Chaenomeles japonica “Toyo Nishiki”–Japanese Flowering Quince
Spring arrives in winter with flowering quince in bloom! Flowering quince is one of the very earliest shrubs to bloom in our gardens, while rain is still pouring down. From January to March the blooms of these fabulous cultivars, from apricot to crimson to pale peach,...
Buttercup Winterhazel/Corylopsis pauciflora
Fabulous early spring blooms! Winterhazel is one of the first shrubs to bloom in Northwest gardens, in early March. The tiny fairy bells are prolific, soft yellow, along with the bare branches of this Chinese native. Following about three weeks later, while still in...
Favorite Camellia is now a bonsai specimen
Christmas icon becomes miniature treasure This beautiful tree bloomed for three months, from mid-November through January. "Yuletide" is one of the finest sasanqua camellias, lwith large, single petals of bright crimson, holding a central "eye" of yellow stamens....
Welcome to Bonsai Akira!
Our website is ready! This website represents a dream come true for me, a dream of starting a bonsai nursery. After several years as a hobbyist, I launched Bonsai Akira in Portland, Oregon, in the summer of 2015. "Akira" means "clarity", and, by extension, "insight."...
Picea orientalis “Aureospicata”
Golden Spruce A complicated cultivar to get to behave, this tree will leave you stunned if you find its structure hiding under all that foliage. I have reduced the branches by about two thirds to get to a silhouette that begins to reveal the tree's outline and...
Bonsai for the regional artist
A beautiful expression of my vision of bonsai as an art form Just came across an article on bonsai as an indigenous art form representing a region-specific expression of the relationship between artist and nature. This exactly dovetails with my own view that bonsai...
Yuletide” Camellia Blooms for show
Another sasanqua Camellia in winter bloom Camellia "Yuletide" is a Christmas favorite, with bright crimson blossoms featuring a yellow "eye".
Acer palmatum “Kamagata” Japanese maple bonsai 2016
Best of show "Kamagata" has found her glory days-- early November!
“Kamagata” or “Eagle’s Claw” Japanese Maple
Early Summer growth on Kamagata Maple bonsai "Kamagata" has some of the most unusual leaf structure of any of the rare Japanese Maples. She has "eagle's claws"-- the leaves curl under at the tips, giving the impression of an eagle poised to land. Unbelievable spring...
Sacramento Art Festival
Latest display features fall flowering trees This weekend is the annual Art Festival at the Convention Center in Sacramento. What a beautiful city! My new collection of pottery handbuilt by Portland ceramic artist Sherri Aytche will be featured in the plantings on...
Camellia sasanqua “Setsugekka”
Japanese camellia with white flowers Beautiful winter blooming camellia with large white single blossoms in December. Sasanqua camellias are known for the distinctive yellow "eye" stamen ring within the blossoms. Blooms last for weeks in the cold weather...
Lorapetalum sinensis “Sizzling Pink”– Chinese Fringeflower
A charming flowering shrub from China Lorapetalum needs to be better known. Halo of pink blooms in spring can be repeated till fall in the best growing conditions. A purplish leaf hue as new growth emerges in spring, fading to pale crimson to dark purplish...
Welcome!
Bonsai Akira has a website! Welcome to Bonsai Akira! This website represents a dream come true for me, a dream of conveying my passion and respect for the art of bonsai to the online community. I hope to incorporate photos of my work, and some timeline blogs about the...
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