Jun 13 2011

Root Over Rock Juniper Update

Whilst in Stephen’s garden today, I noticed the Juniper that we worked on at the end of April. (I actually couldn’t remember when we worked on it, but the beauty of this blog is that you can go back and check. ) Here’s a link to the original post ROR Juniper 30th April.

This was it in April.

and this was it today, oops, it’s 00.25, make that yesterday 🙂

Loads of new growth and no die back from wiring at all. Stephen needs to pinch, especially at the apex, to balance out the growth and vigour within the tree.

Jun 13 2011

Airport Run

I had to pick up my Sister and Nephews from the Airport this afternoon, flying in from Australia. As the flight was delayed slightly, I had time to pop into Stephen’s house on the way to have a look at a few trees. Living 5 minutes from the airport is handy 🙂

His Satsuki has just started on the downhill stretch after flowering. Still worth a few photos though.

A nice hosta accent about to flower.

Big Hornbeam.

Big Larch.

Haws on a Hawthorn.

and I spotted this clump of baby spiders on a Pine just waiting for a breeze to drift off on.

Jun 13 2011

Bonsai School Videos

I’ve been putting a few more videos together over the weekend. These have been taken from the NIBS/Willowbog Bonsai School on Saturday 4th June. I’m up to Part 4 of 8 for the day and maybe a few more from the workshop the following day.

The first two are on Wind Burn and Winter Protection, and the two just added cover tree Structure from Roots to Ramification. They are long, but worth setting time aside for if you have a spare half hour sometime. I’ll be trying to get the defoliation ones done in the next few days. I’m running out of time before my holiday 🙂

Here’s a link to the You Tube Channel. Just click on the pic below.

Jun 13 2011

Shohin Chinese Juniper

This is my little Shohin Chinese Juniper which is really starting to get into shape. I need to do some further work on the deadwood and live vein. I have enjoyed working on this little one and I got to work on another one during a workshop at the weekend. I am now on the lookout of a nice shohin/chuhin one to add to the collection.

This was it last year. When I acquired it, it had some major wire damage at the apex and some poor branches in the wrong places. My treatment was drastic but I’m happy with the result.

Jun 12 2011

Sunny Sunday Morning

After being tied up with bonsai for the last two Sundays it was a relief to get out with the dogs this morning. We added a bit on to the walk to make it around the 11 mile mark. We started off at the Lead Mines in Ards and walked the Clandeboye Way to Bangor Marina. Some nice trees and flowers along the way for inspiration.

Part of the ruins of the lead Mines. An old Kiln.

Three Towers, Scrabo Tower way in the background.

Some native Orchids I spotted on the way. Amazing that they have survived the dirt Bikes that tear the area to bits!

At the top of the first hill is Helens Tower. You can read about it for yourselves. It was nice to see and reminded me of the Ulster Tower during my trip to the Somme Battlefield last September.

Some nice Beech and Pine around the Tower dating to the original planting in 1848.

Swan Lake?

Deceased Pine deadwood. Nature at it's best.

I was amazed at just how much damage had been caused to the trees in recent winds.

Road Block

Oak branches hanging by a thread.

What are you looking at?

Introducing my dog Smudge. Waiting patiently for me to arrive on the beach.

Where did the path go??

Flag Iris just coming to an end of flowering.

Oyster Catchers.

Pink Valerian

Eleven miles later, the finish line at Bangor Marina.

Jun 12 2011

Satsuki Deflowered

As it was nearing the end of flowering I decided to remove the flowers on this Satsuki now. It’s easy to see the seed heads while they are still attached to the flowers!

This is it in flower.

You can see how to remove flower heads HERE.

This was the tree this afternoon sans flowers.

I got this tree last year on the cheap as it was nearly without branches and very pot bound. It was repotted this Spring and today I shortens some of the extension growth produced at the end of last year. All I’m after is large platforms to display flowers, typical of satsuki everywhere. However, I do want to build up the ramification in the proper manner, not just fill it out with leggy growth. Here is a photo of it after some shortening of the shoots. I even managed to get a few cuttings 🙂

I am now expecting some serious growth.

Jun 11 2011

Where in the World?!

A few recent comments From Portland, Oregon and Holland have led me to wonder where those following my blog are from. I never thought that this online diary would get visitors from so far and wide an audience.

I know I probably post to much, I even take stick for it now and again 🙂 but I must say I am loving the experience of it at the moment. I look closer at my trees and it certainly helps me keep a better photographic record of my trees!!

At some point work and the seasons will probably slow down my posting. Until them you’ll just have to put up with it lol.

Stick a comment on here and let me know where you are reading from. It should go without saying, if any of you are ever in Northern Ireland, you have an open invitation to come and see my trees for your self.

Thanks for reading.

Jun 11 2011

Sick Field Maple

One of the club members brought this Acer Campestre to the meeting last night. It’s an old tree with signs of maturity in the bark. To me it looks as if its been weak for a few years. This year it has barely managed to open a few buds.

Weak buds.

A few branches looked dead and after a quick scrape, this was confirmed and I removed them.

This branch is actually a bud that has opened year on year but never extended. You can actually see the the tiny rings from each year. I have seen this on yamadori Hawthorn, but never a field maple.

It has obviously been kept as a bonsai for many years. This is the original chop wound that is now completely healed over.

I have popped it into the magic Poly Tunnel to attempt a revival. I put another weak one in there a week ago and I can already see signs of vigour returning. However, this one will be a harder task. I think the cause of this trees problems are root related due to a water logging last year. Bad advice given to the owner. Now that he’s joined the club, we have him on the straight and narrow 🙂

Jun 11 2011

Trident Defoliated

I took this Trident Maple to the club meeting last night and a few of the guys were good enough to defoliate it for me.

This afternoon I took a few minutes to go over the tree and remove extended growth and unwanted branches.

Jun 11 2011

Accents for now and the future

A few of my accents are just coming into flower. Typical, as the display was 2 weeks ago. I also purchased a few Alpines a couple of days ago to make into accents. Here’s the photos.

My Wild Strawberry accents