Czech Yamadori

I guess that with this yamadori the mother Nature has been inspired by some of the trees made in mass production nurseries.   Well, to be fair, one can still  differentiate the part made by the mother Nature and  me.    Clearly, I have not spent too much time to elaborate what to do with it.   We will see how much time it would take to heal the wound on the trunk and to produce matured bark in the "new" top section.   Just that and I will be more than happy with it.  The lower part has very nicely formed alligator skin partially covered by silver lichen.  The tree as it is: It has survived my problematic horticulture last year ( the problem with overdone MTB cycling ).  This spring I have added few layers of sphagnum moss on the front section of the pot - crossing my fingers in a hope  I can get some new roots there.   Opened the crown to the light to promote backbudding.  Fingers crossed here too.   Backbudding is just starting.  And new roots?  - will see later in Sep

Three years ago I ordered from Martin Asenbrenner a vessel for this cascade.  The year after the container was ready.  I did like the shape and colour but I thought that it is slightly oversized.   Martin was kind enough to take it back and above all he promised to deliver another one next year.  This time the size of the container was OK but I had a feeling that it doesn't express the emotion I have in my mind.  So here we are in 2020 still using the old plastic vessel. The tree has been thinned few days before  the day the pics were taken.   The crown looks a bit empty as some of the strong shoots were cut off to get more light to the inner weaker shoots that are better positioned - I think.   All that makes the ten-jin too dominant ( I wonder it the description ten-jin is correct while it is in fact in the lowest position of the cascading trunk ?  ).   The idea is to cover the straight part as much as possible while leaving the last third of it shining below the green foliage.

This small pear is a result of a successful air layer completed in 2019. The vitality of the plant was excellent so I have decided to speed up a little bit and to select structural branches and to carve a section of the trunk to get there some taper.   From now on it is again on the tree to do its part... Current front.  Due to the size restriction there is no chance to aim at natural looking pear tree. I mean a tall tree with relatively narrow crown.  At least that is the way pears look like in this country. The taper of the trunk seems to be OK.  Well,  on the cost of removal of a bit of flesh to be fair... Carved section ( current back ).   I hate to say that as my attempt is always to make 360° trees. AGE! Natural jin The height at the moment is just about 10 cm - up to the cut on the main trunk.  So there is still enough space to fill...

A corkscrew should express the movement of this tree much better than a static spiral but thats life.  I guess that the Mother Nature has tested on this little tree some techniques used in  mass production nurseries exporting their products to keen bonsai crowd in Europe /US.  Luckiky she has decided that it is no go and thats the reason why it is quite difficult to find them here in woodlands.   Height: 45 cm from the rim of the pot Pot: Tokoname ( ??? ) In training since 2012 As you can see on the winter silhuette the transition between the old part and the new one is still quite poor.  Need to work on it.     I guess it needs a small turn to the right.  Compare the first and last pics.

Crataegus monogyna Height : 38 cm Width:   50 cm In training since 2010 October 2019 December 2019 After autumn pruning

I do not think there will be a day when I say: "Enough is enough"  and as a result I would stop collecting this genus. Perhaps it is because they are part of my life since the time I can hardly remember... An old  bird cherry was the first tree I was able to climb. At was at my age of  three or perhaps four?  And it was only possible with a massive help of the girls who were taking care of me.  It must have been a hard job to push my fat ass up the tree.   Frankly, I do not remember that part too much but,  I do remember the feelings when I stood on the lower branch with the whole world below me.  Who would care that I was not able to reach any of the cherries - the girls did a good job there as well.    And what about blackthorns?   I used to watch the berries,  as they were moving up and down in the large storage jar that my beloved grandfather used for making wine.  Much more worth than most of the programs on TV these days...    And what about the return from the other

The picture below has been taken in 2018.  Happy days... On this picture you can see the thread graft - on the left side of the trunk.   I was quite optimistic that it is on a good way to make it and that it can be separated  later that year.   Reality? You can see the remains of it on the picture taken in early October 2019.   Bad luck or doing something badly? As you can see I have left this year growth untouched.  Till the early November to be precise... Then a short visit in the barber shop and another meeting with my Dremel.   But that was just a fine tuning. No dramatic change. November 2019 I have left the low branch on the right side in place.  Not sure if I will keep it in the future design.  Height: close to 50 cm

Another small tree that has been collected in central Bohemia in 2016.  I am so grateful for the lucky coincidence to find a place where the Nature has done most of the work... 2017 2019 Height: 18 cm Width:   25 cm Style: Informal upright with cascading branch  ( at least that's the plan for the time being )

I am really a strange type of guy.   Most of bonsai folk would try to get a yew with as many twists and sections of deadwood as possible.  Just have a look around.   And my yew looks like a lamp post... Strange, isn't. Taxus baccata Height: 25 cm from the rim of the pot. I am somewhere at the beginning of building the right structure of branches with rosettes.  Not sure there is enough space in between layers to do something structured.  We will see... Many years ago I saw an  ancient gracious yew in the garden that belongs to the visually impaired  center where I was doing some community job.   I have not take any picture but the vision of it is deeply imprinted in my memory...

Comparing pictures of this little cornelian cherry taken this winter with the ones from last year is like a direct slap in my face.  Well, there is a visible progress looking on the crown/branch structure of the smaller tree, I know. But my main target was to improve the transition between the old and new part of the main trunk.   In a hope to get there I have let the leader grow freely during the whole season.   Once I have cut it its length was well over one meter.   But the impact on the girth was hardly noticable.  Wondering what should I do differently this season... Maybe try to replace standard ferts with some kind of anabolics? OK, the plan is to cut the top section short and start with a new leader.    2017 Winter 2018  Winter

Winter solstice with its longest night of the year has passed and from now on the nights will be shorter and shorter.   It is way too early to get out to sniff out the first gusts of spring, but we know it is on the way.    Just be patient, have some winter sports if you care and for sure enjoy the planning of next development of your trees.    Have a great time.     Thank you all who visit this site now and then.    A special THANKS to Luďek, Mark, Maros, Peter, Rasťo and Salvador for their effort letting  me know they have cared.   Prunus mahaleb_Fat belly 2015  2016 Spring 2017 Winter A bit blurry pic 2018 Winter Pruned in November.   Second round of carving focused on the jin on the back side.