May 4 2012

Arse About Face #1

I was looking at a few of my bonsai with Robert last week and as is usual with Robert, he came up with a few other possible options with trees that I have had for many years.

I love it when I get the opportunity to discuss trees like this. It lets you know that you can become complacent with trees that you see every day and you should teach yourself always to look at your bonsai with fresh eyes whenever you can.

One of the ideas that Robert came up with was using the back of this Yew as the possible new front. [hence arse about face :-)] I bought this tree from Robert many years ago and I think he would like it back. Not happening !

Here is the original front as selected by Marco Invernizzi back in 2004 during a workshop.

The tree will be getting some work done sometime this year as a few of the branches are rising and some structural work is required. Sometimes I look at this front and feel there is too much white wood in your face. The base is also boring with a flat section of deadwood and a fat live vein.

Robert suggested that the back might be another option. The base is better and the image looks fuller but still has interest and character. There would need to be some branch adjustments, but I rather like the idea. I now have it turned to this aspect so I can view it from my window and see it every day. The potting angle would need to be changed. As with most trees at this point, there are points for and against the new front. Just need to decide on balance which is the best option. What do you think?

May 3 2012

150,000 Blog Hits!

A friend has pointed out that I’ve just hit the 150,000 mark on my blog counter 🙂

Who would have thought

May 3 2012

Pretty in Yellow

Spotted this field of Rape in flower today near Killyleagh County Down.

Not a great spot to stop the car, but worth it 🙂

May 2 2012

Another Tunnel!

At the weekend Stephen, Phil and I put up another tunnel. This one will be referred to in future posts as Stephen’s Tunnel. He wanted to contribute to the collecting process but was unable to put one up in his own garden. He offered to buy a tunnel and for it to go up in my garden. I was thinking of one any way so this worked out for all of us. 🙂

As I had no room at the back of the garden, we put it up at the side of the house where I have a few display stands. The recent removal of my now grown kids trampoline had created space for it.

The proposed site for the tunnel.

Unpacking, note to self, don’t let Phil open the box for the next one! A knife and tunnel cover don’t mix 🙂

Smudge and Rufus giving advice and generally getting in the way.

Another note to self, don’t let Phil play with golf balls [don’t ask!]

Cover going on

Job done

No post with Stephen in it would be complete without the obligatory cup of coffee shot 🙂

All that was left to do was to shift a few of the collected trees into it to allow for more space for access into the 3 tunnels.

May 1 2012

Sunday Signs!

On my usual Sunday walk I couldn’t help but notice just how often we came across signs telling us what not to do. I’m aware signs are helpful but I am getting a little tired of being ‘SHOUTED AT’ in capitals everywhere we go. For example….

and this one was kinda hard to miss!!

This was the only one I liked for obvious reasons 🙂

OK rant over, here are some more calming photos taken on the walk.

Wild primrose

Would love to know what this is..

A close up of the flowers

and now for the wildlife, Spotted this Pheasant in a recently planted field.

A Buzzard circling overhead.

Gulls

Mallard Ducks in flight

Hooded Crows

Evil looking crow 🙂

Pied Wagtail

Wood Pigeon

The hardest one of all was trying to capture a photo of a House Martin in flight. These are the only two that look even half right.

and this big fella to finish. He was keeping a close eye on my dogs.

May 1 2012

Conkers, Bonkers!

I always thought Ben was a little bonkers 🙂 This photo proves it…

This also proves it, a horse chestnut as a bonsai.

That’s maybe a little unfair of me to say this. Ben inherited this tree from his Grand Father who got him started in bonsai and, as you would expect, he’s rather attached to it. The tree is over 40 years old and has an interesting base. Leaf size can be made smaller and it is already getting there. I can hardly say it’s not suitable as I have plenty of trees that I’m sentimentally attached too and will never sell.

Another one of his Grand Father’s bonsai, this one is a Crab Apple.

Robert gave this one a look over as well. A few ideas for it’s future were discussed.

I thought this was rather funny too 🙂

Apr 30 2012

Bertie’s Cascade Cotoneaster

When I was at Bertie’s house last week I spotted this little cascade Cotoneaster and thought that it could do with a repot. He had a suitable pot on the shelf, maybe not the perfect choice, but a big improvement on it’s current home. This is it before and after the repot.

It will be given a year to settle in, and if all’s well, it’ll get a restyling.

Apr 29 2012

Ben’s Berberis Revisited

Friday saw Ben appear with his Berberis. It was repotted in February and has grown strongly since then.

Robert some how managed to get a pass out for the night, he was an unexpected but very welcome guest. I asked him to have a look at the Berberis with Ben and a short time later, with some light wiring, this was the result.

This was Ben’s choice of front but Robert pointed out a few more options. These are still achievable even though we stuck with the original front. This was another angle worth exploring. Some branches would be moved but I must admit I like this option.

For a while it was a bit like, Paddy Scotsman, Paddy Englishman and Paddy Irishman started t style a tree 🙂

Out of interest, this was it in 2008

Apr 28 2012

Where’s Bertie??

Had a couple of friends around last night. One, who I finally managed to catch up with earlier in the week was Bertie, a past club committee member and now current member again. Hadn’t seen him for years and it was great to catch up and talk trees. I tried to capture a photo of him but he is an expert camera dodger 🙂

He spotted me coming and turned his back! Phil giving him a hand thinning out a yew.