Czech Yamadori

31.12.2003 Last day of 2003  and I am in a woodland looking for yamadori on a loamy slope of Central Bohemia.  Location facing south with scarce supply of water. Place where you can see dwarfed oaks, common junipers, and dogwoods.  I was searching through an undergrowth when I spotted a tree partially buried with fallen leaves and branchlets, but the visible part has some interesting deadwood. And if you are a yamadori hunter, you know what it means. The heartbeat rate goes up,  you go down on your knees, and your fingers start cleaning the area with eager expectation of what is under the cover.  Sometimes a disappointment or a hesitation and sometimes a sheer pleasure... 2015 2018 2025 Height 55 cm Pot: China

In the early years of my bonsai passion I have spent most of my weekends somewhere in woodlands  criss crossing selected areas with the hope to find the TREE of my life.  Most of the time I came back  empty handed just with a hope for the next days.   But HAPPY anyway.        The main challenge for me at that time was not about finding a tree but to select the one worth the collection in terms of the quality and potential success rate of collection.   Soon I have realised that leaving that only  on my heart is not the best way to follow.   Suppressing the burning desire to DIG for a while leaving it for next day, week, month or even year(s) proved it is the way forward for me. This was especially true for such special trees such as blackthorns as it is very rare to find  a tree with a character you look for.   You want it so desperately that you are tempted to lower the bar pretty low. Just have a ...