Man’s best friend

I was crouching down to say hello to my tunnel frog when Maggie decided she was in need of attention. ‘look at me, Look at me!!’ Just look at those eyes.

I was pleased to see the frog unscathed after I had sprayed the trees with insecticide a few days before. I had banged about a bit before I started to spray to allow them to scuttle under the wooden boards. It obviously worked. They are getting rather used to my presence.

Cork Bark Forest Case Study Updated

I did a little trimming on this Cork Bark Elm Forest on Saturday. Full selection of photos can be seen under the Case Studies Tab, or just click the photo below.

Blog Post of the Day

Today’s offering from  Sandor Papp’s Bonsai Blog is a selection of photo from the recent EBA Exhibition, a very good standard.

EBA & ESA Exhibition

Pioneer Tree

I spotted a photo on a Bonsai bark post the other day and it reminded me of a similar one I took back 2002 in Beleek, County Fermanagh [home of Beleek Pottery] It took a day or two to find it but I found it buried in a folder. It’s a little Birch taking root on an old jetty stump out on the Lough.

It was nice to look back at the photos of my kids fishing on the jetty with their Granda. If only they were still that size now!

This is the photo that got me searching.

Pot ID??

I have a crab apple in this pot. I have never seen one with feet like this before. Anybody know where it hails from?

Blog Post of the Day

Today’s pick is a very well constructed post from the Bonsai Tonight Blog.

Removal of Azalea Flower Buds

Odds and Sods

Here are a few photos that I’ve taken over the last week or so that didn’t fit into any particular post. I still felt the urge to share.

First up, Ballywalter Beach, keep swimming and you hit Scotland.

Flowers on a recent walk along the Comber Greenway into Belfast.

guess 🙂

Blog Post of the Day

Most days I flick through all the new posts from the blogs I follow on google reader. There is usually something of note there worth reading or at the very least, contains some great photographs.

I have decided that sharing my favourite posts here would be a great way of introducing others to new blogs.

So, starting today, whenever I get a chance, I’ll add a link here directing you to my favourite blog post of the day.

First up is a post about air layering. I’ve been looking at this in some detail over the last year or so and found this one interesting. Not least because the photos are mine 😉  I should mention it’s in Dutch, but as I use google Chrome with Google Translate on auto, it always appears in English for me. Why limit your blogging to English Blogs!!  Here’s the link…

Air Layering a Hawthorn

Pine Sawfly Larvae

I spotted this clump of Pine Sawfly Larvae on one of my recently collected Scots Pines yesterday. I had planned to spray everything this weekend but this encouraged me to spray everything in the garden there and then.

I’m taking no chances from now on after losing the apex of one of my best trees due to an insect attack this year!

EBA 2012 Video

This was kindly linked to me on Facebook, thought it was worth linking here for your enjoyment.

Looks like a great show, the organisers show be proud. Well done.