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 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 15 2012

Club Night

Last night was club night, it was great to see a great turn out after the Summer break. Especially with many of them being brand new faces 🙂

Many of the new members are beginners. I always wonder who will follow through and become as possessed about bonsai as I am!!

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

His Repanda Common Juniper root over rock. This has grown vigorously since the styling here at my house earlier in the year.

His ever growing collection of hostas.

Sep 4 2012

Yew Two

The second yew styled was also on the ‘to go’ bench. I can’t even remember where this one came from, possibly a club auction many years ago.

It had previous been styled by someone but not very well. It had also been very weak. It was now back to full health but the manufactured ‘s’ bend on the trunk was terrible to look at and the foliage was far removed from the best feature, the base of the tree. I wanted to bring the two together to make a more compact and interesting tree.

This the after image. I applied raffia to the upper trunk and bent it down making more convincing movement bringing all the areas of interest closer the the best part of the tree, the lower trunk. The jin to the left needs to be reduced but is currently acting as a wire anchor point. With some back budding and a little more refinement, this is going to be a rather nice tree with interesting trunk movement. The jin can be extended into a shari down into the lower trunk making a nice feature and perhaps even extended along the upper trunk to link up with the small jin there.

Sep 2 2012

Fright Night?

Or should it be Friday night? I think the former looking at this photo 😀

Had a few mates around to play with trees on Friday night. Not a big turn out as I only gave a few days notice. You would think that it would be quiet then but that’s not possible with Michael and Phil in attendance!!

Phil showing his speed trimming technique.

Far too much laughing going on here, you’d think they were actually enjoying themselves!

Bertie’s little berberis got a major haircut. This is the before image.

Some pruning, what a hoot 🙂 Get it?

Ian B’s juniper got a thinning out and is now ready for a refinement wiring.

Michael brought this Japanese White Pine for advice. There was several options. He could keep it full size and just rewire in an attempt to hide some of the faults. He could reduce the height and make a shohin sized tree or even take it back further as Phil was showing below to create a mame/Shohin tree. Not was the right time to do such a drastic chop so Michael has some time to think about it.

Phil brought 3 trees along for me to photograph. He saw I was selling a few on here and asked if I’d add his as well. What are friends for. I’ll add these to the For Sale page. Keep an eye there if you are interested.