Sep 4 2011

Taken for Granted…

This Cotoneaster was one of my first trees. Previous Post

As stated previously, I’m not happy with the look of this tree. I have been over looking it on purpose for a while but yesterday I tweaked it a little to try and hide a few faults.

This was it yesterday morning.

Three faults that I tried to tackle where:

1. This long straight branch showing under the main pad of foliage.

2. This ugly curving branch.

3. These 2 visible branches that catch the eye.

I was able to hide number 1 by adjusting the foliage of the pad with wire dropping it to break the line of the branch. Straight lines in an image catch the eye.

Again, number 2 was concealed by dropping the foliage from another branch down in front of it. Further growth will be needed to complete this.

Fault 3 was solved by a little wiring in the apex to move the foliage to create a nicer apex but also stop the eye being drawn ring through the image to the straight back branch.

I then decided to play about with the position of the primary branch by using a guy line to pull it backwards.This is hard to see in a 2D image. I may decide to change this again.

It is amazing how different a tree looks in a photo. Some new growth will be needed to complete what I started.

As this is one of the first trees I ever carved, I should really pay more attention to how it looks. The longer a tree sits on your bench, the more you take it for granted. It’s hard to always look at a tree with fresh eyes. A lesson I’m trying to learn.

Sep 3 2011

Bonsai Focus

I just love it when the latest issue of Bonsai Focus hits the door mat 🙂

There’s always something of interest in there and this latest issue is one of the better ones I have received in the last few years. Some great articles on Japanese Maples.

Sep 3 2011

The Gardens of Japan Episode 3

I’m sure most of you are following bjorvalabonsai on Youtube by now, but just in case you aren’t, click the image below for episode 3.

Sep 2 2011

Korean Hornbeam

This Korean Hornbeam has been a fast grower this year. I gave it a trim today just to tidy it up for a show next month. No sign of Autumn colour as yet.

Sep 2 2011

Stan’s Cotoneaster

Evening Session:

Stan and his Cascade Cotoneaster came over to my place last night. He had done a little wiring and styling on it a while back, but after a great start, he didn’t know how to proceed.

The apex was a problem, not much to work with. A some point a shari will be needed to disguise the chop mark.

After a little work.

With a years growth this should make a nice image.

Sep 1 2011

STOLEN BONSAI

Just cut and Pasted this from Mike’s ‘Bonsai Passion’ Blog. Some toe-rag somewhere in the UK has this.

STOLEN BONSAI

Posted on September 1, 2011 by Mike Jones

Korean Hornbeam stolen overnight at the Bath and West garden show. This fine Bonsai belongs to John Trott, aka Mendip Bonsai.

Please do get in touch if you believe you have any knowledge of its whereabouts, or indeed if you hear anything that may assist John to recover his tree. I have included a picture below for reference purposes.

Sep 1 2011

Michael’s Scots Pine

Yesterday was a busy but enjoyable day for me with friends appearing both, in the afternoon, and evening to play with Wee trees. As well as Stephen in the afternoon I had Michael.

He brought a few trees but I was in the mood for his Scots Pine. The last time I had seen it in his garden, it was covered in algae. I suggested a bottle of Algae Remover from Kaizen. He took me at my word and boy did it work. No green bark anywhere on the tree.

Original Front

New front, give or take an inch and a slight tilt.

All 3 of us sat down and picked a front for the tree. I wasn’t too keen on it’s present front and not one of us picked it. Stephen went slightly off centre from the front which was a pretty decent option but I fancied the going in from the other side. As it turned out, so did Michael. It was an interesting tree to look at. Each option had faults and we discussed how to either remove these or hide them. Some of the bends where a tad man made looking but a angle change and a guy line or two would sort this. The tree was collected by Michael from a bog and the bark even on the branches was plating up nicely.

We decided to wire the tree. We knew we didn’t have enough time available to finish it but plans are made for a second afternoon next week..

Some of the foliage before wiring.

After some wiring. I was starting enjoy my self when our time ran out. 😦

second instalment next week.

Sep 1 2011

Stephen’s Juniper Update

I’ve posted on this one a few times this year:

Root Over Rock Common Juniper

Root Over Rock Juniper Update

Yesterday, Stephen brought this tree back to my place for a de-wiring! All ready starting to bite in since April.

We looked over tree and the amount of growth and came to the decision that it was time to prune back. Stephen had let the foliage extend to allow the branches to lignify enough to hold the weight of the new foliage. The foliage on this variety, ‘Repanda’, is quite floppy. As you can see from the progression photos below, it has grown well.

In April before work

In April after wiring…

In June with some new growth.

…and yesterday. You can see how the shoots have extended and are now strong enough to hold the weight. They are even beginning to point upwards. Stephen had pinched the apex a few weeks back as it was very over grown and the wire was cutting in.

and this is it after pinching and de-wiring. Some branches will need to be re-adjusted. The pinching wasn’t done too hard as we wanted to allow extra foliage on the tree for health and photosynthesis .

Sep 1 2011

Old Joe Yew

When my Uncle Joe died I was allowed to collect this yew from his garden. That was 4 years ago. It is nothing special but has great sentimental value. Joe was a great gardener and loved to talk about my bonsai. He would love to be able to see what I’ve done with this.

I removed the wire from it’s first styling back in the Spring and I have allowed free growth since then. Today I gave it a thinning out removing foliage that was growing in the wrong places. I haven’t rewired anything as yet.

Before trim

after trim