Oct 18 2014

Capel Manor 2014

Thanks to Dan for sharing these photos from the Capel Manor Show last weekend. The exhibition is hosted by the Enfield Bonsai Group.

Here are some of the winning trees, displays, club displays and even a few from the John Armitage demo. John did a demo on 2 trees, Juniper was made from £25 material showing what you can achieve for not much cash. The 2nd tree was a cork bark elm, again affordable material – work was done with an aim to air layer into a clump in the spring.

A final note to pass on my condolences regarding Ray Ward from Sussex Bonsai who was also Vice chair of FOBBS, who sadly passed away on Wednesday this week. He did an amazing job creating their club display at the show and was a prominent and much liked man in the British bonsai community.

Best in Show

Winning Individual display.

Oct 16 2014

Cascade Scots Pine

A little work on my cascade Pine.

Needles thinned out

Deadwood

Rewired and branch removed to expose more of the deadwood.

Oct 15 2014

Image

Root Over Rock Cotoneaster

Oct 13 2014

Belvior Forest Walk

A few photos from my walk through Belvior Forest on Sunday.

cull of larch has started to stop spread of disease

old oak

being watched!

Lagan river

lime

Alder

Oak

personal trainer

Sep 30 2014

End of an Era…….

… well 4 years at any rate.

As part of the NI Bonsai Society programme for the last four years we have had the pleasure of delivering the ‘Bonsai School’ 3 times a year for the last 4 years. This has been in partnership with Willowbog Bonsai and in particular, Peter Snart.

I’ve known Peter for over 15 years and in that time we have become firm friends. As I host the school sessions at my home, I have had Peter as a house guest 12 times since 2011 and this doesn’t count many other times in previous years. The favour has been returned when I have visited Willowbog Bonsai to attend shows and take part in workshops with people such as Ryan Neil, Peter Warren and Marco Invernizzi.

Peter has now called time on the school in it’s current format, I think mainly due to the fact that he’s fed up packing that bloody van!! 🙂

Bonsai for me is as much about friendship as wee trees and I’m delighted to have both Peter and Jean as friends. The school may be over but the friendship continues. I’m pretty sure he’ll be back at some point and I’m definitely sure I’ll be at Willowbog in the years to come, but in the meantime, thank you Peter.

There, gushing over lol

Sep 23 2014

Sunday Walk

A few from Sundays Walk.

Sep 22 2014

Any Artists Reading this?

I don’t mean bonsai artists but I know many of the bonsai community are talented sketch artists in their own right. 🙂

I have a request; I’m looking to revamp my blog logo which is now well known and associated with ‘Bonsai eejit’.

I found this image online many years ago and despite my best efforts I have never been able to track down the original artist. I was keen to get my hands on a better quality copy of this but alas, all efforts have been fruitless.

I’m now looking to create a high quality version of this keeping the same comedic feel of the one above. I am not talented enough either as an artist or with computers to do this myself, so I’m appealing to anyone out there with the skills to give it a go. Full credit will be given here for any work or new designs created.

Over to you bonsai community, anyone fancy giving it ago?