Czech Yamadori

  Collected in 2004.    Current height  54 cm.  Pot: Yixing. The design of this tree really doesn't reflect the natural habitus of  Cornus in the area I live.    In its natural habitat in Central Bohemia ( limestone based dry slopes ) it grows like a shrub or a small multiple trunks tree up to 3-4 m.  Its native range is in Southern Europe from where it has been taken  by Celts to Central Bohemia I guess. Another location where it can be found  and it is quite abundant is in south Moravia.  Below you can see a typical habitus of Cornus . https://pladias.cz/taxon/pictures/Cornus%20mas#image4,  Aleš Moravec This is a typical location in Central Bohemia.   

 Finally, it seems there is a nice bunch of flower buds this year ready to open...

  Prunus mahaleb Current height:  8 cm Width:  30 cm  with the target 26-27 cm Tree has been collected in 2019 with the plan to make a shohin sized cascade.    Due to the damage of the some important roots during its collection,  the tree has decided to  quit some live veins on its trunk resulting in a massive deadwood.    Air layered in spring 2020 and separated in Sept of that year. Spring 2021.   The inclination of the tree has been moved even further to the  left.  That made a full cascade BUT I did not like it.  It looks too long due to the separation between the trunk and the foliage mass.   IN order to bring the foliage closer to the trunk,  I had to bend the top of the trunk back to the right quite severely.   Step by step in the course of two years we get it in more or less vertical position.  And at the same time span we have used one of the lower branches to create the cas...

 Prunus spinosa_Blackthorn is one of the most attractive trees that can be used for bonsai.   Abundant white buds that look like a pearl develop in full blossoms early in March.   Leaves come a bit later.  And as they are quite small they doesn't "spoil" the elegance of the tree.  The fruit is green  at the beginning but later on it develops its typical dark blue colour.   And again  the size of the fruit is quite small so it is almost perfect fit to the tree.    

  Stupid or Greedy?   Well, why not both... For a good number of years I am planning to reduce the number of my trees.   And yes, some of them have gone, just to be fair with me.   Few of them left for free to my brothers in arms - bonsai enthusiasts and some of them via the European bonsai auction to bargain hunters. Sounds good, doesn't it? But at the same time I have started few projects ( seedlings cutting_Pinus nigra, Taxus cuspidata and Pinus parviflora_Zuisho cuttings, bought some interesting varieties of satsuki...   So at the end there is more leaves/needles than before.   And  NOT enough of that - I was about to give away a little mahaleb that was a honorable member of the Downsize club.  On the D day I have taken it from the shelf with the plan to let it go to some new place with more attentive hands.    I know this is the moment I should close my eyes and to armour my heart...  What do you think?...

 Cold.    This is the first thing that would cross my mind talking about this Spring.   It means  some extra portion of physical activity in the evening and then in the next morning to move some trees into and out of the shelter.  But thats OK.  Physical activity is good for our health so no reason to complain.  And to look on it even from a brighter side - the cold spell has extended the Hanami - flower viewing quite significantly.   Flowering quice Blackthorn