Shohin Yew Progression

This little yew was imported into the UK in 2013 and I acquired it a year later in 2014. Growth in that year was very poor and I was concerned that there was a problem with the roots or the soil

In 2015 I took it out of the pot shown in the previous picture to discover that much of the original root system had died. I immediately re-potted it into a good soil mix and slowly introduced the fertiliser to bring it back to health. The next picture shows the tree at the time of the re-pot.

A year later in April 2016, when the next picture was taken, it still hadn’t put on much new growth but there were new buds forming. For the first 2 years that I owned this tree, I thought the side shown in the first 2 pictures would be the front of the tree, but after 2 years of studying it, I eventually opted for the other side as shown in the next picture.

3 months later in July of 2016 it had an explosion of new strong growth It was now ready for a first styling.

The tree was pruned and wired and a jin and shari were created

Over the 3 years that have elapsed since the first styling, I have continued to develop the ramification. I have also done additional work of the shari, jin and live veins. I wasn’t entirely happy with the planting angle in the pot. The top of the tree was leaning away from the viewing position at the front and the dramatic jin was not showing its’ best side. At re-potting time this year I was able to correct these faults. This is how the tree looks at the moment.

Advertisement

The Sun is here At Last

Its been a slow start to the season and most things in the garden are about 4 weeks behind where they were last year but the weather has warmed up and the sun is out and my trees are beginning to grow again, at last.

This little hawthorn was re-potted recently into a beautiful Ian Baillie shohin pot.

This is how the same tree looked back in 2012

This is another little hawthorn, whose buds are beginning to open. Its in a nice green pot by Eimei at the Yozan Kiln.

and this is how it looked in 2012

Here are a few more trees that are beginning to glow with their new growth

3 of my medium sized larches

 

My shohin Japanese Yew

This little cotoneaster fell of the shelf and its original pot was broken. Here it is now in another pot by Eimei.

2 shohin Shimpaku Junipers

 

 

Work on the Deadwood of My Shohin Yew

I took the opportunity today to do a little more refining on the jin and shari of a shohin yew that had its first styling one year ago.

This is how it looked before todays work.

and this is how it looks at the moment.

I think I will change the viewing angle slightly at the next re-pot to give the jin more prominence.

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

Its Spring Again

When the vibrant colours of the new Spring growth begin to appear, its definitely my favourite time of year. Here are some pictures of the trees that have sprung into life first.

This shohin Yew has new buds everywhere, much earlier than previous years

My Acer Shishigashira is always the first of my maples to leaf out

Larches always look their best at this time