Hawthorn.

I have been having a good look at my Hawthorn today and nearly all the clusters of leaves contain flower buds. So it is going to be a very good display when they come out this year.

I guess about three weeks until they open.

Larch update.

I love Larch at this time of year when the foliage has just opened.

Bonsai Thursday with Dave.

Yet another good day with Dave today, the chat was good and we even managed to do some work with Bonsai.

This Juniper was repotted into another training pot at a new angle.

It was potted on just to refresh the compost and give the tree a boost.

Dave's Crab Apple had some wire added to create a better canopy.

I even managed to do a little work on this Cotoneaster cascade.

As usual we enjoyed our short time together working on trees.

Juniper update.

An update on this Juniper from last year.

How it was when Dave brought it over for one of out regular Thursday meets.

After the first styling.

.Now potted on into a training pot and tweaked a little.

Showing a better image now.

Natter night 27th March 2017.

Three whole days of sunshine was only bettered by another good night of Bonsai with friends.

Even Fudge the cat joined us, pretending to be a tree on the bench.

The apex on Andy's Siberian Elm moved a little after a bending clamp was removed.

We added a guy wire to pull it back into position 

Ken started to remove the soil from this White Pine as it was mainly a peat based compost and was retaining too much water.

Potted into a mica pot in a much more open mixture should help this tree to regain it's vigor.

Andy's Hornbeam was wired and given a basic styling.

This varigated Juniper was de-wired by Paul and Boxie.

Meanwhile Ken and I added some wire to his Fir tree before compacting the canopy.

After the work was done it looks a lot better.

Another of Ken's trees, this time a Maple, was given a small clip out.

Paul also repotted this small Podocarpus.

After potting it looks better in the new pot.

The end of a good night of Bonsaiing.

A bit of woodwork.

I was looking round the garden this morning and noticed the garden table was not in good shape.

So I started looking through some timber I had laying about and decided to build a new one.

A couple of hours later.

Fence post legs, three inch by two inch cross pieces and scaffold planks for the top.

A coat of fence paint and the finished product, nice and strong.

Last day of Spring.

As it is the last day of Spring and British Summer time starts tomorrow I thought I would share some photos of my trees this morning in the sunshine.

Hope the sun stays with us for a while.

Bonsai Thursday with Dave.

A real puzzle to day when Dave came over, we decided to have a go at this Buxus that Dave brought last year.

The main problem is the three trunks are in line and straight.

We tried different angles and thought about removing either one or two of the trunks.

Finally decided on this angle.

So wiring began.

Branches placed and we are quite happy with the resulting image.

Back in the shade house for now.

We will wait to see how it recovers in the coming Months.

Natter night 20th March 2017.

Another night where the weather did not stop people coming to my get together, amazing what some folk will go through for small trees.

I started early once again to get some work done on this Itoigawa Juniper.

It took quite a long time to thin out and wire, but looks much better.

Back to repotting and Ken's twin trunk Larch.

It was a task to remove from the pot, Boxie to the rescue,

Ken and I then did a little more wiring and placement of branches.

The branch on the bottom right is weak, so has been left to see if it gains some vigor, but it may be removed at a later date.

Paul was set the task of applying raffia to this Juniper before it was potted and given a start into a semi-cascade style.

Not an easy job, but a start.

Yet another productive night.

Spring ?

So Spring has arrived here in the northwest England.

We know when it's Spring as the rain is warmer than in Winter.

I do not think I will have to water the trees today.

Vine Weevil, update.

I have been to a local garden center today and found this Vine Weevil killer.

It does the same thing as Pravado, but does not seem to be as strong as it only lasts for four weeks, where the Pravado lasts for four months.

On the other hand it is available at most garden centers in the UK.

Coming along.

I have been roaming through my photos again and came across some of my Boulevard Cypress a few years ago.

One year after collecting.

After the first styling.

How much it has grown in a short time.

Coming along nicely.

Vine Weevil.

After finding some Vine Weevil in the compost of my Redwood yesterday, I have now drenched all of my trees with Pravado Vine Weevil killer.

I normally do this at the end of March as the Weevil tend to hatch in May, but this year they seem to be early, this could be due to a very mild winter.

Watch out the little buxxers are about.

Bonsai Thursday with Dave.

When Dave was here today we gave this Procumbens juniper a light prune.

Back on the bench in the sunshine, looking more refined.

I also thought I would clean the surface of my Redwood and remove the weeds. While doing so Dave noticed some wood rot just below soil level, so I started to remove it and came across a vine weevil grub crawling about in the soil. Next step was a full repot and wash the roots to see if there were any more and there was, but not any more.

Disposed of in a good way, under foot.

There was also a lot of compacted soil below the trunk, which was holding a lot of moisture, this was removed and the tree planted in fresh compost.

The rotten wood turned out to be a large root that had been cut off and not sealed, by the look of it, this was cut back to hard wood and treated before replanting.

I thought it is a bit early for Weevil to be hatching but it has been in the greenhouse to protect from late frosts for a couple of weeks and this is why they have come out so soon.

Time to douse my whole collection I think.