Sep 19 2012

Flower Show Extras

I took a few more shots at the Autumn Flower Show on Sunday, as the last set seems to be of interest to many of you, here are some more.

A general shot of the main marquee

Bonsai

Not much point trying to photograph all the trees as the clutter backdrop ruins the tree.

Plenty of cacti at the show, sadly some kid ran her nail down a prize winning one ruining it forever as far as competitive showing goes. Sometimes I wonder why we bother going to all this hassle to display here.

Almost tree like

Sunlight was catching these blooms just right through the window.

Mega veg

Floral arrangements

Even wine, everything was at this show.

This will be my entry for the Belfast Parks Photographic Competition next year 🙂

And in the grounds, the Rose Garden

An old Yew. I was admiring the nebari and took a photo, I think the Mum in the background thought I was taking photos of her kids climbing the tree!! I thought she was going to call the police.

They were just around the corner 🙂

Scot’s Pine

Sep 18 2012

Giant’s Causeway Visitors Centre

I have been to the Giant’s Causeway numerous times in recent years. However since my last visit they have opened the new visitors centre. We decided to have a look as we where in the area. We didn’t bother actually going down to the causeway as the weather wasn’t great.

The new centre is built into the hillside to lower it’s impact on the environment.

This shows you just how sharp an angle the rain was driving in.

The centre is very interactive looking at the history, myths, and wildlife from the area.

Even the carpark looks like the causeway 🙂

The view looking down towards the causeway. This was out limit as time ran out.

Sep 17 2012

Portstewart Strand

On my little trip out last Tuesday I took a few photos of local attractions. I’ll add them here as I get the time.

These were taken at Portstewart Stand on the North Coast. The good lady featured is my wife. This is one of our favourite places to take a walk.

The doughnuts on the beach weren’t mine. Allie wouldn’t let me 🙂

Spotted this chap spraying in the dunes. National Trust work hard to maintain this habitat. I wondered why some of the bushes were blue!

Fishing for sea trout.

Musenden Temple peeping between the hills.

Shags on the pier.

Emerging from the dunes onto the beach

Geese in flight

Stormy waves

Man Friday?

Wind blowing the sand along the beach.

And then it rained and I got soaked 😦

Sep 16 2012

Autumn Flower Show

I was putting a few trees into the Autumn Flower Show for the Club on Friday and I took a few photos while I was there.

The show is set in the grounds of Botanic Gardens in the Centre of Belfast. The grounds contain some interesting features. I haven’t a clue what the cows are about!

This old yes is long over due collecting 🙂

A park character

Watching this old hand prepare his dahlias for show was nice to see. This is a dying art as shows such as this start to disappear. What a pity.

Some of the Dahlias on display.

Cacti also on display.

Probably one of the worst ways to display bonsai in competitive classes, no back drop, low tables etc but it still allows the public a chance to see bonsai and perhaps lift one of the club cards available on the tables.

Perhaps I’ll get a few more photos today when I collect the trees.

Sep 13 2012

Susan Francesca Hunter Accent Pots

Susan Francesca Hunter is a freelance designer living and working on the North Coast of County Antrim Northern Ireland. Susan works in a variety of mediums and scales from large public art work to smaller scale intimate ceramic and glass pieces. Susan has a B.A. Honours in 3-Dimensional design: Ceramics and a Post Graduate Diploma in Ceramics.

Susan has now turned her talent to the design and creation of accent and bonsai pots, and is willing to create bespoke pots on commission to fit your needs.

Below are some of her accent pots which she has graciously allowed me to add here on my blog for sale. These will be added to frequently to replace sold stock. If you see a pot that is already sold please supply me with the number and a similar but unique pot can be commissioned for you. This can be found at any time under the ‘For Sale’ Tab at the top of the blog.

You can also contact Susan direct :susan@susanfrancescahunter.com

These pots are £6.00 each or 2 for £10 +P&P

: SFH #001 £6.00 SOLD

: SFH #001 £6.00 SOLD

: SFH #002 £6.00

: SFH #002 £6.00

: SFH #003 £6.00

: SFH #003 £6.00

: SFH #004 £6.00 SOLD

: SFH #004 £6.00 SOLD

: SFH #005 £6.00 SOLD

: SFH #005 £6.00 SOLD

: SFH #006 £6.00 SOLD

: SFH #006 £6.00 SOLD

: SFH #007 £6.00

: SFH #007 £6.00

: SFH #008 £6.00 SOLD

: SFH #008 £6.00 SOLD

: SFH #009 £6.00 SOLD

: SFH #009 £6.00 SOLD

: SFH #010 £6.00 SOLD

: SFH #011 £6.00 SOLD

: SFH #011 £6.00 SOLD

: SFH #012 £6.00

: SFH #012 £6.00

Sep 10 2012

Walking Again

You’d think a dodgy shoulder wouldn’t stop you walking, but it did! I have been back at it for a few weeks but didn’t take the camera. Yesterday normal service resumed.

Our usual path on this walk has seen a few changes. Plenty of big beeches have taken a tumble. This one took a smaller one with it.

I love fungi at this time of year. Never miss a chance for a photo.

The green grass of home

Onwards to the beach at Helen’s Bay

Stephen had an extra dog for the walk

and just to repay the favour, here he is contorting himself for a photo.

Sep 8 2012

Happy Snapper

A few days ago, I mentioned that I was trying to recover photos from Stephen’s memory card after an accidental delete has wiped out every photo he’d taken since March. [Remember to back up 🙂 ] I was successful.

While I was looking through the recovered photos I noticed that he has been sneaking around on our Sunday walks, taking photos of me taking photos! Here are some of them and a few others besides.

Me getting a shot of the Mourne Mountains from Scrabo Hill, Newtownards

I appear to be getting a shot of some Hawthorn Berries up Cavehill, overlooking Belfast Lough. My Springer Spaniel, Maggie is never far from my side on a walk. My other dog deserts me and ranges ahead.

Taking close up shots of bluebells in Killyneither Woods, Comber.

I think I caught him on in this one 🙂

A colder day walking the beach at Gray’s Point, Helen’s Bay. My squint is probably me trying to spot Smudge running ahead causing havoc, stealing tennis balls from other dogs!

Maggie and I in the Bluebells again.

The best way to discuss bonsai, with a tin of beer in the hand 🙂 Taken at a visit to Josh’s garden.

Taken on our Spring Pine collecting trip.

Cavehill again. Stephen and I walk with my two brothers. That’s them on the path ahead of us. We usually split up as Stephen’s dog and my brother’s dog hate each other!

Capturing Forsythia flowers this time I think.

More plant snapping.

A rare photo of me with my two brothers. As you can see I got all the good looks in the family. Hair is in short supply 😀

I’ll end with this one. It shows the end of one of our walks at Bangor Marina. My dog Smudge’s favourite spot. He’ll race ahead to get in the water waiting for someone, anyone, to throw a stone for him to chase.

Sep 7 2012

Phil’s Garden

Well not quite, some from his and some from his Dad’s place were he keeps a lot of his trees.

Some of the wee ones he keeps at his own place.

And a few bigger ones there for some work.

and now up at his Dad’s place.

Checing the filter to see why the pond has dropped 12″!

A bit of everything

Collected material

The magic tunnel

Some of the smaller trees.

Scots Pine

Yew

Scots Pine

The setting of the sun, time to go home.

Sep 5 2012

Bonsai Baker’s Benches

There used to be a guy called Bonsai Baker, he even started his own blog but despite abuse from those who love him, he hasn’t posted in a while. Perhaps a few pokes and prods to him on his blog Bonsai Baker might stimulate him into action again. 🙂

I had called down to Stephen’s last week to scrounge up a few cardboard boxes for posting trees in. I managed to snap a few photos in his back garden just to keep you up to date until he starts posting again.

His Arakawa Maple