Twisted Nature Bonsai

Twisted Nature Bonsai Pre-bonsai and bonsai trees, soil, pots, and materials, we have everything for beginners to advanced

Yesterday I had the pleasure of operating on a very old . A small soft spot on the rear of the tree revealed what is n...
04/10/2026

Yesterday I had the pleasure of operating on a very old . A small soft spot on the rear of the tree revealed what is now known as the 3rd largest cavern in Indiana. After hours of scraping, grinding and excavating all of the infected and mushy parts of the trunk had been removed. Lime sulphur was applied to all tree parts inside the decayed trunk to help slow the spread or the fungi. Pumice stone was then used as a foundational support which was wrapped in aluminum window screen. I used the screen as a foundation for the new trunk which was made with automotive bondo. Although still needing a few more cans of bondo, the structural support is sound. Barbara will take care of final artistic detail, using another few cans of bondo, some slight carving/dremel work and finding new bark to hide my currently hideous inner support “trunk”. I prefer to hide my flaws before finishing, but this was is a tree that is worth spending another day or two on!

04/02/2026

Sickening to read. Can’t believe this is actually happening. Over a century of peer-reviewed research is about to be decimated.

For the last few days in Japan, the train took me from Kumamoto to Kyoto for a few final gems. Although extremely tired ...
03/10/2026

For the last few days in Japan, the train took me from Kumamoto to Kyoto for a few final gems. Although extremely tired and mind blown into pieces already, I couldn’t just rest and sit in the hotel. Off I went to and to see some more masterpieces. welcomed and introduced me to the garden that was luckily rather vacant that morning. He was working on a shimpaku and a black pine, but took the time to answer questions and helped me around the amazing trees and pots that were available.
No pics allowed at Koju-en so enjoy the entrance view, but they had many beautiful shohin species that were admired for quite some time. I acquired some beautiful crackle-glazed pots from Masumi-san and watched him and his apprentice repot a number of trees. Of course I wanted to buy 50 different trees, but alas, maybe next time….
With a few hours of daylight remaining, the To-ji temple complex was calling my name. I was instantly greeted by some amazing architecture, some seriously old white pines, and another one of my new favorite objects, an enormously gorgeous pagoda. Luckily we were able to go inside that day and see the center beam that was supporting the entire structure (sorry no pics allowed). The other shrines/buildings in the complex housed many ancient religious relics and the exterior architectural details were simply amazing.
recommend Kohnan Pro as a hardware store to visit to grab some garden tools, so off I went. The store was located in a residential area of Kyoto and seemed rather small from the outside, but the inside was STACKED full of great tools and accessories that we could only dream about having here. This trip proved I had zero self control, so ofc I brought tools and other high quality items back with me 🤦🏻‍♂️. The next morning I was off to Osaka to come home so an intense night of packing (and buying my 2nd piece of additional luggage) was ahead me, and knew some fuel would be needed. I took the easy road and stopped under to grab 2 double wagyu burgers with steak on top. Yes I had 2 of them, don’t judge 🤣

Kumamoto did not disappoint! Making my way back to Kyoto for my eventual exit I stopped here for a couple nights to deco...
03/01/2026

Kumamoto did not disappoint! Making my way back to Kyoto for my eventual exit I stopped here for a couple nights to decompress or so I thought. This place was an absolute gem! was easily the second best garden I got to visit behind . At nearly 300 years old, this significantly smaller garden had quite the impact! Beautiful pond and trees and the tall mound symbolizing Mt Fuji really made this a standout garden. I learned after the fact that the city takes this garden very seriously and it shows!! And then for a quick stop (or so I thought) by the … this amazingly huge castle complex was far cooler than I could have imagined. Originally built in 1568, it has been rebuilt at least twice already from war and fire and they were still completing repairs from a 2016 earthquake that destroyed some turrets and many linear feet of the steep protective wall structures. To say that I was amazed at the size and scale of this complex would be an understatement. Although not the largest castle grounds in Japan, I think it comprised over 900k hectares. Soooo much history and character came through in the area and this was probably my favorite man-made object I found on the journey. Next time, I’ll head to .castle to see how the largest castle complex compares. Kumamoto was killer and I will absolutely visit there again!

No, I am still not home yet! Here’s a few pics from my quick stop in Kagoshima after the toppy and before heading to Kum...
02/24/2026

No, I am still not home yet! Here’s a few pics from my quick stop in Kagoshima after the toppy and before heading to Kumamoto earlier this week?? Tbh I’ve lost all sense of time since coming to this new world. Caught this cute little garden with highlights of Sakurajima all over the place. Although an older garden, it had a much different feel than I was anticipating. Great time and lots of military history nonetheless!

After all the primped and refined goodness, some natural forms and nature was a necessity. I headed to to scratch that ...
02/22/2026

After all the primped and refined goodness, some natural forms and nature was a necessity. I headed to to scratch that itch! This place was unreal, from 3000+ year old Cryptomeria to centuries old banyan trees. This place was AMAZING! The forests, food and traditional Japanese ryokan lodging via was just what I needed! I visited amongst other gems on this island that is designated a National Park. Oh, and the on-site onsen, which was visited 2x daily… this place was amazing from beginning to the end, and only an IDP was missing- you NEED one to rent a car 🤦🏻‍♂️. Oh well, bus system was sufficient to hunt suiseki and get to where I needed to go. To top it off, I took a toppy jetfoil ferry off the island (thanks )! It was an amazing time and 3 nights well spent away from my@family in near isolation. 12/10 would recommend this beautiful area. I’ll be back!

Kokufu week 2, videos. I anticipated a huge number of people so I showed up early on opening day to get a walkthrough be...
02/19/2026

Kokufu week 2, videos. I anticipated a huge number of people so I showed up early on opening day to get a walkthrough before it was packed. I’m glad I did as I got most of the show videoed with a near empty floor. ***if you get motion sickness, do not watch 🤣*** also ran into , , and along the way.

Aaaand the NSA? was having their annual show as well, so naturally I had to stare at beautiful suiseki. At least one American had a suiseki display, with a beautifully layered and set stone from . So now I’m into rocks as well, who knew 🤷🏻‍♂️

Oh yeah, I came to Japan for bonsai….🤦🏻‍♂️The 2nd week of Kokufu was yet another feast for the eyes. This week the shohi...
02/19/2026

Oh yeah, I came to Japan for bonsai….🤦🏻‍♂️The 2nd week of Kokufu was yet another feast for the eyes. This week the shohin compositions and conifer deadwood knocked it out of the park. I had a few favorites, but many of the pictures cannot begin to describe the awesomeness that time and love had created.

was so packed full of niwaki, there was obviously no way I could simply pass them up. The intricate pruning, crafting, ...
02/19/2026

was so packed full of niwaki, there was obviously no way I could simply pass them up. The intricate pruning, crafting, and placement of the trees made them so photogenic. Oh, the water and stones helped quite a bit, along with the traditional architecture of the buildings, bridges and islands. There was so much to see, and there’s still more! I’m starting to recover from shock nearly 3 days later. Enjoy part 2

After waiting 19 years I made it to the garden of my dreams, . Before my interest in bonsai, the introduced me to niwak...
02/18/2026

After waiting 19 years I made it to the garden of my dreams, . Before my interest in bonsai, the introduced me to niwaki, or simply “garden tree”. The pine specimens in Portland are a fantastic sight to see, however Ritsurin-en will forever change the way I view and appreciate plants. After spending nearly 8.5 hours wandering the garden, I’m still in complete shock of what those plants are, and what they represent as a cultural masterpiece of Japan. If you goto Japan with an interest in plants and don’t see Ritsurin, you have missed out. Please enjoy part 1

Caught the early Shinkansen out of Tokyo to maximize my first day on Shizuoka island with the big tree section of my tri...
02/15/2026

Caught the early Shinkansen out of Tokyo to maximize my first day on Shizuoka island with the big tree section of my trip. Stepping out of the station, I knew I was in the right place. Beautifully formed old niwaki pines greeted me in the plaza, and a little side street piqued my interest before dropping off my bags at the that found for me. Turns out the Takamatsu Castle Park was at the end of the road. 🤯🤯🤯 40k sq meters of perfect niwaki, EVERYWHERE. Luckily it was a Sunday and I was able to make it to multiple observation decks only open on… Sunday! Breathtaking views, lots of giggles and smiles, and dang near the whole park to myself. I can’t explain it, but it was the nicest and most unexpected treat I’ve gotten in awhile. Snagged some pine seeds from trees, admired the massive stone walls and trees draping over them, and wiped the drool off my chin multiple times. This park seemed unreal and defines cultural heritage. Finished my afternoon off with some of the local favorite udon, and am preparing for the ACTUAL garden I came here to see tomorrow, . Ima quit talking and let the pictures explain. They tell a better story….

Doing Japan things while in Japan! The JDM scene is alive and well here in Tokyo. So may sweet tuner cars all around! Sa...
02/13/2026

Doing Japan things while in Japan! The JDM scene is alive and well here in Tokyo. So may sweet tuner cars all around! Sam took me to all the spots to see how seriously they take their cars around here. , Daikoku, and were just a few of the stops along the way. I had a blast getting to see soooo many generations of skylines, supras, nsx’s, a few lambos and evos along the way. This was a blast from the past as cars were my LIFE before trees and family came along. Truly an amazing time. Tokyo has so much to offer it’s impossible to fit it all in- even though I’ve been here a full week! I’m in line for the opening of the second week of Kokufu-ten, so more tree pics to come. Hopefully I won’t have to buy yet another suitcase to bring things home… 🫠

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