NEW CONTAINER SELECTION- HELP NEEDED

Dear Mr. Valavanis

May I allow myself to show another pot.
I'm a fan of matching colors ...so with the leaves or trunk....but with a slightly different brightness so that there still is a contrast between tree and pot.

WELL....just my taste....

Here's a quick virtual ....

Kind regards
Martin

The yellow one.

And wait :-)

I’d like to thank everyone who took time from their valuable and busy schedules to help me select a container for my Shishigashira Japanese maple bonsai. I found it amazing that the majority here selected the identical container that I did, the last one, the shallow cream oval.

Before I present my thoughts on each of the different containers for the bonsai I’d like to first explain a bit about selecting containers.

SELECTING CONTAINERS FOR BONSAI
There are several factors to consider when selecting a container for bonsai. In my opinion the three most important factors are size, shape and color. Then the following need to be considered, season of appreciation, climate and quality.

SIZE
The bonsai must fit into the container. There are several different methods to determine the size of the container. One idea is to simply study the photos of bonsai in books and magazines (let me know if you want to know which magazine to study) and see which trees look comfortable in the containers. Then take out a ruler and measure the tree and container and see what the proportions are.

The “formula” I use for selecting the container size for standing styles is: “tree height equals container length & depth.” By the way, a bonsai is measured from the base of the trunk to the apex. NOT the container rim, which can vary considerably since often the tree is raised up on a mound of soil. For example, if the bonsai is 12” tall then an appropriate container would be 10” long and 2 inches deep, OR 9” long and 3” deep or even 11” long and 1” deep. These proportions based on mass feel very comfortable to me and are well balanced.

Flowering and fruiting species need additional moisture so often deeper containers are used. Developed bonsai are often planted in shallower or smaller containers to restrict the size of the bonsai while undeveloped bonsai are sometimes planted in pots slightly large to allow the tree to grow a bit faster.

SHAPE & DESIGN
After the size has been determined then its time to look at the shape and design of the container. First the shape must be selected. Generally the trunk movement must be considered. Bonsai with straight trunk line movements often look best in pots with straight sides (rectangular, shape, equal sided), while bonsai which have movement to the trunks look good in curved pots (oval, round, equal sided). Usually I use oval containers from my Introductory Bonsai Courses because they seem to fit most shapes and beginners can’t go wrong with the soft oval shape.

Often symmetrical (round and equal sized) containers are used to emphasize the height of the tree while asymmetrical (rectangular and oval) containers re used to highlight the branching.

I prefer to use containers with straight sides because they are considered to be more “formal” and rank higher than deciduous species which are “informal” and are ranked lower than evergreens.

The design of the container is then selected according to the sides, rim and feet. Each must be considered.

COLOR
Often unglazed containers are used for evergreens which do not change color with the season and presents a more quiet feeling. Glazed containers are commonly used for deciduous species because they change color throughout the year and are more colorful.

The actual color match or contrast is of personal choice, but generally in classical bonsai the main color of the bonsai (foliage, flowers or fruit) should contrast with the container color. Some people like to match the fruit color to the container and often stunning, sometimes boring. It's a personal viewpoint and the final choice reflects your appreciation and viewpoint of the art.

It is often difficult to have the perfect container for a bonsai. Sometimes I have a pot which is slightly too large or slightly too small for the tree, but the perfect color or shape and compromises and difficult decisions must be made. The container can always be changed if not attractive to the owner.

When all else fails, and you are confused, or are not certain, unglazed brown containers are a safe choice.


November 2010



SEASON OF APPRECIATION
Select when you want to display or appreciate your bonsai. If you like to enjoy the flowers or fruit, chose a color which contrasts with the main color. If deciduous species are to be enjoyed during their dormant season, unglazed pots are great to highlight the twigs and bark. Often glazed containers are used for displaying deciduous species to add color to the bonsai or highlight the plump color of the buds or changing bark color.

The container size must also be considered when displaying deciduous species. A deciduous bonsai is much fuller and massive when in leaf than when there are no leaves on the tree. Therefore a container which might look great during the winter, may seem too small during the summer. And a container which looks great during the summertime may seem too small large during the winter.

CLIMATE
Horticultural research has discovered that the roots of trees are not as winter hardy as the tops. Bonsai grown in northern colder regions of the world often used deeper containers so the roots have more insulation during the winter. Bonsai grown in tropical areas often used deeper containers to the trees don’t dry out or cook in the intense heat.

QUALITY
The quality of a bonsai container must be considered when selecting pots for bonsai. A bonsai must be respected and treated according to its beauty, age and history. Old quality bonsai are generally planted in older pots with patina, while younger bonsai are planted in newer less expensive containers.

It would look strange to see a young bonsai still in training in an antique container, just as it would be odd to see an old masterpiece bonsai in a training pot made of mica or plastic. Try to match the tree to the container AND your wallet.

These are just a few of my personal thoughts on selecting the right container for your bonsai. All must be carefully considered to create an aesthetically pleasing and healthy bonsai for your enjoyment.

Now to the comments on the container selection for my Shishigashira Japanese maple bonsai.

BLUE POT
This is the container the bonsai was planted in last year for the 2nd US National Bonsai Exhibition held in June 2012. It was made by an American bonsai artist and potter Nick Lenz. I like the shape and design of the pot, but the color bothers me a bit. The light blue is good, and that’s why I selected it for the exhibition, but I personally do not like the small dark specks in the clay and glaze. They are distracting to me and many American pots have this quality which is not in my taste. If this pot were a bit larger, it might be better, also different glaze with no specks. Also a larger more prominent outer rim might look better with this bonsai. This is a personal taste and although the tree was actually planted in this blue pot for the 2nd US National Bonsai Exhibition, I wanted a change.


June 2010


BROWN POT
The brown color and shape are especially good for evergreens. I like the shape of this pot for the tree, but it is a bit too small. The corners on the rim have cuts which I like and present an informal feeling. The shape of this pot is the same as the deep cream rectangular pot, only much more shallow.

YELLOW POT
I like unusual pots, species and styles of bonsai. I've had this yellow pot for several decades and in the past it was used for a purple flowering Dwarf Korean Lilac and Trident maple bonsai. But for this bonsai, I think the size is a bit too small and the thickness of the pot is too thin for the massive trunk. Also, the sides are straight and I prefer pots with outer lips for deciduous species.

GREEN POT
The deep green color of this pot is a bit overpowering for the bonsai. The color would be good if displayed in autumn. The bright orange foliage will sharply contrast with the dark green pot. The irregular oval pot shape is interesting and I feel it is suitable for this tree. If this pot were a bit more shallow and a bit longer, in a different color it would be perfect…

DEEP CREAM RECTANGULAR POT
The Shape of this pot is good, but the size is too deep and massive for the bonsai. I like the incut corners which present an informal pleasing feeling. This cream color is one of my favorites for deciduous species which are displayed with green foliage during the summer.

DEEP CREAM OVAL POT
I like this pot quite a bit, but it's a bit too deep and massive for this bonsai. The pot is a new high quality Chinese and a bit too bright. I have another pot from the same kiln which I "aged" using sumi ink and peat muck. But this pot is too deep and I don't like the straight sides. It is, however my second choice.

SHALLOW CREAM OVAL POT
The size, color and shape of this container is to my taste for the bonsai! The cream glaze is from a different kiln in Japan and a more quiet deeper cream color. This pot was handmade by one of my favorite Japanese potters from Tokoname at the Reiho Kiln. Since this is an old developed bonsai I wanted to respect the age of the tree so I wanted to use this high quality Japanese pot. For my taste, I personally prefer pots with. Outer lips for deciduous species. The pot sides are not straight and add to the informal feeling of the total bonsai presentation.



This container received the most votes in this poll and I'm pleased that so many people agreed with my selection.

Thank you all very much!

Bill

Copyright 2011 William N. Valavanis

PS: The next lesson for my "Monday Senior Crew" is how to select an appropriate display table, accessory planting and perhaps a hanging scroll for the upcoming show where I’m going to display this bonsai.


Also attached are a few older developmental photos of the Shishigashira Japanese maple which I have been training for 42 years. It has been completely slowly grown in a container from a young graft.


1972



1981



2000



2009

Bill thanks for taking the time to post the great analysis.

The progression shots of the tree from very humble beginnings is great.

Thanks for sharing your thoughts, Bill. A very interesting post!

Thank you for providing such a detailed analysis in your final post Bill. I hope some day I will be able to take some classes with you. I also appreciate the post of the progression of your tree. I have seen some other trees of yours, which I know spent their entire life in a pot, which is rather inspiring in the face of the general online attitude that bonsai can only be developed in the ground.

Great post, Bill.

Too bad you didn't contact me before repotting this maple, so the perfect pot continues to slumber unused on a shelf in my shed.

Did you really repot a maple in August? Did you take any special precautions?

Thank you heartily, Compatriot!

Your narrative provides inspiration for beginners (like me) to set targets with just humble nursery material.

Reiner,

Please send me a simple photo of the container you think would be suitable for the Shishigashira Japanese maple. I'm not 100% satisfied with the cream colored pot.

No problem in transplanting in August. I did not remove many roots. Don't forget that ALL the roots are fine feeder roots developed over the past 40 some years. I did, however, keep the tree under a bit of shade after transplanting because it's being prepared for an upcoming show.

I look forward to welcoming you (and your bonsai) next June for the 3rd US National Bonsai Exhibition.

Bill

Bill, I think the final result looks great.
I liked both oval cream colored pots, but went with the deeper one, reasoning that the deeper pot would help the tree to tolerate the 100F+ temperatures we have had here in SC for much of the summer.

Everyone has opinions, as it should be, but educated opinions are more difficult to find. This was a great exercise and a great learning experience by a great teacher. Bill has studied Bonsai for 50 years and yet continues to study as his thirst for knowledge and insight
is stronger than ever. His passion and knowledge are deep and shared freely with his students, subscribers to International BONSAI and every where he teaches around the world.
Thanks Bill!!!

I go for yellow-kora

In my last message I mentioned that I a was going to have another "lesson" for my Senior Monday Crew (a dedicated group of men, and one woman, who volunteer EVERY Monday to help me in my garden and bonsai activities), on how to select the appropriate display table, accessory and scroll. Well, we had the lesson and everything was photographed and is ready to share with you here. But, all of the photos are on my main computer at home, and I'm now in Chicago for the 34th Annual Midwest Bonsai Show. I was preparing my Shishigashira Japanese Maple for display in this show. Before I share the final photo I thought I show you what we decided when we selected the final display table.



The final display table is an oval hand carved table of paduke wood by Ann Marie Erb when she was living in Minneapolis, MN, now from California. It was a tough choice between many display tables, but basically came down to two final selections, a taller table and this oval. Then we played around with many accessory plants, then the display table for the accessory and finally the scroll selection. Here is our "final" display. The accessory plant is an Erodium which was in full blossom.



I left this display up for several days so I could carefully think about it. When I make important decisions it's necessary to carefully consider all aspects, that's why I leave the set up (or container selection) in my garage studio so every time I pass through it registers with me. I don't actually sit down all the time and study it, but it leaves an impression in my mind.

This bonsai display is being prepared for the 34th Midwest Bonsai Show. I have displayed and participated in all of their fine shows except for the past two (2009- house burning down, and 2010 busy schedule), and am pleased to be here again this year. There are many long time friends here. So I know the layout well and actually had over 30 of my displays in the same area, I'm a creature of habit as many know.

We selected the final display, but I know some of the tables in the show are of different heights, and it's important to be prepared for all situations, so I actually brought the Shishgashira Japanese Maple with two different display tables and two different accessory plants and two different display tables for the accessory plants, but only one scroll. The second display table was my second choice, and the accessory plant was also considered but not the final selection.

The second display table choice was also excellent, but my friends were only considering the bonsai as displayed alone. The entire bonsai show must be considered and where it is to be placed. The low oval table is great, but does not elevate the bonsai to a more important position in the entire show. Actually the taller display table is very good for deciduous species and I'll explain more when I discuss the table selection here later when I return home and find time to post. The selected Erodium accessory plant decided to finish blossoming and did not look as good as when we selected it a few weeks ago so it was switched to a variegated hosta in a signature German container. And, of course the display table for it needed to be changed.

So I brought everything along with my sales items to the Midwest Bonsai Show and carefully looked over the exhibit room, and changed everything appropriately. My final display selection was the taller display table, a Blood grass accessory and suitable display table for that. When selecting the accessory planting, everyone liked the Blood grass, but it was too tall for the low oval table, but kind of OK for the taller table. So before leaving home I carefully removed, not cut the tip, of all the taller leaves to "shorten" the height so it would be appropriate.

Apparently the judge Ryan Neil, who is well trained and has talent and taste thought my Shishigashrira Japanese Maple was pretty good and it won the First Prize in the Professional Division of the show. So, the display had to be moved into their display alcove, which was much lower, so it's a good thing I selected the taller table.



I hope you enjoy this display, and if you would like to see over 100 fine bonsai are in the area come on over to the Midwest Bonsai Show at the Chicago Botanic Garden, it runs until Sunday, August 21, 2011. I hope to see you there, come see me at my sales area with lots of indoor bonsai and a few great shohin Satuski azaleas and I'll post the display table and accessory selection process when I get home.

Bill

Thought the process you shared on being prepared for a show, based on display levels, was pretty sage and often not even a consideration. Looking forward to your thoughts and shares afterwards.

As someone who has spent time with Ryan Neil and visited his home and grounds, I couldn't think of a more competent judge for any show. So happy to have him in the Pacific northwest!

Congratulations on the first prize. Very well balanced display. Was it intentional you obscured the bottom left hand corner of the scroll with the tree to help transition from accent ,to tree, and finnaly scroll?? Or to help cover the vertical exposed wood as not to distract from the overall compisition?

Yes, it is my custom to often have the bonsai partially cover the scroll, but not all the times. There also is a vertical board which I was fortunate to cover with the scroll. I always hang the scroll in the center of the display.

As photographed, this is not my ideal spacing, but I had to adapt to the conditions.

Bill

Great display Bill! I love a good display and this one hits the spot! The subtle colors of the scroll blend very well with the overall picture. Sometimes a scroll seems to overpower the display, but not here.
This is a teaching moment in the art of bonsai.

Best Regards

Mike

Congratulations Bill! The display looks great. The time and effort you put into documenting and describing the overall show preparation process are very much appreciated.

BTW, setting up the display so that you can "casually observe" it over a period of several days is very helpful. Often we work so hard on putting something together that we start seeing what we think we should see (at least that's how it seems to me). I think coming back to it later with a fresh or "surprised" eye often gives a truer impression, more like what an independent observer would see.

Chris

As promised, here is the missing section on how we decided the display table, accessory plant, accessory plant table, scroll and final display. Please not that it had rained the night before and the bonsai was wet, that is why the bark is not dry.

Two weeks after my Senior Crew and I discussed the container selection for my Shishigashira Japanese Maple (now Award Winner), we discussed how to complete the display. After selecting the right container we changed display tables several times:



WORK TABLE
This table is what I normally photograph my bonsai on. It’s all scratched up, even though it has been refinished several times, so it was not a contender, but it is a bit too long and the legs are too heavy for this bonsai.



LOW BLACK TABLE
This table is too low for my personal taste and way too small, besides I do not like black display tables, except in rare conditions and for use when displaying suiseki individually.



ROSEWOOD DISPLAY TABLE
At one time, before our house BBQ, this bonsai display table was the most expensive piece of furniture in our home. It’s handmade Indian Rosewood with all 18th Century Chinese joinery. The size is fine, but the corners and fancy corners make this table best suited for evergreen bonsai, not deciduous bonsai which are a less formal group of plants. It is, however, a good height.



FANCY TABLE
This design is a bit too informal for my taste for this tree. It’s superb with my Cotoneaster, however! It is too small.



LOW SPINDLE TABLE
I like bonsai display tables which feature spindles, they are great for deciduous species when displayed in winter with the bare twigs. Even though it’s a bit too long, the low height makes it very suitable. The quiet dark color is good.



SHORT SPINDLE TABLE
This selection is a bit too heavy for this bonsai. The color is too bright, for this bonsai. The first thing I see is the table, so it is not suitable.



OVAL TABLE
A great table, hand carved by Anne Marie Erb from Paduke. It was designed and made for another one of my large bonsai, the Koto Hime Japanese Maple which is the mother stock plant for most of this cultivar in North America. This table is perfect for this bonsai and the one we selected for display.



TALL RED TABLE
A good height and size, but the color is a bit bright. I like the solid sides, with cut out design. It would be good, as would most of the tables, but fortunately, we have a large selection to chose from.



TALL QUINCE TABLE
The second best selection for this bonsai. The dark quiet color is excellent as are the solid sides with cut out design. We originally did not select this table because it was too tall, however, the group was not considering the placement in the bonsai show. We did, however use this table for selecting the accessory planting to accompany the display.


IMPORTANT
It is important to state that probably ANY of these tables would be suitable. I realize that bonsai display tables are difficult to locate outside of Japan, and when found very expensive. Most hobbyists do not spend their funds on display tables because they would rather spend their limited funds on bonsai, which is a good idea. Besides, why spend hundreds of dollars on a display table they normally use only once a year for a local bonsai show. These tables can be found outside of Japan and China made by Western woodworkers. This is a great idea and also a way to support the bonsai industry. However in my opinion, most of the American woodworkers are very “artistic” and want to make tables in their own design which do not match my taste for display tables. Their wood selection is mostly native American hardwoods, which is fine, but too light a color for my taste, and they refuse to stain darker. Also, more importantly, even if you show them the right design out of an exhibit album (or the first and only bonsai magazine published in America) they still get the proportions wrong.

I’m kind of fortunate to have quite a wide selection of bonsai display tables. Yes, many are expensive, but adding one or two quality tables each year for the past 49 years has slowly built up a nice selection for my personal bonsai display table collection.

NOTE:
Since I don’t know how many photos I can post in one reply, I’ll end this section here and continue how we selected the accessory planting in the next reply.

ACCESSORY PLANTING SELECTION

I like accessory plants and have a large number. Most have small flowers and foliage, but most will reduce when potbound and used as an accessory for bonsai. Usually accessory plantings should be very full and potbound, not recently potted or “skimpy” because they will grow into the container.


ACCESSORY PLANTS
Most of these are perennials, but annuals are also used. They include Blood Grass, Houtennia (Camelian Plant), Host of many cultivars, Sedums, Ajuga, Dwarf Horsetails and others.

MY TASTE
Generally, my taste for accessory plantings is first the selection of the plant, then the container. Usually, the containers are easy to switch.

If the main bonsai on display is in an asymmetrical shaped container (oval or rectangular) I will use a symmetrical shaped container for the accessory (round, square or equal-sided).

If the main bonsai on display is in a symmetrical container (round, square or equal-sided) I will use an asymmetrical shaped container for the accessory (rectangular, square or equal-sided).

Usually my accessory containers do NOT have fancy legs which raise the container hight, they must be low. Also, since the entire containers are not usually seen, I do not often use expensive containers for accessory plantings. They are a great use for using cracked or broken containers! In fact, the final selection used was broken and repaired.

If the main bonsai on display is in a glazed container, I usually used an unglazed container for the accessory. If the main bonsai on display is in an unglazed container, I will use a glazed container, different color of course.

These are my own personal guidelines, which I sometimes stretch for other reasons or for emphasis.


HOUTINNIA
The texture of the foliage and color contrast with the bonsai are good, but the size is too large. For my taste, the accessory planting should be shorter than the display table for the bonsai.



HOUTINNIA-SMALL
This is a good selection, but after thinking about it, the leaves were a bit too coarse when compared with the beautiful crinkled green foliage of the Shishigashira Japanese Maple bonsai.



HOSTA
Nice planting, but a bit too large in proportion to the main bonsai. Also, the foliage was too similar to the leaves on the bonsai.



VARIEGATED HOSTA
Ok, so we have many Hosta cultivars and switched them. This one is variegated and has thinner more delicate leaves with a white edge. Very good, I like this choice, but I also like direction. The container is very fine made in Germany and has a lip with a pushed in side which creates a focal point. It is glazed tan, which is OK.



HOSTA FLOWER DISPLAY
Ok, so we need more direction. That’s easy to fix by adding flowering stems or even seed pod stems from another Hosta. They will last for a long time. Note they are facing the bonsai.



SUISEKI DISPLAY
This water pool suiseki was selected because the season is summer and the water presents a cool feeling. It is an excellent selection and excellent suiseki. It was originally purchased by Yuji Yoshimura, my main teacher, when he was 19 years old. He rode his bicycle from Tokyo to Omiya Bonsai village and bought it from another one of my teachers, Kyuzo Murata. Although the stone is millions of years old, collected in the Kamogawa River near Kyoto, Japan, it has only been appreciated by bonsai lovers for over 175 years, an antique. It is displayed in an oval bronze suiban.


SEDUM
Here I was playing with color. I like yellow, but in this case, the first thing noticeable is the bright yellow sedum.



AJUGA
This is a low growing Ajuga ‘Chocolate’ has bronze foliage which is a good contrast and size for the main bonsai.



BLOOD GRASS
The red tips of the tall foliage are excellent for summer display. This is even more emphasized by the small water pool stone filled with water and white gravel in front, but not directly in front, it is turned slightly towards the main bonsai. It was not selected because it was too tall. But we played with it for selecting the display table for the accessory.



ACCESSORY PLANTING DISPLAY TABLE SELECTION

The raft table made of black bamboo is good, but a bit too thick for this display. Please note that it was quickly photographed and not centered on the raft table. The raft table, is very informal as indicated by the offset sides. It’s one piece. The selection of bamboo for summer is good, better than solid wood chosen for winter display.



BLOOD GRASS-THIN RAFT
The thickens of this raft table is good. I like the very informal sides which are long and short, not in two sections like the previous selection. There is a formality ranking for display tables as well.



LEVELING SCROLL
I’m fortunate to have a rather large selection of scrolls. Rather than go through the lengthy and time consuming process of selecting the right scroll for MY taste, I chose this Chinese hand painted scroll of a Japanese scroll. It features several rainbows after a summer rainfall. Note that the distant mountains face the bonsai. Also the artist’s signature and seal on the right indicate that the scroll, be best positioned on the right side of the display. It is important that the scroll is level so I hopped on the bench and used my iPhone with level app to make certain.



SCROLL DISPLAY
This is one of the final displays featuring the tall Blood Grass. The Blood Grasss is TOO tall for this display, but I believe I mentioned before that I carefully cut out all the tall leaves to shorted the height. The red tips were not cut off.



FINAL DISPLAY
At the end of the session, this was our final display featuring Erodium. But, as mentioned earlier the Erodium finished blossoming and I brought TWO different displays to Chicago.

The display which was actually on exhibit at the Chicago show is shown in one of my previous posts.

When I arrived at the Chicago show I took a look around and switched the display. I guess the judge Ryan Neil also liked the display too. This was a time consuming event and one which I enjoy. I'm not certain if others take this amount of time and effort into every display, but this is MY way of doing something I have a passion for. And, this is my opinion as of today. I'm still learning and might change my mind with new information I learn.

I hope this was helpful in preparing a bonsai for display and also for completing the finished display for an exhibition. I had fun working with my Senior Crew in preparing and designing this composition.


Bill

Bill, thanks so much for taking the time to go over the options for display. Very informative.

How do you feel about using other types of accent pieces like figurines or animal sculptures?

Thanks for this great and time consuming report, Bill. Very informative as usual.

Very informative Bill. thanks for the time, effort and lecture. it's like an on line class session. Where else can you find such discussion.

regards,
jun

Thanks for sharing your thought process regarding containers, stands, accessories, and companion plants. This was a great tutorial and one which we often see in action in your International Bonsai Magazine. There is much to learn. Right now I am starting on the design of my displays for next spring's shows and so this is very helpful.

Hi William,
Pictures to dream











Best wishes
Peter
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THE WORLD OF THE POT: http://www.peter-krebs.de/