Took a few snaps of the forest while we were sizing it up for a Spring repot onto a slab. Paul B and Bob B should recognise the slab 🙂 A few adjustments to be made before we make the move.
After getting my own larch sorted out, attention turned to Stephen’s one.
This is it sitting at Stephen’s house. When we worked it out, it hasn’t been wired in 8 years. The last styling was done by Marco Invernizzi back in 2004.
Photos from then can be viewed here.
It’s a big tree and we wanted to try and complete the wiring in one day. Phil collected the tree in his van and we transported it to my garage for a little space to work in. Stephen’s bonsai studio was only build for hobbits and I’m definitely not that size 🙂 This it is photographed before we started.
About now you are probably having a close look at the base of the tree. Yes, it’s a strange one, it’s hard to see but there is a strong root that runs directly under the trunk lying parallel to the ground. This will be exposed to help show stability. There is another option, but that’s for another day!
The three of us got to work and managed to get the wiring completed.
One area that was a problem was the apex. It had been created from a single branch curled around to make it look fuller at the time. 8 years on this has become a problem. It could have been hidden by placing branches over the offending bits but could not be removed totally and make a convincing apex. We discussed it and Phil was keen to make a change rather that it becoming progressively worse with time. He came up with an option and Stephen decided to go for it.
This is the offending apex.
Branch being reduced.
Keep an eye on him Stephen 🙂
A typical Stephen Coffee break.
Birds eye view.
Final tweaks
The final image. Stephen is considering a change to the top jin, what do you think? Remove, leave, shorten?
The new apex looks a great improvement.
A closer look at the base.
Side view
Back
Before and after side by side.
The 3 amigos for scale, and just for fun.
We did this work without looking back to Marco’s styling in 2004. It was interesting to compare now having looked for the original photo.
I eventually got around to wiring up this larch yesterday. This is it before work.
This tree has fantastic old bark, as good as I’ve seen on a larch. It originated in Scotland and I’ve had it in my collection for many years. It’s not a WOW! tree by any means but I do like the formal image that can be produced from it. It got a year of little or no pruning to allow me to have some extra length to the branches that I could play with to increase the amount of different levels I could create.
In the 18 years that I’ve been playing with bonsai I have been using aluminium wire. This year I’ve gathered up enough copper to give it a go on my conifers. Yesterdays wiring saw me using only copper wire.
The final image saw me adjust the front slightly to the right.
For scale, I added myself to the image.
Side by side
Back in 2002
The bark
2003
Spring 2012
My wife drew my attention to this photo article in the Daily Mail and I just had to share it with you.
It has a photo montage of animals hiding in plain sight. These are my favourite 3
and this one done my head in, spot the snipe!
Last Sunday I walked a bit of the County Down coastline with Stephen and Philip. WE could hardly call it walking in a Winter Wonderland but it was pleasant al the same. Trees, birds, water, dogs, wind! take your pick. Notice a confused gorse bush in flower!
This old tree is a bit of a landmark if you live in Bangor County Down. It can be seen from the road when travelling from Bangor to Holywood. It’s in a now famous field as Rihanna cavorted around in it during the Summer and got told off by a local farmer 🙂
Michael over on his futterwithtrees blog photographed it back in December 2011 but as you can see, recent storms have reduced the tree even further.
This is Michaels shot last year
and mine from last weekend
Grown from a cutting, starting to look the part.
I brought this Group of 3 larch in for a trim back yesterday. I had planned to split the group perhaps create a bigger scene, but trying to source extra trees with the same quality of bark and ramification has proved a chore. I have therefore decided to sell the group over the next few months. I have had my fun with it but want to give my time to other trees and projects. The 3 larch all came from the wild in Scotland and have great quality bark. The rock element in this landscape was collected from Lough Corrib and has great character. The pot is Walsall Ceramics.
Before trim
This was it with Autumn colour last Autumn.
Last Winter
Back in 1997 when I first put it together.
Back in 2000 when I tried it on slate for a while.
Close up of the Corrib Rock element.
If anyone is interested in buying this, just drop me an email bonsaieejit@gmail.com.
Photo-shopped panoramic photo showing the Mourne Mountains from Dundrum, County Down.
I realise that it’s a bit small here, so click on the image to see a bigger version.
I was working down that way on Monday and stopped not long after sunrise to take a few snaps.
Shop for quality bonsai
bonsai and garden
The Kaizen Bonsai Blog
Teaching, Learning, Enjoying Bonsai
The ramblings of an old artist and someone who would like to grow better bonsais trees
my bonsai
My wood creations
Hand Crafted Furniture
Creativity Through Bonsai
dirt leaves flowers
bonsaï | vidéo | Japon - ActuBonsaï
Japan's aesthetic, craftsmanship and spirit
Bonsai with a hint of madness...
"Tibolar-RS. your soil needs it, your plants will love it"
Bonsai Eejit 