Bonsai Today Masters' Series: PINES (review)

pootsie

I have to say, overall, that I am very pleased to own Bonsai Today Masters' Series: PINES (available at Stone Lantern, home of Bonsai Today magazine). As luck would have it, my dear Mommy bought a book I already had as a Christmas present for me, but I was able to exchange it for this one. (Shh, don't tell her.)

As you may know, the book is mostly a collection of articles reprinted from Bonsai Today magazine. But don't let that fool you into thinking it is nothing more than some old magazine issues stapled together. There is value added in this collection.

Editors Wayne Schoech and Michael Persiano took the time to clean up some of the awkward translations that appeared in earlier magazine issues. They have also added extra editorial tidbits and clarifying information to flesh out the sometimes sparse explanations derived from the original Japanese articles. And they have put great thought into the arrangement of the book.

The book is divided into two sections: Japanese White Pines (pinus parviflora) and Japanese Black Pines (pinus thunbergii). The editors have arranged the articles in a logical sequence of chapters, starting each section with a chapter written by the editors to provide a basic introduction to each species. The chapters then progress through individual tasks like trunk development, branch development, transplanting and root work, to styling. They end each section with a delicious gallery of specimens, giving a full page to each pitcure.

Persiano's Introduction to the book states, "This book has been written for intermediate and advanced bonsai enthusiasts (as well as daring beginners)." It most definately hits the mark. As anyone who has been practicing bonsai for a few years can tell you, there is a serious gap in the world of english-language bonsai books for that audience. Bonsai Today Masters' Series: PINES certainly goes a long way to help fill the gap.

While I personally have very little experience with pines, the proof of the value of the contents of this book can be seen in the pictures of display-ready trees (another rarity in the pantheon of bonsai books written in english). As I venture further into the world of pine bonsai, I know I will return to this book again and again. I have already put some of the information in this book to use, but as bonsai is an exercise in patience, it will be some time before I can report on my own results.

Patience is stressed in this book, as the chapters emphasize the slow, painstaking process of developing great trees. Again, this is something not found often enough in the english-language bonsai library. A good example of the stress placed on patience in this book is the chapter on developing black pines from seed. It only takes a good 20 years, or just 7 if you want a shohin.

I heartily recommend this book to anyone who, like me, has had more than his fill of bonsai books that just give the same old explanation of basic care, the various styles, and an exposition of the "hack-and-plunk." (You know, where the author hacks up a garden center plant and plunks it in a bonsai pot.) I can only hope that the next book in the series deals with maples.

pootsie

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p.s. My cat is a bonsaiTALK Master.
Columbus Bonsai Society

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badlad52

YAY! This has me very excited, so I'm ordering as soon as I'm done here!
Thanks Pootsie!

Carl_Bergstrom

At the risk of stirring up yet another pot of trouble, some people might also enjoy reading the review that [cough] Will Heath published over AoB a couple of weeks back: http://artofbonsai.org/forum/viewtopic.php?t=239

He's got a few nice images from the book, as well.

Best regards,
Carl

shibu

sp: definitely

[Pootsie], it's from the Latin definitus, past participle of definire, to define.

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Vidi, vici, veni...

hansvanmeer

Why would you think you be stirring up someting?
When the men is right he is right!
It is a honest and well written review, and just like the one Pootsie posted; quit right in saying it is the best book yet on Japanees black and white Pines maintenance!
Alldo it moostly contance earlier publiced articles, the notes are now more aimed at our zones!
It is a book that every one should have, especialy if you have any problems understanding how to take care of your Pines, and read over and over !
I orded it mouths ago, and enjoyed reading it, because it is simply, but well writen and has beautifull pictures!
Hans van Meer.

jws

Pootsie, I agree with you 100% on the value of this book. Being a rookie, I wouldn't want to do without it. jws

Vance Wood

A word of warning to those of you who are new to pines in particular. First of all I am not debasing this book, I have all of the Bonsai Today publications though I do not have this book as yet. It is real exciting to see all of these things you can do with a pine, but unlike the garden center hack a plunk demonstration, this book is dealing with trees at or near maturity. Issues like needle reduction and balancing vigor are wonderful techniques when used at the right time in the development of a tree. However if you use some of these methods on a tree that is in development phase you will slow that development down even further. Refinement techniques and development techniques are two different and often contradictory events.

It is easy to say you are tired of the hack and plunk demonstrations but if your experience has not started there, and you have no developed through that phase to the almost completed tree needing refinement, then I think you are going to find yourself in a position down the road where your outcome is more akin to putting a jet engine in a Volks Wagon. Having started something you don't know how to finish. Probably to be more accurate you are trying to paint a mud wall with a water based paint.


I speak here from experience, I have had members of our club come to me after they have gone about doing one of these techniques described in the core book, and ask me what do I do next? They read about removing needles, so they remove needles. Trouble is they got rid of all of the potential buds they needed for back budding,

It is not enough that you know how to do something it is more important that you know why you are doing it and when it should be done. All of these fancy techniques are wonderful and sexy but they can be destructive if not performed at the right time for the right reason. I don't know if this book goes into this, I have not read it yet, but sometimes these kinds of warnings can be given but the reader is so anxious to try something that they fail to comprehend the cautions.

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The only finished bonsai is a dead one; me 1992 MABA Des Moines Iowa

pootsie

Shibu: Thanks. I always kfcu that one up.

Vance: The book does mention that needle-reduction etc. is for developed trees. I think also that the target audience is assumed to know a little of what you describe. But it certainly does bear repeating.

pootsie

__________________
p.s. My cat is a bonsaiTALK Master.
Columbus Bonsai Society

jws

Vance, Thanks for the words of wisdom. For me it sometimes gets difficult when comparing info from one book to another. There is so much to learn doing pines, and doing it right. jws