Shohin Deshojo Maple in Spring

I love the new Spring growth on Deshojo Maples. This little shohin that I’ve been working on for 4 years is looking particularly nice at the moment

When I re-pot it next year, I may change the front slightly to highlight the widest part of the nebari

This is how it looked when I acquired it 4 years ago.

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Re-potting Continues

As the days get longer and a little warmer, the buds continue to swell and the window of opportunity for the re-potting of deciduous trees is coming to an end. I still have quite a few to do and they will all have to be completed before the weekend

Here are 2 that I did this morning. The first is a shohin cotoneaster microphyla. I have been developing this tree from garden centre stock for about 5 years now and its really beginning to look good. The last of the thicker roots were removed today and it has been re-planted in its yellow Shibakatsu pot with a slight change of front.

This is a reminder how it looked when I acquired it

I also re-potted my latest acquisition, this shohin trident maple. It’s now housed in a nice old blue glazed rectangle by the second generation Tosui potter, Mizuno Masao

Some New Material for the New Season

I paid a visit to my local bonsai supplier ( Wattston Bonsai) yesterday, to get an early look at the newly arrived stock from Japan. The new stock this year consists mainly of small and medium sized specimens of partly developed material,reflecting the current popularity of shohin and chuhin sized trees. The species represented are all ones that do well in our challenging climate and include seigen, deshojo and trident maple: prunus, callicarpa, pyracantha and rhododendron indicum; as well as the usual junipers and pines.

 

Lots of new tools and pots

An impressive selection of new Japanese pots by makers including Eimei, Bunzan, Shuho, Yamaaki, Bigei and many others

Here are a few trees that grabbed my attention

Shohin Trident Maple with nice movement and ramification

Deshojo maple shohin

Shohin Trident with an impressive nebari

Shohin white pine with a good nebari

Exposed root Callicarpa Japonica

Chuhin Rhododendron Indicum with a great trunk and great taper

2 nice glazed pots by Eimei

Green glazed Yamaaki oval with a floral motif

 

 

Some New Pot Options for an Airlayered Hawthorn

I have a small hawthorn, which was airlayered from the old roots 2 seasons ago. It has been in a training pot since it was separated and is now ready to be planted into its’ first ceramic shohin pot.

This is the tree,

And here are the pots I am considering at the moment. The first is by Eimei at the Yozan kiln. It has an unusual greenish glaze colour that could work well with a hawthorn.

the next one is a painted pot by Mizuno Shikao at the Tosui kiln. Both pots are about 7 inches (17cm) wide and will be suitable for further root development.

The tree will be transplanted in a few weeks time, when the weather warms up. I may even have a few more options after my trip to the Noelander’s Trophy next weekend

Some Pots by Walsall Ceramics

At this time of year, I’m thinking about and trying to acquire the pots I will need when the re-potting season begins in the Spring. I have a number of larch trees in development that will need to be re-potted as soon as the season will permit. When I think about larch bonsai, I think about Walsall Ceramic pots. The shapes and earth tone glazes of their pots, complement this species perfectly.

Here are some I’ve acquired recently.

And here are some of the trees that will be going into them

This tree was planted in a similar Walsall pot, 3 years ago

Northern Ireland Bonsai Society 30th Anniversary Show

I crossed the Irish Sea at the weekend to visit the NIBS 30th anniversary show in Belfast Botanic Gardens. What a terrific event it was. The quality of the trees and the displays that were assembled for this celebratory event  were exceptional and all praise must be given to the organisers for the effort they put in. Here are some of my photographs to give you an impression of the show.

Opening ceremony carried out by a veteran founder member

Philip Donnelly being his inimitable self

A very well attended event

Visitors from across the sea, Gerry, Libby and Kim from Scotland and Mike Box from the north of England

Best in Show and Best Deciduous went to this enormous European Beech, Fagus Sylvatica. A worthy winner with no wire on it at all

Best Evergreen went to this Scots Pine, Pinus Sylvestris belonging to Philip Donnelly.

Here is a gallery of some of the other trees, click on any image to see a larger one in gallery mode

Taxus Bacata

Juniper Chinensis owner Mike Box

Lonicera Nitida shohin

kifu Chinese Elm

Pinus Sylvestris

Maple raft

Large Elm

Taxus

shohin display

Trident Maple shohin

Trident Maple Shohin

Larch

Large Trident Maple

Escalonia

Large Witch Hazel best tree/pot combination

twinsrat’s trident

shohin larch

shohin juniper

cork bark black pine best shohin award

2 Shohin Pinus Sylvestris in Development

Here are 2 future shohin Pinus Sylvestris trees that I have in development at the moment. Both have quite a way to go but it’s that journey which gives me most pleasure in the hobby.

This is how it looked last year before its’ first styling

I started the next one about 4 years ago while it was still in the ground. The main trunk was chopped back which forced a lot of new shoots close to the trunk in a single season, many of these are now forming branches.

2 Japanese Pots from My Collection

Here are 2 new pots which have been added to my collection recently.

The first is a lotus shaped oval in a complex lilac glaze by Heian Kosen. It measures 8″ x 6″ x 2″.

The second is a basket weave round pot by Bigei. It has a diameter of 6″.

Final Preparations for the National Show

It’s been a busy week collecting moss and carrying out the final preparation of my trees for the Scottish National Bonsai Show tomorrow. Fortunately the weather has been kind and we are enjoying sunshine and warm temperatures at the moment.

Here are some pictures I took this morning of the trees and accents I will be taking with me.

Chuhin Japanese Larch

Shohin trident maple in a pot by Eimei

Shohin Deshojo maple in a yellow Shibakatsu pot

Cotoneaster in a pot by Eimei

Zelkova Serrata in a pot by Ikkou Watanabe

Hinoki Cyprus in a pot by Hokido

2 Pinus Parviflora in Bigei pots

Sedum Spathufolium Capa Blanca in a pot by Junsun Yamamoto

Saxifrage in a Suteki accent pot by Simon Haddon

More Spring Growth on My Shohin Trees

Here are some photographs of a few more of my shohin trees, which are looking good at the moment with the new spring growth.

Deshojo Maple in a yellow Shibakatsu pot

Kiyohime Maple in a pot by Heian Kosen

Cotoneaster in a red pot by Eimei