An inspiring saikei...

[Bonsai Nut]

Another fun planting from a japanese seller:

Hard to tell all the plants that are being used due to the poor quality photos. Looks like a shimpaku, trident maple, perhaps a hokaido elm(?) and the plant on the top I can't even guess. I really like the 360 degree view. Every angle looks interesting to me.

 

[packooh!!!]

a diferent composition

it's very nice but I think that the maple is too up on the rock. in the nature the conifers grow in the top of the mountains and the deciduous in a lower part.

sorry for my einglish, i'm from spain

 

[Attila Soos]

it's very nice but I think that the maple is too up on the rock. in the nature the conifers grow in the top of the mountains and the deciduous in a lower part.

Remember, there are always exceptions.

Close to my house - I live next to a tall mountain - there are plenty of maples on the top, some of them much higher than the conifers around it. Would it be wrong if I wanted to represent the scenery around my house?

By the way, the saikei in this thread does not represent a distant mountain. I represents a close view of a tall cliff, where trees can grow anywhere, as long as they get enough moisture.

If the saikei represented a more distant view of a mountain, then I agree that the conifers in general should be higher up.

 

[William N. Valavanis]

I'm curious. Why is this specimen a saikei?

It looks like a clinging-to-a-rock style bonsai to me. Also, since you said it was for sale in Japan, I'm also wondering why it's a saikei. As far as I know nobody creates saikei there.

What is a saikei anyways?

Just curious....

Bill

 

[Bonsai Nut]

To me, saikei are planted landscapes consisting of more than one tree (and sometimes more than one species of tree) - often accompanied by accent plants and/or rock as part of the design. The saikei is to be appreciated as a whole, but each individual tree in the design can be appreciated separately. I have come to use the term generically to refer to what I consider Japanese penjing, though I may be mixing terms in an incorrect manner.

http://www.fukubonsai.com/5a27.html

You would probably know more about this than I would Bill. Apparently you have never seen saikei in development in Japan? (Or else it is referred to strictly as root-over-rock?) I am asking because I myself have never been to bonsai nurseries in Japan.

 

[buddhamonk]

Masa Furikawa is one of our local japanese master and the following is from

http://pnbca.com/instructors.html


"Owner of Japan Bonsai which offers bonsai, pre-bonsai, supply supplies and classes. Masa has a rich history in bonsai and horticulture. His favorite tree is any kind but those having an interesting trunk-line and trees with character catch his eye.
Brief bio: 1966 Apprenticed to Toshio Kawamoto (Founder of SAIKEI) Nippon Bonsai-Saikei Art Institute and Meiju-en. In 1967 Graduated from landscape course, Tokyo Agriculture University. In 1971 Masa obtained bonsai-saikei master certification from Nippon Bonsai-Saikei Art Institute. In 1976 Started Fujinomiya Bonsai- Saikei Institute in Shizuoka Japan. 1980 Started Oregon Bonsai-Saikei Institute. Fees upon request."