May 15 2011

Inspiration – Walk in the Woods

Another Sunday walk taking photos for inspiration. Today was Redburn Park in Belfast overlooking Belfast Lough and the Famous Harland and Wolfe Shipyard were the ill fated Titanic was built.

David and Goliath Cranes at the Shipyard

By land sea and air. Plane coming into land at Belfast City Airport and the Stenna HSS Ferry sitting at dock waiting for it’s trip to Scotland.

Further along the Lough Side is Holywood, that’s our Holywood, and it was there first 🙂

Right, you know where I talking about now. Here’s some of the beautiful Beech and other trees in the Park.

I saw at least 5 rafts where fallen Beech have regrown.

The old root base can been seen on this raft.

A cracker raft but hard to photograph

Old rotten root base of the tree above

This one was falling but was saved by surrounding trees and remains healthy even with half the roots out of the ground.

There was a lot of deadwood on the ground and this was encouraging many types of Fungi.

How the mighty have fallen

Some other trees that caught my eye.

My usual collection of nebari and root shots 🙂

Loads of paths in every direction leave you wandering what’s around the next corner.

And a few natural deadwood features, a hollow trunk and a uro.

After looking at all these, you’ll feel as if you were with me and in Stephen’s case, he was 🙂

May 14 2011

More Flowers today

My Cotoneaster has now fully opened.

May 14 2011

Old Joe Yew

This is Old Joe, a Golden variety of Yew that I dug from my Uncles garden after he died 4 years ago. It was tall, poker straight and not much to look at but it is my memory of my Uncle, so I’m trying the make the best of it.

I did the basic carving on it last year. This was an attempt to add interest to a very straight and boring tree. After some consideration I removed a tall jin at the top of the tree a short time later. It was just too tall and leaned back too far from the apex foliage.

Today I wanted to try out the new carving bits and decided to do the basic carving required at the chopped jin and maybe do a little refinement work on last years work.

This was it last year.

Today with a little more growth.

This is the chopped jin to be worked on.

Tools at the ready…

The chop after basic carving and a coat of Lime Sulphur.

A little more detail added lower down.

May 14 2011

Elm Recovered

I posted about this Elm last month and my attempt to assist it in recovering from a nasty Winter

Elm Recovery

This was the tree yesterday before I took it to the club meeting to hand back to the owner. I think I can safety say it on the right path.

I got rid of this one and got Jamie’s sick Larch in return 🙂

May 13 2011

Club Meeting

Just back from a hectic night of talking, cutting, pruning, and more talking, at the monthly NIBS meeting. Three new members on the night which was great to see.

May 13 2011

Mail Order

I ordered a few bits and pieces from Kaizen on Tuesday and they arrived today.

Mike Jones, Bonsai Passion recommended the bark cleaner.

I also fancied one of these spray pumps that you attach a coke bottle too. This will be handy around the garden.

I spotted this sharp knife for working deadwood and removing bark.

My mate Stephen needed a 1/4 inch collet for a Makita so i added this to the order along with 2 cutting bits. The Wood Weasel and a Mole. I also ordered a few spare cutting cups for my samurai and little Terrier.

Wood Weasel

Mole

May 13 2011

You Tube Video Clip

Here’s a link to another nice clip from Erik aka Atelier Bonsai Element showing the bonsai garden of Miroslav Škrabal this Spring. A stunning set up it what looks like a stunning location.

Bonsai Garden of Miroslav Škrabal

May 12 2011

Shohin Maple Update

I posted this maple back on the 21st march HERE

(Loving this online diary. Great for checking back when tasks were done.)

Here’s an update on the tree. Every Spring is grows vigorously and has large leaves. I defoliate as soon as they harden off. That’s today.

The next flush of growth will have smaller leaves and a shorter inter-nodal length.

The wounds that I reopened and resealed in March are obviously healing strongly as you can see from the cracks in the cut paste. I’m hoping that by the end of 2012 I have no wounds at all.

May 12 2011

Cork Bark Elm Air Layer

I took a notion to create a broom Style Cork Bark Elm. (Doesn’t he already have one!) Yes, I have one but I want one slightly bigger 🙂 I’m not exactly short of Cork Bark Elms see next pic, and I have one that I had styled but didn’t have great branch placement. I was going to chop the top but decided to air layer instead.

Some Corkies in the Tunnel.

This is the one selected for layering.

I removed a few branches and marked out the area to ring.

I used a sharp knife and cut top and bottom of the planned ring.

I removed the bark in between with side branch cutters.

It’s amazing just how thick the bark is one this variety.

Sphagnum moss is then applied arounf the ring and held in place with cling film.

To finish off I wrap a strip of pond liner around it to keep it dark to encourage roots. his can be removed to check for white roots inside the cling film.

It’s back in the Poly Tunnel and has had a good soaking to ensure the moss is evenly damp. I’ll keep you posted. I think this should issue roots quite quickly.

May 12 2011

One less job to do today

Guess I don’t have to water the trees today. Just had the heaviest shower I seen here in a very long time and it lasted about 30 minutes. I braved a shot out of the window just as it was easing off 🙂 This is back to front week on my benches so the trees get even light.