Prunus mahaleb progress 2014-2016

This Prunus mahaleb was collected in 2014. When I found it in nature the amazing hollow trunk and the nice deadwood immediately attracted me. Unfortunately the branch structure was not the best so I decided to develop it from point zero.

Prunus mahaleb - 2014 after collecting

Prunus mahaleb - 2015 after first styling

Prunus mahaleb - 2016

Prunus mahaleb progress 2014 - 2016

Larix decidua yamadori - First styling

This Larix decidua was collected a couple of years ago and now it was finally time to make the first initial styling.

Larix before the styling

Larix after the styling

Carpinus betulus in authum colours

Carpinus betulus yamadori 5 years in training.

Pot: John Pitt

Carpinus betulus

Taxus yamadori first styling

This Taxus yamadori joined my collection as a gift from a very dear friend and finally it was time to make the first styling.

Juniper (urban yamadori) progress 2009-2015

Juniper urban yamadori - 2009-09 

First styling - 2010-09

Second styling - 2011-03

2011-06

2012-04

2012-06

2013-04

2013-06

2013-08

2014-04

2014-06

2015-09

Spruce yamdori progress 2010-2015

This giant Spruce was collected in 2010 and since than it developed at a slow but steady pace. I'm happy with the current image of the tree and I think that it is a good foundation for the final development of all necessary details to reach the maturity level which is necessary to exhibit a tree.

Spruce yamadori - 08-2015

Natural deadwood details

Spruce yamadori - 09-2010

Spruce yamadori progress story

This Spruce (Picea abies) was collected in 2012 and since than each year a small step towards the final image was done. In the next stage of development some detailed refinement is the main goal.

Spruce yamadori 2012 after collection

Spruce yamadori 2013 before the first styling

Spruce yamadori 2013 after the first styling

Spruce yamadori 2014 

Spruce yamadori 2015

Carpinus Orientalis first styling

This Carpinus Orientalis was collected in 2013 and since then it was in my garden getting used to his new environment. The main focus in the first two years was to develop the root system and make the tree strong and healthy for the first styling. This species is very easy to maintain and develop so it was not a hard task to get the tree to the stage when it was ready for its first styling.

Carpinus Orientalis - 2013

I styled the tree in late winter and because the tree showed sings of vigour I decided to also repot it in early spring.

Carpinus Orientalis - 2015 after first styling

The main reason why I like this tree is the strong nebari which gives a solid base for a good deciduous bonsai. Of course the tree has also some huge errors. The major mistake of the tree are the two big wounds which will need to be closed during the next stages of development and the fact that both trunks are almost the same diameter. 

There are many more issues which needs to be solved during the development. But pluses and minuses are the name of the game when you dealing with yamadori and the fact that you can play with the design and expose the good sides of the tree and improve or even eliminate the bad ones, is something what motivates me in a special way. This is the internal engine which pushes me to always search for new knowledge and techniques.

Juniper Sabina

This tree became a part of my collection in spring 2013. Its a quite big Juniperus Sabina yamadori collected in Spain in 2010. The tree is very dynamic, it has a lots of interesting features, many possible points of interest and offers a number of different design possibilities.

Juniper Sabina when it arrived

The first year the tree was left to rest and no work was performed. I only watered the tree and fed the tree aggressive wit lots of fertilizer. Because the tree showed good health and lost of strength I decided to make the first step and changed the position. While transplanting the tree I replaced all the old soil with pure pumice and because the collector made a great job, the root ball was nicely developed, I had no problems or huge risk while transplanting the tree. Janez also helped me so it was more or less a walk in the park.

Juniper Sabina before the change of position

The current position is not the final one but it is going in the right direction. Now after the tree was transplanted I know exactly the state of the roots and substrate and my plan is to develop a stronger root ball and after that, in the next step, the tree will be transplanted in a more upright position, most probably in the first training pot.

Juniper Sabina after the change of position

This year I will leave the tree to rest again, study the design possibilities and make the decision about the dilemma of grafting new branches to improve the structure and foliage in the future.

Juniper Sabina nebari

Juniper Sabina detail

Juniper Sabina detail

Juniper Sabina twisted live vain

Carpinus Betulus in first pot

A couple of weeks ago I repoted my Hornbeam (Carpinus Betulus) in its first bonsai pot made by John Pitt. The position of the tree in the pot is far from OK, but at this point it was impossible to plant the tree in a better position. 

Carpinus Betulus 2014-04

Its a pleasure to see how the tree developed from spring 2010 when I collected it in a nearby forest.

Carpinus Betulus before collecting in 2010

Carpinus Betulus 4-year progress

This Carpinus Betulus is with me from 2010 when I collected it in a forest near to my house.

Carpinus Betulus before it was collected

Carpinus Betulus - 2010-03

In four years of development the tree made good progress and I'm happy with the current image. 

Carpinus Betulus - 2014-03

Of course the tree needs a lot of additional development and many things can be improved. For instance in the upper right area a primary branch is missing. To improve this area I had to "borrow" one branch from the left side and in a couple of growing seasons the new branch will be the same size and in complete proportion with the left side.

New branch development

Prunus Mahaleb progress

This Prunus Mahaleb is a yamadori which was collected in 2012. The unusual and quite different shape with lost of natural scars and deadwood catched my attention so it became a part of my private collection.

Prunsu Mahaleb yamadori after collection - 2012-03

In spring of 2013 I started to work on the tree. At the first styling only the primary branch ware selected, put into position and the basic styling of the deadwood was done. 

Prunus Mahaleb after the first styling - 2013-03

The trunk and primary branches ware out of proportion, so I left the tree in the big plastic container, feed the tree aggressive with different types of fertilizer and let the branches grow freely. The goal was to make the branches stronger, thicker and via that an more mature look and feel.

Prunus Mahaleb - 2013-05

The tree has grown very well true the season and last weekend I made the second step.

Prunsu Mahaleb - 2013-11

One of the results of the aggressive feeding regime was lots of back buding so I used this and cut back strongly to two buds and revired the tree again. The goal at the moment is still the same, the development of primary and some secondary branches. The current look of the tree reminds of an conifer design but after the next levels of branch development will be done this will change. My plan is to develop the next level of more thinner branches in the typical growth pattern for deciduous trees which should completely change the look and feel for this.

Prunus Mahaleb after second styling - 2013-11

The primary branches are almost strong enough so the proportions are getting right, except of the upper part of the trunk which still needs to get much, much stronger. Now I will focus on getting only the upper part of the trunk stronger, thicker and on the development of the branch structure (secondary level, third level,...)

Prunus Mahaleb - deadwood

Part of the deadwood before the styling

Part of the deadwood after the styling

Prunus Mahaleb - closer look

Prunus Mahaleb - natural deadwood

The tree is of course in the very early stage of development but its starting to shape and I think it is becoming more and more promising.

Prunus Mahaleb - progress 2012-03 - 2013-11