Do you have plans to improve your Bonsai Garden (display area) in 2018?

[mattspinniken]

I would like to hear people's thoughts and ideas to improve there personal bonsai area in 2018. To me, the area that our trees are displayed are just as important as the trees and pots themselves.

This year I plan to create a large flagstone patio throughout my bonsai area, incorporate some large stones, and add two benches. One bench will be a traditional wooden one and one will be smaller with a stone top.

I keep a bonsai garden inspiration folder on the computer and this one has used a lot of flagstone. If anyone knows the owners name please let me know!
Post up your plans in 2018 for your bonsai garden.

 

[sorce]

Oh yeah! Its winter!

Maybe its the photo...but the decision to follow the left or right path feels an uncomfortable one. The stone placement is such....

You see the large daunting "stops" in either path?
And getting to them on a "brittle" walkway...

Its a subtle difference....
But this old path that @cmeg1 uncovered makes me instantly feel like walking it.


In this garden...

There is not enough visually slender to balance the thin poles.

A tall thin trellis could bring the balance.

Or if the monkey poles were square posts as wide as the top all the way down...
It could balance the weight of the heavy rocks.

As it is, (Paper scissors Rock)
Them boulders beat thin monkey poles....

I think that's what ultinately makes it uncomfortable.

Vines traveling up the posts could remedy..

Blah blah....

The important lesson....

Paper scissors rock!

It works for trees, pairings, ....everything.
A good layman's understanding of "visual weight". If it feels uncomfortable, add some paper, or remove some rock.

Balance!

Sorce

 

[VAFisher]

I have plans to replace the mulch with gravel in mine.

 

[Tentakelaertje]

That garden was featured on Walter Pall his bonsai travels last year I think. It's somewhere in Austria.

@sorce that particular area of the garden has a lot of big rocks yeah, but the rest seems to have less. The monkey poles are featured troughout the garden, so that kinda balances it. There's not as much yang as yin in yin, and vice versa, but in the end there is the same amount of yin and yang in the circle, if you know what I mean.

I love the small fairytale paths that meander trough the garden. It does need an Alp shed/sheepcage tho, that would totally finish it.

 

[Wilson]

I will be continuing to build benches, clear cedar hedges, more fencing. I build the first section of fence in the cedar, to give me more depth. I will build a more traditional fence in the other sections of the yard. I need to get a lot more stone, I love collecting rocks. Even the kids get heavy rocks strapped to their backs, I tell em it's character building! I will start some niwaki in the backyard this year, my front has a few larch, red pine, white pine, etc. I really enjoy growing the garden trees, I feel like I can test things on them before my potted trees.

 

[chicago1980]

Yes, will start construction late winter or early spring! I have been collecting stone from local areas and hauling the stone back home. Excited to build this year.

 

[Ruben Bouwmeester]

Nice garden, i want to do something about my rooftop/terras. But i'm still not found an idee yet. These guy's give a lot of inspiration. https://yokosojapansetuinen.nl

 

[jriddell88]

I'm with you, I haven't been able to decide on a design for a few years now, also something that will make the misses happy too , ill just keep fiddling with it .....

 

[dirk hoorelbeke]

I'll (let) rebuild the house in my garden. Garden will follow later. I like to plan ahead so I like the ideas here.

 

[Steve C]

Mine has been something I've been working on for the past 5 years. It was just a bare grass yard when I started. I do have some plans to upgrade this spring. Right now my spring plans are to move/dig a larger pond for the Koi, probably around 5 times the current size it is. Also plan to build so lattice arbors/shade uprights for the monkey poles. Going to add some more reed style fencing to totally enclose the yard as well.

 

[mattspinniken]

could bring the balance

Balance.... I don't know if I want that. I like a little more wild and natural but very clean lines. When I think of balance I think of a formal english garden. Also, I mean this in the nicest way possible and lets be clear I think your the man Sorce but I find that path you posted ugly...haha. To each his own.

 

[mattspinniken]

I will start some niwaki in the backyard this year

Ive been wanting to add some of these as well. Im thinking some large Scots Pines that I can train. I'm finding it pretty difficult to pull off though. Where do I fend them growing, permission, tree mover...

 

[milehigh_7]

Yea or the wife will kill me. Looks like crap back there.

 

[Tentakelaertje]

Yea or the wife will kill me. Looks like crap back there.

Oh but that's what the paper roll next to bowl is for!

 

[Wilson]

Ive been wanting to add some of these as well. Im thinking some large Scots Pines that I can train. I'm finding it pretty difficult to pull off though. Where do I fend them growing, permission, tree mover...

I started some from ministry provided plugs, that was around seven years ago. I also buy young trees from a specialty grower, and collecting local stuff. It is amazing how fast they grow!

 

[Giga]

Yep, in my new house I plan on going full Japanese garden in the back yard

 

[plant_dr]

Mine will be better than @MACH5's...LOL

 

[MACH5]

I plan on adding a few stands in the main garden area to accommodate a few large bonsai. Using Shinji Suzuki's stand as reference (see attached). Will be adding additional fencing and more landscaping. A large greenhouse is also possibly in the works. And whatever else comes up or I can think of.

 

[M. Frary]

I plan on flipping the boards over that I lay across my 5 gallon buckets. They warp a little every year. Plus more buckets and boards.
I don't really care about display much. It's all about the trees for me. I take my "display" area down every fall and set it up every spring. I actually use one of my boards to hold the concrete blocks used for winter traction in the bed of my truck.

 

[Underdog]

I've been doing more trade work for my landscaper friend/customer. I've got a pallet of huge flagstone covered already and currently rebuilding an old dirt-bike in exchange for the labor for him to put in the patio. The pond in my avatar is 90% complete from last years trading. Plan is to tie the new work to the 10% unfinished side/walkway.

In the same area along the back/north side of the house is where I winter my trees. I want to build a 16ft bench with the center 4-6' as a work station normal height with storage below for supplies. The outer sections about 4' tall for trees liking/needing more shade than they get around the pond while maintaining my winter storage area below but having the ability to protect them a little better under there with lattice or something.

Hope to get the bench built soon as the ground thaws out.