It amazing the difference a few weeks makes to a walk. I walk in these woods every 2 or 3 weeks and this time it was striking just how full the canopy has become creating that dappled shade.
Blue skies after very heavy rain all night. We wrapped up expecting rain and the heat left us cursing the layers!
Just love these headline grabbing titles 🙂
I spotted this huge snail devouring hostas with the walled garden at Greenmount Agricultural College today. Stephen was able to ride it home. [Yet another height joke at his expense]
I was there on a club job moving display stands but took the opportunity to take a few photos for the blog. It was raining so I didn’t get to spend much time at it. Here’s a few taken within the walled garden.
This has got to be one of the better quality You Tube Bonsai channels, both in content and in production. I thought the advice on leaf pruning maples in this episode was particularly good. Wish they were longer!
Ok, It was only a moth but what a beauty. It’s a Poplar Hawk-moth Laothoe populi [Googled]
I spotted it on my boiler house roof this afternoon. With a delicate poke I managed to get it to pop out it’s aerials 🙂 After a while it started to shake and then flew over onto my fence.
I had a strange request this week. A friend of the family asked if they could borrow a bonsai for a jewellery display stand at a local event. They wanted one about 20 cm tall. I decided to lone them a typical Chinese Elm. It’s what most people [general public] think a bonsai looks like and as it was an £8 purchase from B&Q 2 years ago. Wish I had a before photo.
I spotted it in the store in a bad state. It was reduced to £8 and was mostly yellow leaves. I liked the squat heavy trunk. You can see were I removed the usual lower poker straight branches.
The top of the tree was poker straight as well so I chopped it off and brought up a branch as a new leader that matched the twisting flow of the trunk.
It’s not everyone’s idea of a good bonsai. I bought it to sell on but have grown attached, dangerous habit in bonsai! More filling out required, so I’ll keep it a while longer 🙂
The Cotoneaster that was collected a few weeks back is showing signs of life.
Small red buds can be seen in many places so fingers crossed.
Alas, the big Ceanothus that I lifted has now been checked and I can pronounce life extinct 😦 It was a long shot and had suffered during the cold snap this Winter. It did try to bud but these soon died. Ah well, nothing ventured, nothing gained!
Some thieving ‘toe rag’ has been at their work stealing bonsai in West Yorkshire. As many of those following this blog are from the UK, I thought I would add a post about it.
The stolen bonsai can be seen on an IBC thread. Just click the stolen tree below to see the rest of them.
Whoever stole them obvious had an eye for good material as opposed to finished bonsai, so they knew what they were looking for.
By way of update for the above post, here is the Satsuki in flower now. It looks like the apex is dark pink with the rest of the tree light pink.
Haven’t a clue what variety it is, perhaps ‘Wishinu’ 🙂
I was in the greenhouse for about 20 minutes checking over things and I noticed that a small bee kept coming in every few minutes and servicing my Root over rock Cotoneaster that is flowering. I can’t swear it was the same one, but it sure looked like he was determined to keep this tree to himself. Straight out the door every time, no banging his head into the glass looking for a way out 🙂
Amazed I got a shot of him, wouldn’t sit still!! I focused in on his favourite flower and waited for him to return 🙂
I always like to take cutting of the harder to find varieties and this year is no exception. This is the bench in the greenhouse. I have Cork Bark Elm, Chinese Elm Micro, Fuji Cherry, Zelkova, Trident Maple, Japanese Maple, Satsuki Azalea, Korean Lilac and a rare type of Flowering Current that I hope to show you soon.
A full tray of cuttings taken from the little broom Cork Bark Elm back in April.
This is exactly how that Cork Bark Forest planting started off back in 2001.
Shop for quality bonsai
bonsai and garden
The Kaizen Bonsai Blog
Teaching, Learning, Enjoying Bonsai
The ramblings of an old artist and someone who would like to grow better bonsais trees
my bonsai
My wood creations
Hand Crafted Furniture
Creativity Through Bonsai
dirt leaves flowers
bonsaï | vidéo | Japon - ActuBonsaï
Japan's aesthetic, craftsmanship and spirit
Bonsai with a hint of madness...
"Tibolar-RS. your soil needs it, your plants will love it"
Bonsai Eejit 