The Garden of David Benavente

One name that comes to mind on any list of great creators of bonsai is David Benavente. Years ago David worked at Luis Vallejo’s Bonsai Museum and has since run his own garden outside of Madrid, Spain.

This a real working garden. Bonsai are crafted in three separate workshop areas. Given the functional nature of the garden—sales are its main focus—it is a testament to David’s artistic sensibility that it feels like a museum.

The use of the site itself is worthy of comment, with exposed granite bedrock surfacing here and there like the backs of whales.

David has a knack of placing a branch where it was meant to be, as if obvious from the start. But since so many are raw natives or restyled imports, it’s all his unerring sense of design, nothing obvious about it.

Please enjoy the photos of this magnificent garden, by one of the most inventive bonsai artists outside of Japan-

An eye-catching display area, the yellow stucco wall a beautiful blend of Japanese and Spanish sensibilities.

Grafted Itoigawa juniper

Scots Pine

David Benevente in the back area of his garden—we had a fantastic time catching up and talking tree

Scots Pine, a demo plant from the recent UBE convention where David presented

Scots Pine

Hornbeam

Scots Pine, a standout tree shown in the 2015 Trophy where I first met David

Spectacular Sabina Junipers, grafted with Itoigawa

Yew

A quirky rock planting

Newcomers waiting for training

More plants in queue

With trees like these you can imagine David has many exceptional bonsai ahead. Thanks for the visit, David, memorable and inspiring!