Aug 28 2011

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!

Aug 28 2011

Three Maples

I took a few record snaps of these 3 maples yesterday. All 3 were defoliated back in the Spring.

Chuhin Japanese Maple

Kifu Trident Maple

Shohin Japanese Maple

Aug 27 2011

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.

Aug 27 2011

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.

Free Cotoneaster

Signs of Life

Looking good

Aug 27 2011

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.

Aug 24 2011

Exhibit Critique – Ryan Neil

I found these on You Tube, via ‘ofbonsai Magazine’.

I loved them and I’m sure everyone watching them will find them interesting. They show Ryan Neil doing a tree critique at the Mid West Bonsai Society Show. Each one is over 30 minutes long but they fly through. Very interesting to hear a Westerner balancing what he has learned in Japan with what he likes in Western Bonsai.

Well done also to the Mid West Bonsai Society for putting on an excellent show for us to see. Isn’t the internet fantastic? 🙂

Just click on the images below to see the videos on You Tube.

Part One

Part 2

Aug 24 2011

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 🙂

Aug 23 2011

Eejit Clarification

When I started this blog I honestly didn’t expect many from outside my own circle of friends to be reading it. This has now caused a slight problem as many of you have no notion what an eejit is …..

I thought I would clarify 🙂

URBAN DICIONARY:

eejit;

Irish slang for idiot. Also used in Scotland. Often used affectionately.

eg.

“Paddy you eejit!”

“Don’t touch that! Look what you’ve done now you eejit!”

“George W Bush, what an eejit!”

There are loads of eejit types.

Buck eejit, Complete eejit, Mad eejit, Drunken eejit, and feckin eejit to name a few..

I took the title ‘Bonsai eejit’ as I’m told I tend to be self deprecating both with regards to bonsai and life in general. I personally think it’s because I’m not actually that good at it and have much to learn.

I have no issue with being called an eejit but Ian will also suffice 🙂

Aug 23 2011

Escallonia – Grows like a weed!

Back at the beginning of March I chopped back these two Escallonia in the ground. They are growing in my Dad’s garden and he’s happy for me to steal them. They are long term projects and will eventually require a lot of carving to create an image.

I was totally amazed at there response to being chopped back. The plan was to cut back this year and collect next Spring. The new growth already established on all chopped trunks would hopefully make for better survival odds. Some previous heavy Escallonia’s when cut back hard, have struggled when lifted. This is a bit of an experiment to compare collecting techniques.

Here’s the first one in March before it was chopped.

and after chopping.