want, there’s just no denying that big bonsai are very impressive – provided, of course, that you start with great material and train it right. Recently the old longing has returned. A few decades ago, I set out collecting what Cathy calls “giant bonsai.” This is a misnomer, of course, when you consider that bonsai can range about up to 48″ in height, and that usually implies a stout trunk to go with it. Regardless, over the past few years I’ve neglected size for volume and suddenly I have a lot of small trees and not so many big ones. There’s certainly nothing wrong with small bonsai. But let’s face it: small material for bonsai is easy to come by. Big trees, not so much. So … you’ll start seeing more large specimens here at Bonsai South as I build my collection. Today I got a few Water-elms that look mighty promising.

Here’s the process I go through when the trees come home. Believe me, it’s usually easier lifting trees than cleaning them up and potting them. Of course, when the heat index is 110 it adds another dimension to the fun.