Maidstone Bonsai Club workshop

Maidstone Bonsai Club, very kindly asked me to do a talk and workshop back in February 2011. The evening was split into two parts where I gave a talk on some of my native trees. Maidstone proved to be a very enthusiastic group and asked lots of questions. Photos courtesy of Maidstone.

Close up of my deadwood carving on the English Elm.

One of my smaller trees. A Hornbeam in a Gordon Duffett pot.

Club members were asked to bring in problem trees that we could discuss and work on. I got to work on about six trees before the night drew to a close. A very enjoyable evening.

Simon H bought in a rather nice English Elm with some real potential

wildwoodbonsai: Lones Larch at Bonsai Nan Kai Denmark 2010

wildwoodbonsai: Lones Larch at Bonsai Nan Kai Denmark 2010: "Bonsai Nan Kai in Denmark, very kindly asked me to go over and lead a weekend workshop in September 2010. Amongst other trees, I got to wor..."

Welsh Hawthorn.

Welsh Hawthorn bought from Kevin Willson in 2003. No early work pictures but this snap was taken in 2008. Great bark on these Welsh trees and the movement is very dynamic. It was planted in one of my own pots. My feeding then, was not as much as it is now.

A clearer shot. Although the canopy is a good width and height, it lacks ramification,

Pruned back considerably in 2009 to improve back budding and ramification

The first time it's flowered since I bought it. Note it is only on one side of the tree. Someone suggested it may have been two trees that fused together many years ago. I'm not so sure as both sides leaf up at the same time and the leaf shape is identical.

Taken with a dark background for contrast.

Potted Spring 2011 into this lovely Gordon Duffett pale blue crackle. Should go well with the berries.

May 2011 and growing well with the feeding regime

Autumn 2012.

Prunus spinosa

I swapped this Blackthorn for a rather large Wych Elm in 2005. The Blackthorn was raw material but in those days I didn't take photos. The now cascading branch was then horizontal and was slowly cranked down over 3 years

The back of the tree. The pot I made myself and works well with the truffle like bark.

Late Autumn 2009 as the last leaves are about to fall. Although I love this pot, I think it's a little small for development

The Sloe as it was seen at Joy of Bonsai in Bath 2010. Now in the register of important British bonsai.

The tree shown at Capel Manor show in 2009

                                               Accent of Polypody, Lichens and Moss

                                                                     The full display

Lovely Pinky red colour. Autumn 2011

Spring 2012.

The rest of the flowers came out in the glorious Spring sunshine today. The back.

And the front again.

Summer 2012

Lots of berries that will stay on the tree well into Winter. If the birds don't get them first.

Never seen so many berries.....

The berries were reduced by half to save energy for leaves and branches.

Autumn 2012

.....And finally Autumn comes

I took this 2 days before the Blackbirds stripped it of Berries.

Good feed seemed to work well for this tree over the last 2 years and I wonder if it will flower like this year again?

Morning Dew....

The wire was removed today for a show the tree will be exhibited in at the weekend. The bark was cleaned and oiled to bring out the dark colour of the bark. The soil surface was mossed. Just hoping the Peter Krebs pot I've ordered arrives on time.

Present front.

Another possible front. Right side

Back.

Left side.

Close up of this old and weathered branch.

The quality of the bark after oiling.

The shine of the oil will dull in a couple of days

The new Peter Krebs pot turned up in the post today and just in time for the Swindon Winter image show. I have admired Peters work for a long time now and I'm chuffed to buts that the Prunus suits this pot

Should look good in display

Unfortunately this little tree died in the late Spring/ Summer of 2013. I think it was the long severe Winter we had early that year. As homage to the tree, I painted it in January of 2014

Canvas 3 ft x 3 ft (1m x 1m approx) Acrylic

Native Scots Pine

Collected near Inverness in Scotland in 2007. Pinus sylvestris scotia, is a true native Pine in the UK. The Pine had been worked once before but no photos I'm affraid. I love the gentle movement in this tree.

4 hours later and styled in the Spring of 2010 and I'm very happy with the finished image.

Photo taken a month later after bud burst. This tree will stay in the pot for another season.

An alternative front to this tree. It will probably go in a round pot but suggestions would be appreciated

So, 4 years on and time for a wiring. This tree has been fed strongly and pruned for backbudding and ramification. A couple of smaller branches died off but nothing major. The tree last weekend. March 2014

Right side 

Back

Most shoots have 3 terminal buds which is down to good feeding. The middle one will be removed during wiring.

Tree wired this morning. Now for the fun part

Right side done

And the back

Left side

                                                             And the very front view

My prefered front is to the right of centre and will be marked as so for potting. The bottom branch is not quite right. It will develop into two pads but is in this position now to access more light.

A little adjustment to the bottom branch