Matching tree and pot

There are a lot of beautiful pots here. Thanks to all of you for posting them.

But I wonder if I could implore some of you to give some insight into how one goes about matching a tree to its pot. There's not a lot written about it. Some bonsai books touch on the topic, but go no deeper than shallow pot for upright, deep pot for cascade . . .

I've found a couple of books that are decent sources of info on this subject. One of the best in my opiion is "Basic Bonsai Design" by David DeGroot and available through the American Bonsai Society. Another excellent discussion of pot choice and aesthetics is in Deborah
Koreshoff's "Bonsai - Its Art, Science, History, and Philosophy" which every grower of bonsai should own anyway, since it is still the best overall book on bonsai.

There's little or nothing on the web -- though several of you potters have excellent sites.

Maybe you all could contribute your thoughts here. We could then put this up as a "stickie" at the top of this forum, or could later work it into an article when Kev gets the rest of the site finalized.

I really hope you will contribute here -- all of you -- with ideas and different approaches to matching tree and pot. Thanks (I hope) in advance.

Hi Jim,
Here there are also some

http://www.peter-krebs.de/index.php?page=the-secret-of-the-colors
http://www.peter-krebs.de/index.php?page=the-sectet-of-the-colors-2
http://www.bonsaipots.net/index.php?page=which-pot

Best regards
Peter

Jim

My good friend John Pitt has a good pot selection guide here http://www.johnpittbonsaiceramics.co.uk/PotGuide/Guide_01.asp
Peters infomation is also an excellent guide.

However I feel that personal taste has to also be included with pot selection as we have seen in Walters post with his trees

Regards

Andy

Thanks, Andy. John Pitt's site is excellent. I also like Peter's site and had had it bookmarked for some time.

Hi Jim

If you go to my site www.erinbonsai.com there is a section ( Guide to Choosing the Right Pot for your Bonsai) that Harry and i have written with a few hints. It might be of some help


Cheers Vic

Gwyther wrote:Hi Jim

If you go to my site www.erinbonsai.com there is a section ( Guide to Choosing the Right Pot for your Bonsai) that Harry and i have written with a few hints. It might be of some help


Cheers Vic

I suppose I was spoilt with my early pots as they ended up almost exclusively ERIN. I have some Walsall pots but honestly...and this is the point of my post Jim...it is to endorse the look, quality, and longevity of ERIN pots. I am myself looking for a round pot some 22-24" x 6" to take a King Scots Pine which is at 58", I'm after something very rustic to compliment the tree. Nothing has hit the spot thus far, so this thread of yours has been a really helpful one.

Mike

Mike

I am not plying for business but this may be of some use...

http://www.stonemonkeyceramics.co.uk/info.asp?id=465

Or

http://www.stonemonkeyceramics.co.uk/info.asp?id=461

In the appropriate size

Regards

Andy

I was going to contact you anyway, so no harm whatsoever done. Both nice and the second getting me interested. It is so difficult sometimes, you have a vision of what you want but cannot quite get it down on paper. The bark on the Scots is very significant in colour so that is something I wish to blend in terms of pot colour.

Mike

peter krebs wrote:Hi Jim,
Here there are also some

http://www.peter-krebs.de/index.php?page=the-secret-of-the-colors
http://www.peter-krebs.de/index.php?page=the-sectet-of-the-colors-2
http://www.bonsaipots.net/index.php?page=which-pot

Best regards
Peter

Stone Monkey wrote:Jim

My good friend John Pitt has a good pot selection guide here http://www.johnpittbonsaiceramics.co.uk/PotGuide/Guide_01.asp
Peters infomation is also an excellent guide.

However I feel that personal taste has to also be included with pot selection as we have seen in Walters post with his trees

Regards

Andy

Gwyther wrote:Hi Jim

If you go to my site www.erinbonsai.com there is a section ( Guide to Choosing the Right Pot for your Bonsai) that Harry and i have written with a few hints. It might be of some help

Cheers Vic

Thank you for these links guys! Anyone have more to share?

Great thread

And a very needed thread it is. When you are spending a load of $$ for a pot you've never seen in person, and trying to match it with a tree, it can be nerve-wracking to find the "right" pot. Especially if you are commissioning it. And if it turns out to be "off", then it's very disappointing. Finding a potter who will work with you, and who has a feel for matching pots/trees is essential...
I'm going to cruise all the links now.
Thanks for this idea for this thread Jim. And thanks for all the input from others.
JB

JimLewis wrote:

But I wonder if I could implore some of you to give some insight into how one goes about matching a tree to its pot.

Hi Jim,
Always a good topic . Here is a little vid made for my students...happy to share.

Good growing,
big D

From Milan Klika's site:
http://www.bonsai-keramik.com/en/teorie.html

I thought this was a wonderful discussion...

https://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t7377-new-container-selection-help-needed

One important thing to remember is the health of the tree. What's "prefect" aesthetically may not be so horticulturally... and a lot of it boils down to educated personal taste.

Great read that thread Russell, thanks for tagging it!