Kunio Kobayashi doesn't like broccoli any more...

[AlainK]

What I call "broccoli" are bonsai that are over-worked to the point they look more like topiary.

It seems Kunio Kobayashi doesn't like broccoli any more

 

[Clicio]

Thanks a lot, @AlainK .
Very interesting and inspiring.
I can understand perfectly his reasoning.

 

[Anthony]

Ale ain.

the shimpaku. looks way more beautiful.
Obviously a very talented man.

My problem is the make money / win prizes and
then have a revelation.

Perhaps,- I donated all the extra $$$ to an orphange
joined a monastery and taught others the way.
His words come off too contrived.
Oh well it is a hobby.
Thanks for sharing.
Good Day
Anthony

 

[Paulpash]

We often sacrifice a lot in the quest to pay the bills - even our artistry.

 

[Anthony]

@AlainK .

humble apologies hand slipped, mispelled
your name.
Amthony

 

[Bolero]

Wasn't Kobayashi the Mystery guy in the 1995 "The Usual Suspects" movie ????

 

[Deleted member 21616]

Wasn't Kobayashi the Mystery guy in "All the Usual Suspects" movie ????

LOL the mystery guy is Keyser Soze! Kobayashi is the guy who poses as his 'lawyer' (Pete Postlethwaite). SUCH a good movie.

 

[Bolero]

Oh you're right... I forgot all about Keyser Sozi, Fantastic movie... I think Kobayashi was actually Keyser Sozi...

 

[Paul G]

What I call "broccoli" are bonsai that are over-worked to the point they look more like topiary.

It seems Kunio Kobayashi doesn't like broccoli any more

thanks for sharing this

 

[hemmy]

It seems Kunio Kobayashi doesn't like broccoli any more

I also see he has left the bark rough. The video appears to be from 2015. I wonder if it has been shown in any of the major shows since then and if he left the bark uncleaned?

 

[Adair M]

Having juniper bark cleaned or leaving it uncleaned is a matter of personal taste.

But, there are good reasons for cleaning it. First off, flaky bark is a good place for insects and molds and algae to grow. Removing the bark removes the hiding places, and you’re likely to have a healthier tree.

Clean junipers usually have a cinnamon color (depends upon the species) that contrasts nicely with the deadwood. Ah! But it’s “not natural”! Wrong! If you go into the mountains, you will see that the live bark is relatively smooth, and brown! The harsh winds and driving snow exfoliates the bark. Naturally! The flaky bark persists in our gardens because we provide a more protected environment, which is NOT the natural habitat for mountain junipers.

 

[Adair M]

Having juniper bark cleaned or leaving it uncleaned is a matter of personal taste.

But, there are good reasons for cleaning it. First off, flaky bark is a good place for insects and molds and algae to grow. Removing the bark removes the hiding places, and you’re likely to have a healthier tree.

Clean junipers usually have a cinnamon color (depends upon the species) that contrasts nicely with the deadwood. Ah! But it’s “not natural”! Wrong! If you go into the mountains, you will see that the live bark is relatively smooth, and brown! The harsh winds and driving snow exfoliates the bark. Naturally! The flaky bark persists in our gardens because we provide a more protected environment, which is NOT the natural habitat for mountain junipers.

As an example, look at the color of the live vein on this juniper in the mountains:

 

[hemmy]

Having juniper bark cleaned or leaving it uncleaned is a matter of personal taste.

How do you think this taste is reflected at the major Japanese shows? Are there junipers shown with rough bark?

You make a good point on the bark in harsh environments. I like both styles, as appropriate for aesthetics of the individual tree.

 

[thumblessprimate1]

Having juniper bark cleaned or leaving it uncleaned is a matter of personal taste.

But, there are good reasons for cleaning it. First off, flaky bark is a good place for insects and molds and algae to grow. Removing the bark removes the hiding places, and you’re likely to have a healthier tree.

Clean junipers usually have a cinnamon color (depends upon the species) that contrasts nicely with the deadwood. Ah! But it’s “not natural”! Wrong! If you go into the mountains, you will see that the live bark is relatively smooth, and brown! The harsh winds and driving snow exfoliates the bark. Naturally! The flaky bark persists in our gardens because we provide a more protected environment, which is NOT the natural habitat for mountain junipers.

It's not natural for Sierra juniper to have blue foliage!

 

[Adair M]

It's not natural for Sierra juniper to have blue foliage!

That’s true! They’re green up in the mountains! They turn blue down where we live.

 

[Adair M]

How do you think this taste is reflected at the major Japanese shows? Are there junipers shown with rough bark?

You make a good point on the bark in harsh environments. I like both styles, as appropriate for aesthetics of the individual tree.

unfortunately, I have not had the opportunity to attend any Japanese shows. But I’ve seen lots of pictures, and pretty much all of them have the bark cleaned.

My tree that won BIS at the Shohin Exhibition, had a Japanese judge, and he said it was “the look” that they strive for: well manicured, but not “too stiff”. The bark was cleaned, but it didn’t look freshly sanded and oiled. The lime sulfur wasn’t too stark white. He said it “looked very natural”.



Granted, you can’t see much of the live vein, but it’s smooth, not flaky.

Here is a wild Sierra with similiar jins sticking out of the canopy;