Next stop was Sharon’s sunny garden. I posted from here a few weeks ago but as it was on our way to the North Coast, I asked Sharon if I could call with Peter for a look around. Here are a few snaps on the day. My wife and Sharon’s Husband can be seen chatting in the background about what a waste of space bonsai display benches are!! 🙂
After a busy few days, Monday usually sees Peter head home, however this time we added an extra day for him to actually see a little of Northern Ireland.
Stop one was to pop into the Bonsai Bakers family bakery. Looks like a happy place to work and we managed to grab a few cream buns to go with our lunch. Now for Peter Jean, he’s on a strict diet while he’s here!
Even more coffee for Stephen!!
Hard at work
Nicole looking well 🙂
Well, that’s the long weekend over. Had a great time but am exhausted!
Bonsai School on Saturday, Workshop on Sunday and a Whirlwind Tour of Northern Ireland on Monday. I have heaps of photos to share and you’ll get drip fed over the next few days as I try and squeeze posts in around my real work and the fast approaching Phil and Suse Wedding.
To start, here are some general shots from Saturday’s Bonsai School.
Sea Thrift
Sea Thrift
Mukademia
Wild Strawberry
Hosta Tumbelina
I’ve had this Cotoneaster for 19 years and this year sees it going through a few changes in it’s pot, deadwood and also a few design changes with some new growth. More on that later in the year. For now I’m just enjoying the flowers. It flowers from the top down for some reason this this was the optimum time for the photo. Another few days and the ones at the top will be gone.
This Cotoneaster was collected from a garden back in January. It’s going to be a sumo bonsai 🙂 Fat short tree with taper. When it was lifted I left a few longer bits on it with foliage to indicate how the health was progressing after collection. It’s doing very well and has back budded onto the trunk. I have therefore removed the unwanted bits and can now they it grow unchecked this year. A longish term project with plenty of carving required to tidy up the cut ends but it’ll make a reasonable image.
This is a little Shohin Yew grown from a cutting. Out of all the Yew field grown, this one did the least growing, as it turned out, not a back thing. This is it front and back before and after a light trim.
Again, 8 years in open ground and just one major chop. Aiming for a broom type image. Last year it got free growth and this is it now after a pruning back to the original shape.
If you follow this blog you’ll know that one of my closest friends, in bonsai or otherwise, is Phil, known for doing his best to get a two fingers salute into every photo I try and take.
Well, Phil has found someone that is willing to marry him, and I’ll be honest, he’s punching well above his weight 😉
Last night saw a few of us head out for an amazing meal at Macau on the Ormeau Road in Belfast and then on to a local bar for a few drinks. Some of us missed the real stag night and we decided to do a night out in Belfast instead.
Not many photos taken, but this one taken by ‘Eeyore’ also known as Mark, Phil’s brother and best man, pretty much sums up the night.
From left to right, Stephen the Bonsai Baker, me, tucked away at the back as I didn’t even bother to wear a proper shirt, Phil who you will notice is actually a lot smaller than Stephen, and lastly Sam, who yes Mark, is my brother 😉
Highlights of the night, good company, good food, Hugh’s Japanese toilet story, Phil kissing the bouncer and getting a kiss back, the Froch v Kessler fight, me not wearing a stripey shirt, and the best one, Eeyore not knowing that Sam was my brother. I can vaguely remember something about white shoes too!
Phil lining up the jagerbombs
The lone stag, a quiet moment of contemplation? Aye right ❗ Strange to see his back without the Stonebridge Landscapes logo.
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