Jun 19 2011

Garden Visit

After Michael had visited my garden on Saturday, myself and Phil popped over to see his. As usual I had my camera in tow and braving the rain I took a few very quick snaps. The quality of some of the photos is low due to the speed at which I took them. The lack of a plain background means that some of the trees don’t look as good as they do in the wood, so to speak. I hope to get some better shots of Michaels bonsai soon.

Some beautiful plants in the garden as well. I never miss an opportunity to get a few flower snaps. I even got some of those Pink poppies home with me 🙂

The look on Phil’s face here 🙂

Jun 10 2011

For Peter…

… and the rest of you as well. 🙂

I had been chatting at the weekend about the photos my niece took during her family tour of America’s West Coast in May this year. Trees seem to have played a big part in their journey. Here are some of my favourites from her 2500+ snaps!!

My Bro 🙂

Tree Stump dance floor!!

My favourite, yamadori heaven

and Lisa, the photographer

I think we can say she has got the hang of that camera 🙂 West Coast USA is now on my ‘to do’ list.

May 15 2011

Inspiration – Walk in the Woods

Another Sunday walk taking photos for inspiration. Today was Redburn Park in Belfast overlooking Belfast Lough and the Famous Harland and Wolfe Shipyard were the ill fated Titanic was built.

David and Goliath Cranes at the Shipyard

By land sea and air. Plane coming into land at Belfast City Airport and the Stenna HSS Ferry sitting at dock waiting for it’s trip to Scotland.

Further along the Lough Side is Holywood, that’s our Holywood, and it was there first 🙂

Right, you know where I talking about now. Here’s some of the beautiful Beech and other trees in the Park.

I saw at least 5 rafts where fallen Beech have regrown.

The old root base can been seen on this raft.

A cracker raft but hard to photograph

Old rotten root base of the tree above

This one was falling but was saved by surrounding trees and remains healthy even with half the roots out of the ground.

There was a lot of deadwood on the ground and this was encouraging many types of Fungi.

How the mighty have fallen

Some other trees that caught my eye.

My usual collection of nebari and root shots 🙂

Loads of paths in every direction leave you wandering what’s around the next corner.

And a few natural deadwood features, a hollow trunk and a uro.

After looking at all these, you’ll feel as if you were with me and in Stephen’s case, he was 🙂

Apr 14 2011

Video Catch Up

I’m trying to play catch up with the video clips I have taken over the last few months. As yesterday was a wet one, I spent an hour or so putting together a clip from a recent visit to a friend and club members garden. Josh was my inspiration when I joined the club back in 1993. His trees were the best on offer even back then. His skills and experience in developing bonsai in open ground are amazing. He is also one of the nicest people you could meet.

Click on the photo below to link to the video clip. Enjoy.

Josh in full flow

Apr 10 2011

Walking on Sunshine

Had my usual Sunday morning walk today and what a day it was. Only problem was all the fair weather walkers clogging up the beach!! The second part of the walk was in the woods and it was less crowded and a lot cooler. Here’s a few pics from the day including some inspirational uro’s and deadwood.

End of the Blackthorn Flowers along the coast

Mill Pond sea

The way ahead

Two brothers on the beach with blackthorn flowering behind

Drill Rig getting tug boated into Belfast Harbour for some work.

Some nice uro and hollows on a beech

waiting for the last bit to fall then it'll be a uro

Deadwood on a hawthorn hedge

more of it.

Emerging ferns

Some unusual bark on a Sycamore

A windfall beech thats had a little wood removed for logs.

Another nebari for my collection

Mar 17 2011

Downpatrick Inspiration

I took a photo of this tree today. All part of my quest for inspiration! It’s growing in a field on the road to Downpatrick which, being St Patrick’s Day, it quite appropriate.