Re-potting My Literati Pines

These 2 Scots Pines were  given their first styling in the literati style towards the end of last season and about 1 week ago, I decided that it was time to reduce the roots slightly and re-pot them as the new seasons candles were extending but were not yet fully open.

The first one is quite an old tree with very rugged bark and this is how it looked before this most recent work

This is a reminder of how it looked last season before the initial styling

This is the pot it will be housed in for the next few years. A ceramic drum pot by Scottish potter Ian Baillie

It is quite slow growing and has been in this mica training pot for about 12 years. Now that it is out of the pot I can see that it has a very dense network of fine roots, which will have to be reduced slightly to make it fit in the new pot.

Job done for the moment. This will not be the final pot for this tree, ultimately I would like to get it into something a little smaller but this size will be useful during its’ continued development.

The second tree, which requires a change of planting angle, has been in its current pot for four years. In that time it has grown vigorously and filled the pot with roots. It requires some substantial pruning of thick roots to accommodate the new planting angle.

For the moment I have re-potted it in the training pot that housed the previous tree.

This is a reminder of how it looked last year before the initial styling.

 

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All Outside on The Benches

At last, it is now warm enough to take all of my trees out of the greenhouse and leave them outside all night without fear of damaging frosts. The benches are beginning to look over crowded. I must make some more this year.

Hawthorn Shohin Update

My shohin hawthorns still have a long way to go before they become nice bonsai but I have had a big breakthrough this year. For the first time ever one of them has produced a flower.

Here it is. This little guy was raised as a branch cutting from the tree shown in the next picture.

This is the parent of the one above. No flowers yet but it’s beginning to take on a pleasing shape as a shohin.

Here are some recent pics of the others I have. All are shaping up nicely and should produce pleasing images in the coming years

 

As a footnote to my first hawthorn bonsai flowers, this mature specimen, which has been in the ground at the top of my garden for about 100 years is also going to flower this year. This will be the first time it has flowered too, to my knowledge.

In Flower Today

Here are a few pictures of one of my potentilla shohin that has just come into flower this week. The flowers on this variety have nice short stems, which hug the outline of the tree, unlike some other varieties

Delosperma Accent

Here are some pictures of a Delosperma Cooperi accent, which has just come into flower this week. The accent pot is by Keramika Pro Bonsai

A real stunner. I wish it had flowered last week for the National Show

Shohin Cotoneaster New Spring Growth

This shohin cotoneaster, which I re-potted last year produced an exceptional display of autumn colour and then, unusually for this part of the world, shed all of its’ leaves over the winter.

This is a reminder of how it looked at its’ autumn peak.

And This is how it is looking at the moment resplendent with its’ new spring foliage

Its looking like this year will be an exceptional one for flowers and berries for this little tree

Scottish National Bonsai Show 2015

Yesterday I attended the annual get together of the Scottish bonsai community at the Walker Hall, in the seaside town of Troon in the west coast of Scotland. It was an excellent day made even better by the attendance of  a group of bonsai friends from Northern Ireland and the North of England. I am very pleased to tell you all that our club, the Lanarkshire Bonsai Club were awarded first place in the inter club event for the third year in a row. One of the trees in our display was also awarded best in show; a juniper owned by Maurice Maidment.

The event was organised by Ayr Bonsai Club ,who did a terrific job, with support from the Scottish Bonsai Association and the classes were judged by Robert Atkinson, a highly respected bonsai artist from the North Of England.

As often is the case, the lighting in the hall was less than ideal, so apologies in advance for the quality of some of the images

The event was opened by the Japanese Consul for Scotland and the first picture shows the opening ceremony

Here’s a few of my favourite images from the event.

Lanarkshire Bonsai Club Display

This is Maurice’s winning juniper.

Here is a gallery of my best detail shots from our winning display (click on any image to see a larger one)

Our Small Tree Display

Our Large Tree Display

My Acer Shishishigira

Some of My Shohin

My Black Pine

Cotoneaster

Japanese White Pine

Trident Maple

First Prize Award

Acer Palmatum

Potentilla

Japanese White Pine

Hornbeam

Acer Palmatum

Ayr Bonsai Club always put on an excellent display

A gallery of detail pictures from their display (Click on any image to see a larger image).

Acer Palamtum

Scots Pine

Spruce

Acer Campestre

Malus

Acer Palmatum

Acer Palmatum

Scots Pine

Larch Forrest

A Gallery of trees from the shohin category (Click on any image to view a larger version).

A Gallery of nice accents and Kusamono (click on an image to view a larger one)

A Gallery of my favourite images from the other displays (click on any image to view a larger version)

And to finish a couple of pics of some of the trade stands

Ian Baillie Pots

Looking Good Today

I think Larches look at their best at this time of year just before the shoots start to extend and become untidy. At around 20 years old this chuhin is the oldest one I have, it’s also one of my favourite trees.

Deciduous Shohin, New Spring Growth

Some of my tender deciduous trees are now in full leaf and beginning to look good this week. It’s still a little cold and wet to leave them outside day and night, so they are still spending most of the time in the sheltered environment of the greenhouse at the moment.

Deshojo Maple in a Shibakatsu pot

Another smaller Deshojo in a pot by a maker who is unknown to me.

Trident maple in a pot by Walsall Ceramics

My Corked Bark Elm in an Erin pot

Getting Ready For The Show Part 2

Here are some more pictures of the other trees that I will be taking to the Scottish Bonsai Show in Troon this Sunday.

Japanese Black Pine in a new pot by Bigei.

Dwarf Hinoki Cyprus in a pot by Hokido

Zelkova Serrata in a pot by Watanabe Ikkou

Another Zelkova Serrata in a new pot by Walsall Ceramics

The first three will be in our club’s display and the last one will be entered in the separate shohin competition.