Amazingly I didn’t work on a single tree today. I watered everything and spent a little time cleaning and sharpening my tools. All those who know me have just had to take a seat 🙂
Here’s Part one of an interesting series on tool care. Your turn 🙂
Category general interest
Brilliant Blog
Check out this link to a blog by Peter Tea, a bonsai arist from California who is currently studying under Mr Junichiro Tanaka owner of Aichi-en Bonsai Nursery in Japan.
His latest post on the restyling of a red pine will show just how worthwhile it is to follow him on his journey of discovery in Japan.
AICHIEN JOURNAL
Easter Walk in the Woods
My family and I went for our traditional egg throwing/rolling session in the local woods followed by a bit of a walk. The bluebells are just reaching their peak flowering and it was beautiful to see the blue carpet wherever you looked.
It’s mostly a Beech and Hazel wood and many of the Beech are well into the growing season.
This is the battle ground for the egg rolling where I regained the winners title this year 🙂
Tree roots criss cross all the paths and the ground actually feels and sounds hollow under foot in many places.
Flowers can be seen everywhere. Here’s our native Bluebell, not the Spanish one that seems to be taking over!!
Some of the Yellow Gorse/Whinbush flowers. The air was heady with the scent of coconut from these stunning flowers. Pity they are too problematic for bonsai.
Some of the Blackthorn were still holding onto their flowers.
One of my favourite photos of the day, an old Beech ringed with a patch of Bluebells. New Beech seedling can also be seen reaching for the light before the parents shade them out.
Ferns starting to emerge.
After a nice walk I just had to take a seat 🙂
Mariusz Pics
If you want to see more pics from our ‘muckers day out’, Mariusz has added some on his blog which can be viewed by clicking the image below.
Wildwoodbonsai Blog
Always on the look out for decent Bonsai Bloggers from around the world, I can happily plug this UK based one from Will Baddeley. Will is a previous winner of the UK New Talent Competition and is a regular on the IBC Forum. Some beautiful bonsai progression photos showing trees created from native material.
It is now on my bloggers list. Click on the Banner Below to visit. Enjoy.
Muckers Day Out
Mariusz came up from Dublin for the day and, after some time in my own garden, we popped over to Stephen’s place for a look around. We then moved on to ‘fun time’ Frankies with a quick look at Phil’s mountainside thereafter and then back to mine for food and wiring. A great wee day out and about in the glorious sunshine.
Here’s a few snaps of the day.
Mariusz, Phil and Stephen
"That one with chips please"
San Jose Juniper
Scots Pine
Yew
Chamaecyparis
Closer inspection
Welcome Garden Visitor
I just love this time of the year when the bees start to make their visits to my garden. The big attraction over the last week or so has been my Crab Apples and Rhododendron. Caught this one between visits this afternoon.
Stephen and Ian’s big Adventure
Well, not big, a few hours out driving around speculating where there might be trees to collect. I wanted to get a few snaps of some trees in a field near where I live before they came into leaf. This is them.
No trees but nice all the same.
I took Stephen to see some Blackthorn that were amazing but totally un-collectable. Deep deep rooted into stone. To even attempt to lift these would be a waste of time and a sin for ruining a beautiful tree. Some things are better left alone. It was blowing a gale at the time but Stephen was still amazed at the quality of these wee fellas. The bark was to die for. We collected a few dead branches to use as accents. The movement and character in them is amazing.
WINDSWEPT STYLE LOL
Bursting into flower
We then came across these Ivy’s among the rocks. Not deep rooted 🙂
The place was covered with them!
Removal of a few stones resulted in a few keepsakes. This is Stephen doing his impression of Father Jack. DRINK!! 🙂
Back at the bat cave…
This one held onto a rock
I’m hoping for these to put out some decent root and then I’ll air layer a few small bits off here and there. I have a wee Ivy air-layer and they take easily. We picked up a few nice stones for display as well. I’ll post more pics tomorrow.
Brass Neck – Urban Yamadori
After looking at this Japanese White Pine in someone’s garden for the last year and a half, I plucked up the courage [brass necked it] and knocked the door. The lady of the house was home and seemed amenable to me replacing it with a Japanese Maple from my own garden. The Maple is nice but not suitable for bonsai and I have others. This Pine, if it survives could make an interesting tree to play with over the next 10-15 years.
I now have to wait for the husband to give the OK. Fingers Crossed 🙂
Sunday Dander
Here’s a few things I snapped on my Sunday walk with the dogs. The water is Belfast Lough.
Black Mountain looking like Mount Fuji with a cloud top.
Last of the snow, I hope!
Moss or mountainside?
Love the colour
Bonsai Eejit 