The Bonsai Guide is a run by Brian Smith, a bonsai enthousiast who builds Internet Websites for a living.
The website began in 1997 as a small site with photographs of bonsai from bonsai centers in The Netherlands and has developed into a website with a large collection of photographs from all over the world and a comprehensive internet Guide to Bonsai in Europe.
The Bonsai Photo Guide is based on a database containing hundreds of bonsai pictures contributed by both well known bonsai artists and amateurs including Harry Tomlinson (England), Colin Lewis (England), Farrand Bloch, Christiaan Yeh, Carlos van de Vaart, Rinus Otten, Ed de Groot, (Netherlands), Danny Use, L. Goyvaerts, Ronny van de Walle (Belgium), Craig Coussins (Scotland), Walter Pall (Germany), Reiner Geobel, B.Wilcox (Canada), Ernie Kuo (USA),
Alfiero Suardi, A. Melloni, G. Settembrini, Salvatore Liporace (Italy),
Brian Ingliss, Vince Waters (Australia)
Juniperus (Juniper), Larix (Larch), Picea are some of the classic tree species shown in the gallery.
The Bonsai Guide to Europe contains an extensive list of websites, organisations, bonsai exhibitions, regional organisations and anything else relevant about Bonsai in the many Countries of Europe.
Brian is British and lived in the East and South of England until he moved to The Netherlands in 1982. After 17 years working as an information an organisation consulant he moved to a warmer climate in 1999.
He now lives on the island of La Palma in the Canary Islands where he runs his own company. The company has three main activities:
- Web design and hosting. He designs, builds and maintains websites and web shops for businesses in La Palma and The Netherlands.
The online shops enable bonsaiist to buy bonsai tools, wire, fertilizer, books, pots, displays and carving tools as well as indoor and outdoor trees.
You can read more about this on his website at BTS Internet Services.
- Holiday home rental. He and his partner run an extensive website about the island of La Palma The Isla de La Palma Guide and run a booking agency for several dozen self-catering holiday homes. They are advertised via the English language websites holiday.islalapalma.com and www.lapalmaholidays.co.uk
- LivingonLaPalma Estate Agents. He runs a business helping people to find and buy property on La Palma. www.livingonlapalma.com
How does he collect and maintain the bonsai photographs and European information when he lives on a small island off the west african coast? Via Internet of course just like he did when he lived in The Netherlands!
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