Nov 7 2012

Escallonia Alteration

Again, another tree discussed with Peter Warren. This time it’s my Escallonia. I’ve been playing around with angles to pick a front and I asked Peter for his advice.

He suggested removing a branch at the front to show off some more of the character of the tree. I’m planning on some carving refinement on this tree this month and now I can actually get access 🙂

This was it sans leaf as Peter saw it.

And after branch removal.

I think I prefer a slight change of angle now with the branch away.

This is a virtual of it repotted but with the pot shrunk slightly!

The live vein at the front will probably shrink a little now that the branch has been removed. Escallonia are like Junipers in that they have a very defined route between a branch and it’s roots. I did leave a little shoot at the base of the removed branch to see if that is enough of a sap draw to keep the vein alive and see if the sap will transfer over into the main vein to it’s right.

Nov 6 2012

Hawthorn Virtual Pot

Another tree discussed with Mr Warren was this Hawthorn Raft/Twin Trunk. The biggest issue with the tree was the two apexes at the same height. Peter suggested a change of angle and an eventual change of pot into a shell pot, roots permitting. This allows for different apex heights.

As it sits in a pot now.

The proposed new angle

Something like this in the end.

Give it a pot yourself 🙂

Nov 5 2012

Rhododendron Virtual Pot

One of the trees Peter W. looked at on his visit here was this Rhododendron Blue Diamond. I posted about the changes made here.

Peter suggested a pot change, this one was always just a stop gap until I could get something more suitable. He suggested a bag pot and I had a quick virtual play around with a few that might be suitable just to see how it looks.

This is how it looks now.

Virtual Pot 1 Glazed Pot

Virtual Pot 2 Matt pot

Virtual Pot 3 Something a little different

Virtual Pot 4 Something a very different, tried it but no!

Give it a pot yourself 🙂

Nov 3 2012

Naked Beech

This is my beech back on the 20th October.

Once the leaves turn brown I like to strip them off to assess this years growth and appreciate the natural image over the Winter.

Nov 2 2012

Kyusyu Exhibition

Felt I had to share these photos taken at a recent Exhibition in Kyusyu, Japan. At least I think that’s where it was! I have been allowed to share these from Yumiko’s blog, I presume it’s a local show. Love the cloth colour for the tables, trees really stand out.

Oct 30 2012

Ian B’s Trees

Ian B, are hard working Club Treasurer was with me on Friday night and I snapped a few photos of his trees while he was here.

His little shohin Kiyo-hime Maple

His Zelkova with the dregs of Autumn colour still clinging on. This tree has come so far from when I first saw it at the club many years ago.

Japanese Larch

His Scots Pine before and after. Nearly all the branches emerged from the one spot on the trunk and we had to removed a lot to stop this point swelling and create some proper structure on the tree. In some ways a step backwards, but better for the tree in the future.

Oct 28 2012

Korean Hornbeam Critters!!

A few months back I noticed that a Korean Hornbeam in my garden was being eaten by something. I did the usual search of the leaves but couldn’t find a darn thing. I sprayed with insecticide and left it at that.

Last week I noticed that another Korean Hornbeam, in a different part of the garden was also getting eaten, leaving some leaves like skeletons. This time I spotted the little caterpillars that were doing the damage!

They’ve kind of ruined my chances of decent Autumn colour on this tree now. Has anyone else in the UK had these buggers on their Hornbeams, or even know what they are?

Oct 27 2012

Autumn Benches

I had a few friends down last night playing with trees. It was absolutely Baltic, the coldest night so far this Autumn. A few who came, were here for the first time. It was dark and my outside light is on the Fritz, so they didn’t get a change to see some of my benches. So these are for you Susan, David and Adrian.

Oct 27 2012

Silver Birch Autumn Colour

Yellow kicking in on this Birch. Only in training a few years and has a long way to go but it’s nice to see the splash of colour on the bench.

Oct 25 2012

An Eye Opener

I use FlickR a lot for storing and hosting my photos to use here on the blog. I’ve gathered up some great bonsai contacts there and it’s always GOOD to see what everyone else is up to.

A few days ago, one of my American contacts, Openeye , posted two before and after images of two trees that he styled in a workshop with Ryan Neil of Mirai Bonsai Fame. As I’m doing a workshop with Ryan myself in January, I was delighted to see the quality of what was produced. Great material always helps but still, look at these 🙂