The more experience I gain in growing bonsai trees, the better trees I want to create. As a consequence I look for larger and older raw material with character. There is a lot of truth in the saying "a small young bonsai seldom grows up to become a large and beautiful old bonsai". I am not alone in this trend as I noticed when I visited a couple of nice bonsai gardens in central Europe this summer. The new yamadori of Pius Notter and Walter Pall are huge, incredible old and impressive. Click on the pictures for more information about my more recently collected material.

I grew my raw material in garden beds or in wooden boxes. That is perfectly fine and is fully adequate for the needs of the tree. When the tree starts to approach bonsai status, it is time to find a bonsai pot that complements the design and brings out the beauty of the tree. So far, I have been perfectly happy with imported mass produced Japanese pots that can be purchased in most bonsai establishments.

It is incredible how much the total impression is dependent on the pot selection. Changing to a better pot is often the quickest way to improve the quality of a bonsai. It is possible to import beautiful Japanese Tokonama pots or to buy pots from the many skilled professional potters in Europe. Peter Krebs in Germany and Dan Barton in UK are two examples of artists that make exquisite pots. The problem is that quality has its price and that it increases exponentially with the size of the pot. A unique handmade pot easily runs into the thousands of crowns.

I have now contacted a local ceramic artist that is interested in making fine bonsai pots. The first pots are currently being fired and if the result is good I will soon post photographs here. The furnace is large enough for really large pots.

A good bonsai presentation demands some kind of support for the pot. In Japan, classic small display tables of rose wood or other beautiful wood are often used. It is very nice. Other alternatives include polished slices of tree trunks or roots, etc. It is quite possible to start is discussion that is similar to the above one about pots. If anyone knows a good and reasonable source for this kind of material, please contact me!

Another way to enhance a presentation of a bonsai is to complement the display with an accent plant in a suitable pot. Most of us have some pots that are to small for our bonsai, which perhaps have a tendency to grow in size. I have planted my first tufts of grass in a couple of such pots and will complement with photos as soon as I have time.