Still trying to add more trees to the My Bonsai Tab.
The latest one is this Hawthorn Raft. Click the image to view the page.
Category My Bonsai
Better late than never
Today I finally got around to pulling a few trees out from the very back of the poly tunnel. Well, my son did, I’m trying my best not to muck up my bad neck!
This Celtis had grown vigorously whist I was on holiday but I couldn’t reach it for a trim. This was it when I eventually got it out of the tunnel.
This is only it’s second year in a pot after being field grown for 7 years. It has a lot of development to go before it looks like anything. Read more HERE
This was it after a quick haircut. I would normally just have left it at this stage with it being so close to Autumn, but I needed to get it back into the poly tunnel without taking up too much room!
Three Maples
I took a few record snaps of these 3 maples yesterday. All 3 were defoliated back in the Spring.
Shohin Japanese Maple
Ivy
I collected this little Ivy off a Beach back at the start of April See HERE.
It has an unusual gnarly trunk from about half way. Unfortunately the first half is terrible! The plan this year was to allow it to recover and produce roots. It had very few to start with. Next Spring I plan to air layer and create an unusual little Shohin Ivy.
I gave it a trim today to shorten some of the runners.
This is where I will Airlayer.
From this, to this, to this….
Looks as if my squat Cotoneaster stump has survived collection from a garden at the end of April.
From This in April
To this at the end of June..
and today..
Links to the older posts about this material.
Top Shelf Malus
By calling this a top shelf Malus, I am not referring to it’s quality! I’m referring to the fact that I now keep it on the top shelf of my benching to keep my dogs from eating the apples 😀
The story behind this decision can be read here : Recovering from Dog Attack!
This was the tree today. It’s one of my novelty trees. I bought it to add a splash of flowering colour to my collection and an interest in the Autumn with it’s fruit. If the right tree or piece of raw material comes along, I’ll maybe get a better one. It hasn’t quite recovered from the dog attack of last Autumn but I’m just happy it survived.
Golden Escallonia
This is another Escallonia I have my eye on. Again, it’s in my Dad’s garden. Problem with this one is that he really likes it! Up until last Winter it was a big full colourful tree filling an awkward corner where little else would grow due to the wind. As well as having a yellow foliage it has a dark pink/purple flower. A big contrast to the green leaves and pink flowers you usually expect with Escallonia.
And then disaster struck, well for my Dad, not for me 🙂 The extreme and prolonged low temperatures of last Winter took it’s toll and much of the tree died back. My Dad is attempting to salvage it. As you can see below, he has cut it back hoping it’ll come back like the other two I have cut back in his garden. After a few months things aren’t looking much better. I think an offer of a new one of the same variety to replace it might just do the trick 🙂
My Bonsai – Mame Collection
Today’s addition to the My Bonsai Tab is a few of my smallest trees. This includes Juniper, Rowan, Cotoneaster and Ivy. Some I’ve had for many years and some are new. I do have others in training but are not much to look at for now. I’ll add them as they progress.
HERE is the page link, or just click on the image below to view.
I have recently added a few of my better mame trees to a tufa rock planting. As it comes together, I hope to do a Case Study page about it.
Juniper Maintenance
I had a few mates around last night for some bonsai craic in my garage.
Before we got started on everyone else’s trees, I lifted in this Juniper of a pinching. It has grown really well this year after a repot and is quick to get out of shape if not maintained.
We had a little session towards the end of the night were 4 of us sat around a tree and talked through it’s good and bad points. This was really productive and enjoyed by everyone, beginners and experienced alike. It was amazing when Stan, new to bonsai, suggested a new front for this tree and I actually had to admit that it was a great option. God I love bonsai 🙂
This is it before.
and after pinching…
New Lens
One of my purchases in America was a new lens for my camera, Sigma 70-300mm. I haven’t had a lot of time to play with it but took it out into the garden yesterday for 10 minutes to see what the macro function was like on it. I took a few random shots of foliage and anything else that would sit long enough. Here’s the results.
Bonsai Eejit 