Natter night 20th May 2013.

Six visitors but only two trees tonight both of them Chinese Junipers, they both needed a good clip back and probably a rewire later in the year.

 

 

This first Juniper had been left for about three years to grow how it wanted, a bad mistake, as the next photo shows.

 

 

Most of the foliage ended up on the floor.

 

 

This tree will turn into a really nice one, once it is wired and branches placed in the right place.

It still needs more foliage removed when the wiring is done.

 

 

Anthony removing old dead needles from the other Juniper, which will also require a rewire and styling.

 

 

At long last the flowers on my Hawthorn have started to open, { maybe now I can take my thermal vest off }

 

 

Another addition to my collection, yet another Cotoneaster.

 

 

Finally, can anyone tell me what kind of bird this is, the one on the right that is.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Willowbog novice workshop May 2013.

Todays workshop was another busy day as usual, with plenty of trees to be worked on and advice given to those attending.

 

 

Keith and Graham aided by Terry study a small Larch.

 

 

Peter instructing on how to get the best out of a Hemlock. 

 

 

Three of the lads looking like they understand what Peter was saying.

Only joking lads.

 

 

This unusual raft style Juniper was brought by David from the Penrith area for some advice.

Somewhere in there is a piece of rock that could not be seen.

 

 

After Peter had removed some branches and thinned others, the image is much better.

Now for some trees I worked on.

 

 

This small Hawthorn, which was given a basic styling some workshops ago,was brought back for more refinment work.

 

 

After some clipping and a little more wire, the image of a windswept tree is emerging.

 

 

Yet another Hawthorn, this tree is quite large and the branches had been left to grow and had thickened too much, so had to be cut back a lot to create the image and some ramifiction.

 

 

Graham was pleased with the results so far.

 

 

This nice little Juniper needed a lot of bending to get the foliage closer to the trunk.

 

 

Two Larch are starting to show signs of becoming a nice image.

 

 

Finally the Hemlock after a basic styling.

 

Yet another good workshop, enjoyed by all who attended.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Why ?

Why is it that this year my Acer Palmatum has loads of extentions, when for the last three years it has never extended at all. It did come into bud at the same time, bud burst at the same time, leafed up, but no growth.It always looked healthy and fresh, did not suffer wind burn and went it's usual scarlet in fall.

 

 

This year it has already got extended growth of 4 or five inches and is starting to get out of shape.

I feel a good clipout coming on shortly.

 

Meanwhile I have added two more trees to my collection.

 

This nice Larch which I have been looking after for quite some time.

 

 

Also a nice Hemlock.

 

 

This other Larch is also doing very well this year, I am not sure of the variety but think it must the one known as Dunkeld as the foliage is totally different to either the Japanese or the European ones.

 

 

Yet another Larch, this time a Japanese one.

 

 

In this photo you can see both trees together and as I said they do not look the same variety.

 

Maybe some well informed person out there can help.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Natter night 13th May.

Another good night, but no trees to work on, so as I had my new Juniper in the studio I got Tony W to start removing old dead needles for me. This is a long job, but one that has to be done to improve the tree.While he was busy I started to remove the old flakey bark and clean the green algae from the trunks.I stepped outside for a couple of seconds and Mike R had stepped in to my job so I could not get near the tree.

 

 

 

I did not mind though as they did a very good job.

Still plenty for me to do.

 

 

I had to take this photo from outside the door as I could not get back in because of the seven visitors.

I could do with a bigger studio, or warmer weather so we can work in the garden.

 

 

One of the branches with the dead needles removed, this looks much better than before.

 

 

The trunks also look very good as well, I really like the way they look when cleaned up.

 

 

 

This Cotoneaster was brought by Simon R who collected it last year. Looks like it is healthy with all the new growth on it.

 

 

This tree has the potential to become a powerful image, time will tell.

 

Well that's it for another night, again quick but good.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Another new tree.

While we were at the SBA I came across this nice Shohin sized Juniper and could not resist it, so it is now part of my collection.

 

 

It has just been potted recently so I cannot do much with it for now, but watch this space.

 

SBA. Scotish Bonsai Ass.trip.

Yesterday we had a trip to Grangmouth in Scotland to see the SBA show, a long day but enjoyable.

Here are a few photos of the show.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Although this looks like a Shohin stand it was about eight foot square.A good idea to display trees like this.

 

 

 

 

 

Squamata repot.

It was as I thought my new Squamata Juniper was indeed needing a repot which I have just finished.

 

 

As this photo shows I was right, it was pot bound and very dry even though it rained quite a lot last night.

 

 

After removing as much root as I dare, it still has a very good base.

 

 

Back in it's pot and watered well, left to drain then placed in the greenhouse to recover.

 

 

As this photo shows it is much lower in the pot now and more important it has room to grow in the pot. When it is watered now you can see the water going into the roots and not running off the side of the pot.

 

The next job to do is remove the wire which looks like it has been on for a long time.

 

 

Once this has been done I will leave the tree and let it recover for a while.