from the blog

Are Plants Stressed By Wildfire Smoke?

Are Plants Stressed By Wildfire Smoke?

August 14, 2026

Given the spate of fires in North America and Europe this summer, those growing bonsai may wonder if wildfire smoke affects plants. And it does—in both positive and negative ways. Wildfire smoke has a lot in it. There are gases, like carbon dioxide, sulfur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, ozone, and ammonia. Then there are the particulates, […]

Managing Rocky Mountain Juniper Foliage

Managing Rocky Mountain Juniper Foliage

August 7, 2026

Rocky Mountain Junipers are grown for their magnificent trunks. Junipers in general are known for their dynamism, but Rockies are exceptionally sinuous and exciting. The foliage of Rocky has a great genetic variability. The color ranges from green to blue to gray to yellowish. And the structure also varies, from the rare trees with fine […]

Mr. Shinji Suzuki Visits Portland, Oregon

Mr. Shinji Suzuki Visits Portland, Oregon

July 31, 2026

Long-time readers of the blog may remember I apprenticed under Mr. Shinji Suzuki in the early aughts, before moving to Portland in 2006. Being a busy fellow, Mr. Suzuki had never been here. The Portland Japanese Garden, who often bring in Japanese masters to give presentations on various traditional arts, invited him over. Personally, having […]

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