A big thank you to everyone who has registered for a Weekend Pass at the upcoming 9^th US National Bonsai Exhibition on September 13-14 2025 in Rochester, New York

We are ready to welcome you to Rochester for the US National Bonsai Exhibition, five lecture/demonstrations by international acclaimed artists, four bonsai/suiseki critiques and the Invitational Suiseki Exhibit which are included in the Weekend Pass.

Due to space restrictions the Weekend Passes are now SOLD OUT. However, The Sunday Only passes and Award Banquet tickets are still available. Award Banquet tickets will not be available at the Exhibition. Reserve your ticket now for the Award Banquet where the winners of the US National Bonsai Exhibition will be announced, as well as the ABS North American Pot Competition and ABS New Talent Contest.

This amazing and jam-packed bonsai weekend will be bursting with the Exhibition, lecture/demos, critiques, workshops and contests at the ABS Learning Seminars and the US National Bonsai Exhibition along with fun and bonsai fellowship from our global bonsai community.

After studying, growing, training and teaching bonsai for 63 years I have accumulated too many bonsai. Many of the trees have grown large and are too heavy for me to move. Watering and coming in contact with each tree is enjoyable. However, it requires many hours and thousands of gallons of water to maintain such a collection of fine bonsai.

Now in my twilight years, I want to share some of what I have learned with others to contribute to the bonsai world primality in a written form. I have numerous topics I’d like to share with others who appreciate the art of bonsai. With my lifelong study, enjoyment and sharing of bonsai combined with my extensive library and photos (over 64,358 images on my iPhone today) I have the necessary background, resources and passion to contribute more to raise the level of bonsai. I still have a bit of energy and desire to contribute more, but I’m too busy caring and keeping the trees alive, healthy and in shape. Today I had 15 dedicated volunteers assisting me, and still have much more to accomplish. Although they are maturing, but still have the desire to help me promote bonsai, many find it difficult due to physical and medical conditions. Getting old DOES suck.

So, I’ve decided to significantly reduce my personal collection of bonsai and let others enjoy the decades of love and training which I’ve invested into the trees. I’d like someone else to water and continue to improve the refinement which I have enjoyed and accomplished through the past 63 years.

Listed below are a few of the larger and heavier bonsai I can now let go. If you see something that interests you, please contact me by e-mail (wnv@internationalbonsai.com). Please note these are the prices in US currency and the specimens must be picked up from Rochester, New York. We expect and anticipate many bonsai lovers from across the United States and several foreign countries to converge in Rochester to visit the 9^th US National Bonsai Exhibition, and the ABS Learning seminars in only 31 days on September 13-14, 2025. This would be the ideal time to add one of my bonsai to your collection to take home with you, should they still be available. Four have already found new homes in the past week. Many of my award-winning bonsai are well known. Please contact me to see if those masterworks are available. I am seriously reducing my collection to provide the necessary time and energy to continue my passion to raise the level and understanding of bonsai art.

I’m looking forward to welcoming you to Rochester in only 31 days. 

Developing a bonsai can be a fulfilling accomplishment. Taking a young cutting or seedling and carefully growing it to a size for shaping and training is one of the most common methods for bonsai creation. Although time consuming, this technique has been popular, and a bonsai can be developed right from the beginning according to your own taste and understanding of bonsai. As your bonsai experience and knowledge increase (hopefully) and developing your own style bonsai can be developed.

Last year I suddenly realized I have too many finely developed bonsai and I could not even pick up some of them as they grew larger and heavier. Since my assistants and I are ageing and not as spry as we once were, moving and hand watering becomes more difficult and time consuming. So, I began to release and sell many of my famous, well-known distinctive bonsai from my personal bonai collection.

Last year Dave Steele, one of my long-time, over 30-year, student and friend has been assisting me care and train my bonsai for decades. He has an excellent bonsai collection and does an excellent job caring and training his trees. As he was watering my trees, he kept admiring one of my oldest Valavanis dwarf cypress bonsai which I grew from a cutting over 50 years ago. So, I sold him this bonsai on the lay-away-plan. He wired the entire bonsai last winter and today we refined the shape and transplanted it. Before describing today’s work, I want to present some historical information

The Valavanis Dwarf Cypress

In 1970 I got lost in New Jersey trying to find a nursery. I ended up driving around and around in a rotary circle. While trying to escape from the circular nightmare, I suddenly looked up and discovered a witches’ broom which is an abnormal growth on a plant which differs from the host tree. Oftentimes the abnormal growth is different and has strange foliage and twigs. This is a major origin of a great number of dwarf and unusual plant cultivars. Often someone recognizes differences and is captivated with them. They usually have smaller foliage, twigs, colors and growth habit and want to study the unusual growth resulting in unique cultivars.

Eastern white cedar, Thuja, and Dwarf hinoki cypress, Chamaecyparis, by Marc Arpag. Noga photos

Differences Between Thuja and Chamaecyparis

The tall host tree that attracted my eye was a mature Atlantic white cypress or cedar, Chamaecyparis thyoides. This native narrowleaf evergreen grows to 40 to 60 feet. It is often compared to the American arborvitae, usually called Eastern white cedar, Thuja occidentalis by the bonsai community. It is also named Northern white cedar or Arborvitae, which is another native evergreen which only reaches heights of 20 to 40 feet. This species is quite vigorous and withstands severe growing locations so many dwarfed and interesting trees are often collected for bonsai shaping. However, the main use of the American arborvitae is for hedge and landscape specimens.

The main differences between the Atlantic white cedar, Chamaecyparis, and Eastern white cedar, Thuja, is the foliage and growth habit. Thuja are typically upright trees with dense foliage which have flattened leaves in one plane.  Chamaecyparis, also called false-cypress, have flattened frond-like leaves and are more diverse in shape and colors ranging from green to yellow foliage and often blue. A popular Chamaecyparis used for bonsai is the Hinoki cypress, Chamaecyparis obtusa. A popular Thuja used for bonsai is the common native Arborvitae, Thuja occidentalis which are usually dynamic shaped trees collected in harsh environments.

Of course, I parked my car and climbed to the top of the tree. I was younger then only 19 years old. A few branches with unusual small foliage which were vastly different than the host tree was pruned, taken home and easily rooted.

The cuttings quickly rooted and grew into nice compact rounded shapes. There are hundreds of popular named dwarf Chamaecyparis cultivars, and I did not think this new variety was anything special. As they grew, they were given away to students, collectors of rare plants and nurserymen. Many years later I attended the closing auction of the Mayfair Nursery in Nichols, New York. As I was browsing the available plants I suddenly heard “Valavanis dwarf cypress” bring auctioned. I looked up and saw one of my cuttings being auctioned. Apparently, the nurseryman named this plant after me since I introduced it to the horticultural trade. 

Valavanis dwarf cypress, March 2010 before shaping, note lower two branches appear opposite.

Valavanis dwarf cypress, March 2010 after one hour of shaping.

The Valavanis dwarf cypress is easy to root, very winter-hardy, grow quickly and trained for bonsai. I often use them for workshops. In the early 1970s one of my students rooted a cutting and began training it for bonsai. In 2010 he moved into a smaller home, and I was able to purchase his bonsai. In March 2010 the tree was wired and shaped in one afternoon. Only a few smaller branches were trimmed, but rather the annealed copper was magic to change the design according to my understanding and concept of classical bonsai. The tree was allowed to grow unpruned for a year to establish vigor and new growth for training. It quickly developed into an acceptable bonsai in only two years with my horticultural growing techniques and bonsai training techniques.

Valavanis dwarf cypress November 2012, two years after training.

Towards The Future–

Last year after introducing and growing this variety for over 50 years it suddenly mutated and began to grow smaller tight new dark-green growth. This new cultivar will be named “Little Willy” and is still being evaluated before releasing.

Valavanis dwarf cypress before pruning. Valavanis dwarf cypress after pruning

Refining Dave Steele’s Valavanis Dwarf Cypress Bonsai

Today, June 11, 2025, was a beautiful day and we spent a few hours refining and repotting his new bonsai. The tree was carefully evaluated. We felt the triangular silhouette was too wide and the lower branches were about the same length. This created a static image and lacked movement.

The two lower branches were pruned to create different lengths. With the right branch a bit longer and massive created a bit of movement. Other smaller branches were trimmed and moved into better positions. This was easy since Dave had the entire bonsai wired.

Rotated tree to create new front

While studying the tree again we discovered a slightly new more dynamic front. So, the tree was slightly rotated, improving the lower trunk and surface root display. Also, the lower right branch had some of the foliage moved to hide the bare branch. Additionally, the two lower branches opened the trunk view too much. It reminded me of a “flasher.” Although the image does not clearly show this, rotating the tree and adjusting the branches helped to present a more refined appearance.

After the reshaping was completed, as the tree had not been root pruned for over ten years. However, the water drained right through the soil, so the tree remained healthy. The bonsai was transplanted back into the same container.

This is a vintage Japanese Tokoname-ware container. It was originally imported by Yuji Yoshimura in the early 1960s through his Yoshimura Bonsai Company. Although this container might seem at first common shaped, it has patina and a few other highlights which were common many decades ago. The container front is not exactly straight and note the bottom feet do not sit level on the display table, thus adding additional interest.

Valavanis dwarf cypress with two viewing fronts

When completed, we of course looked at the bonsai from all sides. The total aesthetic impact this bonsai has two acceptable fronts. Many of my bonsai have this characteristic, which I try to develop because it comes in very handy when formally displaying bonsai. I use both sides as the front depending on how it is used and displayed considering the scroll and accessory movement. Plus, the displayed front could depend on where the tree is displayed. 

When displaying bonsai, the entire exhibit area (not only your tree) or row of displays is important for positioning. If a bonsai has a right to left eye movement, the bonsai looks more comfortable on the left side leading your eye towards the center of the entire row of displays. Likewise, a tree which presents a left to right movement looks better at the other end of the table row with the trunk movement also going toward the center. Ideally, the largest bonsai should be placed in the center of the row for visual stability. A large-size formal upright style would be ideal for this position. 

So, if you are fortunate to have a “double sided front” bonsai a distinctive, well-balanced display can be appreciated.

The Bonsai Society of Upstate New York, based in Rochester, is hosting the 52^nd exhibition for only one day this year because of a scheduling conflict. Sunday, May 18, 2025, was the only date available to the group. The venue for this year is the Golisano Autism Center which has two sections of a gymnasium with perfect background and lighting for displaying bonsai.

There are 79 bonsai in the exhibition with trees and suiseki coming from our members in Rochester, Ithaca, Syracuse, Buffalo and Erie, Pennsylvania. Joe Noga, one of our members and past presidents travelled from North Carolina to professionally photograph each bonsai. He started around noon and continued until he finished around 5pm. We could not get into our room to set up until 2pm and finished around 5pm. As always, member quickly joined to set up the exhibition. They know exactly how to set up, sponsoring over 50 exhibitions, plus setting up eight US National Bonsai Exhibitions.

On Sunday morning the society conducted a free workshop for people having autism. Twenty people from ages 14 to adults were assisted for shaping their first bonsai. Imported curved Ficus were used. Our members potted them into plastic bonsai training pots ahead to save time and make creating the bonsai easier. Each student was assisted wiring their plant with aluminium training wire. Tools were provided for use during the free workshop. Hopefully, some will want to take up a new hobby, but now have a better understanding of bonsai art.

Earlier in the afternoon at 1pm we experienced a hail producing thunderstorm, during my Spring Open House and sale.

The Michigan All-State Bonsai Show took place on May 10-11, 2025, at Majier Gardens and Sculpture Garden in Grand Rapids, Michigan.

Omiya Bonsai Art Museum

Kyuka-en Bonsai Garden– Yukio Murata

Mansei–en Bonsai Garden– Takahiro Kato

Since I got on the wrong plane and I ended up in Tokyo, I thought real hard (yea) how to take advantage of a surprise short visit to Japan. This visit was not as short as my February trip, but I was able to walk.

Spent an entire day in Omiya Bonsai Village where I was an apprentice for one year. Across the street of the garden I was studying at was Fumo-en Bonsai Garden, the studio of Hiroshi Takeyama. My first visit was in June 1970 when both Mr. Takeyama were younger, and the exchange rate was US 1 to 365 yen. This is my personal favorite bonsai garden.

The 2025 BCI (Fengyan, China) Stone Appreciation Exhibition and 3^rd Anhui Province Fine Penjing Invitational Exhibition was held on April 24-25, 2025 in Fengyan, China. 

My three-hour demonstration on Saturday morning after the opening ceremonies was a bit different than the ones I’ve done previously. The size was huge, as are most of the bonsai and stones in China. One reason is because China does not have the cultural history of stones and bonsai being displayed indoors. So, in order not to be overlooked when viewing outdoors in large gardens, they must be large. 

I was taken to large nursery where they had at least 50 big specimens of Asian apples with trunk diameters of four to six inches. They were grown from cutting and spent the four years building a trunk and basic structural branching. Then the trees were potted and trained for another four years. They were initially drastic pruned many years ago to develop a multitude of small flexible branches.

When selecting plant material for a bonsai demonstration for styling it is important the finished tree looks good. I have learned the hard way of demonstrating around the world not to use deciduous species. Evergreen trees are much easier because faults and ugly branches can be usually hidden with foliage, while it is difficult to cover up faults when using deciduous species 

when all the branches are ……..exposed.

The tree I selected was large, heavy and four strong men were needed to move it, especially when not on a turntable. I decided not to defoliate the tree first, as a skeleton tree is not my goal. Many leaves remained on the tree, especially the crown. But, many were removed to allow the apples to ripen in the sunshine. Two skilled assistants helped me shape the tree. First, we removed the large and crossing branching then I started one wire used to shape two branches. The wire size and direction was established. As we progressed, my assistants caught on my methods of working and they were allowed to wire after trimming. After finishing up we removed. Many of the larger leaves, especially those hanging down. Finally, we concluded the demonstration and were pleased and proud of our work.

2025 BCI (Fengyan, China) Stone Appreciation Exhibition

There were over 600 stones in the large exhibition held indoors. The basic lighting was not ideal, however small spotlights were focused on each stone. I personally felt I was in an art gallery and also a zoo. Most of the stones were remarkable suggesting animals. Some appeared as people were dancing. A lot of the stones were Lingbi stones which are found nearby. Smaller stones were displayed behind glass. I don’t remember seeing any stones displayed in water basins. All had hand-carved daiza, some ornately shaped to enhance the suggestion of animals. This was one of the most beautiful stone exhibitions.

Completing the exhibition, was a very large market selling stones, collected trees and containers. It was held outdoors on both sides of a long street with the vehicular traffic blocked off.                                      

I think I need a larger box!