Shohin Bonsai Europe

Morten Albek, bonsai teacher, writer and photographer. Denmark.

[shohineurope]

The Danish Bonsai Society – and the local group mainly – did an exhibition over the past weekend. I visited and found some very nice displays. Autumn time is a great time to display especially Shohin that can express the seasons through different species. Also some good deciduous trees was shown. Trees ranged from shohin to large bonsai. But we seldom see the really huge trees around in Denmark.

Small – medium – large The Danish Bonsai Society - and the local group mainly - did an exhibition over the past weekend.

[shohineurope]

  A wonderful day before winds will be ripping off some leaves the next days. The Tokonoma was used to do some recordings for next years new videos. I will later this year announce some news about these videos, so stay tuned. Cliffhanger intended.

The tree is a Crabapple I have been working on for some years (12 years to be exact). Startet as a garden yamadori tree, I got from a friend. Cut back and regrown. Now it is time to add finer ramification, but it will newer be as dense as a Japanese maple. It has a different nature, and I have to go with this.

Tokonoma display in the garden. A wonderful day before winds will be ripping off some leaves the next days. The Tokonoma was used to do some recordings for next years new videos.

[shohineurope]

Removing autumn leaves?

I know many do remove the autumn leaves before they drop. I do not. For the obvious reason that the tree needs all the back flow of nutrients it can get before going into dormancy. It is a natural process, where the decaying leafs turns off their photosynthesis as days gets shorter and colder. Nutrients flow back and are stored for the following spring in stem, trunk and roots. There the stored…

View On WordPress

[shohineurope]

Bonsai in China

Returning to China. From Dec. 7 to 11, 2017, China Penjing Artists Association will be holding “China National Exhibition for Penjing Artists” in Rugao city, Jiangsu Province, China. I will participate with a bonsai demonstration, and I am actually quite exhited to be back. It is remarkable what happens in China these years at the Penjing/Bonsai scene, and I am proud to be part of it. A report…

View On WordPress

[shohineurope]

Autumn works it natural way

Autumn works it natural way

Autumn is one of my favourite times of the year. Despite rainy periods, there is a certain mood about it. Mornings with the smell of wet soil, mushrooms in between the garden trees and leafs turning their colours into traditional brown, red and yellowish warm colours. It is nature and some times you have to go indoors when it gets too windy and too wet at once. I am currently working on some…

View On WordPress

[shohineurope]

I am sorry (and glad of course) that my Shohin-bonsai book is sold out, and not is available anymore.

It has been printed in a good quantity and the success of it makes me happy. I know is used at a regular basis by shohin enthusiasts I have met around the world. Thanks for your always kind support.

The shohin bonsai book by Morten Albek. Now sold out.

I regularly get requests, but it is not reprinted.

Instead I will be announcing news about a replacement for you who wants more information and knowledge, about not only shohin-bonsai but also medium sized bonsai i.e.

All that at a later time. Stay tuned, and read the blog here, where news will be sometime published next year.

The Shohin book may still be found at some local bonsai shops. I discovered it at two shops last Noelanders event in Belgium. See you there, were you can stumble into me and hear more about my new project that is in the planning these months.

  Successful book sold out. I am sorry (and glad of course) that my Shohin-bonsai book is sold out, and not is available anymore.

[shohineurope]

It´s summer time, and the Danish summer behaves as it sometimes does. It rains. It rains. And it rains.

Not much sun lately, but temperatures are alright. It might not be good for humans who wants to enjoy holidays by relaxing in the garden with the sun shining, enjoying the bonsai, eating diner outside – but is surely good weather for the plants. Days shifting between a little sun and then rain to nurse the foliage. Trees are clearly growing good, and benefits from this kind of weather. And there is a special mood in a garden after a night with summer rain that one can enjoy. Waiting for sun though. 😉

Bonsai summer time It´s summer time, and the Danish summer behaves as it sometimes does. It rains. It rains. And it rains.

[shohineurope]

Enjoying bonsai before the rain

Enjoying bonsai before the rain

Heavy rain showers are announced, so I set up the daily display without using scroll or tables. Just protect these from the weather later. Sun is still shining, so it is about enjoying before we will be inside the house mostly the next days.  

View On WordPress

[shohineurope]

The joy of bonsai / Video How do you enjoy your bonsai? In this video I do a talk about my own way of enjoying bonsai, and about aesthetics. Please enjoy. 🙂

[shohineurope]

Cotoneaster shohin favourites

The Cotoneaster is among my all time favourites for shohin-bonsai. especially for Mame-bonsai (from 9,5 cm and down), because it is slightly draught tolerant, and can develop a fine root system for the extremely small pots used. Cotoneaster × suecicus ‘Coral Beauty’ is one of the varieties among the Cotoneaster specimens that are particularly good for Shohin bonsai. It is a summer flowering…

View On WordPress

[shohineurope]

Summer trimming new growth June means a high level of new growth. Sometimes it is necessary to let trees grow more than normal before trimming, so the health of the tree is ensures. Watch the video where a Cork Bark Elm and an English Yew is trimmed.

[shohineurope]

VIDEO: Shohin bonsai introduction

VIDEO: Shohin bonsai introduction

In this first episode in a new video series, I explain some basics about Shohin Bonsai.      

View On WordPress

[shohineurope]

Shohin-bonsai VIDEO tutorials

New Shohin-bonsai VIDEO events and tutorials to be launched soon on YouTube. In June I will post the first in a series of shohin videos, where I explain case stories, pruning techniques, daily care and more with most focus on Shohin-bonsai. Most from my private garden, showing how I work with my private collection. Also the outdoor Tokonoma will be part of the videos, where I will explain how…

View On WordPress

[shohineurope]

The biggest Danish bonsai event took place Saturday the 6th, may 2017. A wonderful day with great people and small trees. The Danish Bonsai Society has this spring event very year. This year my local group Fuchi Bonsai hosted the event, and it seems at it was well received. Here a few pics of the event. More will follow this week.

The bonsai event The biggest Danish bonsai event took place Saturday the 6th, may 2017. A wonderful day with great people and small trees.

[shohineurope]

Facebook LIVE at Bonsai Empire

Facebook LIVE at Bonsai Empire

View the Facebook LIVE streaming at Bonsai Empire from my bonsai garden May 27th. I will give a tour around the garden, answer questions and talk about some of the bonsai and how they are developed. >World times<< Portland (PDT): 9:00 AM Washington DC (EDT): 12:00 pm (noon) London: 6:00PM Amsterdam/Paris/Berlin: 18:00  

View On WordPress

[shohineurope]

A nice day with nice people at Nordic Bonsai today. Students progressed very nicely with good material, and made some future trees. Especially one brave student made the “Albek-cut” and formed the basics of a big Yew, making a step forward to a Shohin-bonsai in future. Thanks for being there, to both my Danish friends and friendly guests from Sweden :-)

Here a few snapshots taken in between teaching.

Workshop at Nordic Bonsai A nice day with nice people at Nordic Bonsai today. Students progressed very nicely with good material, and made some future trees.

[shohineurope]

Baby its cold outside. And it shouldn’t be. Its spring when I look in the calendar. Despite this and with a little help from the sun, we had a great meeting. A lot of questions and advice’s, and good work with the trees.

Cold spring meeting Baby its cold outside. And it shouldn't be. Its spring when I look in the calendar. Despite this and with a little help from the sun, we had a great meeting. A lot of questions and advice's, and good work with the trees.