Czech Yamadori

 Just looking at this mahaleb last autumn I realised  that all my previous attempts to change the angle of the trunk in its last third were just a mere tickling.   I was thinking to fix it  immediately but giving it a second thought I decided to postpone the activity till the time the tree enters the post pormancy period = the level of hormones inhibiting the activity of the tree is low but the tree is not starting its activity ( I mean visible activity  such as the growht of the buds ) because it is kept low till the time of longer days and warmer temps.   Autumn and winter are in my experience the most suitable periods for heavy bends  but the most problematic one at the same time.  Heavy bends mean a tissue damage that could suffer even more because of the winter frost.  So you should keep such trees in the non frost area. Not below freezing point and not above 5-6°C as this is about the right range to keep the trees in dormancy.  Clear - you do not kill your tree if for any reason

If the dogs look like their owners does this also apply to our trees?    The logic is pretty much the same, isn't it.    We tend to select things that are somehow "compatible" with   perception of ourselves.  Prunus mahaleb_Double          If the above statement holds then I am affraid my problem is much bigger than originally thought...    

Another year spent on building the surface roots.  So far all the efforts were solely based on the usage of a sphagnum moss.  For the next years to come I will cover the soil with "standard"  moss while adding more acadama to the roots encircling the rock.  I feel that the first root from the top looks a bit strange.  Time to cut it off?  Happy for your thoughts. Happy with this deadwood.  Nice focal point. The roots shouts: " GO! Catch more sunrays, we hold you fast".   So it means a cascading trunk despite the horizontal line of it.  See the second and third pics.  I feel the third one is about right.   And if so I have another problem to find a suitable pot.  I do not like the crescent bonsai pot that one should "normally" use.   I guess I would need to combine something different to please my eyes. Despite the fact I do like semi or full cascades similar to this one I have to admit they a bit of a nuisance once it comes to basic horticulture.  The inc

 Most of my mahalebs are the last to drop their leaves.  Right now ie on the 30th of November there are still four of them with no signs of  changing color or being  damaged by frost ( the lowest temps so far was only -3°C,  27°F ).   While the other species in the garden have started  the colour festivity around early Nov the majority of mahalebs were in the status - what is the fuss about?   With the arrival of first frosty nights some of them have started to change their colour from green to something yellowish but definitely nothing spectacular.   Some others have simply drop their green leaves.  And the last group is still in full swing.  I can hear their whisper : carbs, carbs, carbs.   Height: 19 cm   The target height should be in the range of 23-26 cm.  

 This little-leaved linden is not very keen to callus open wound left after size reduction/horticulture cuts.  It doesn't look so bad at the first picture,  but if you look at the second one-you will understand. In the course of last 5-7 years I  have not seen any reasonable attempt to form a callus there.   So inevitably the time to pick my milling machines is getting closer.   As a last attempt I had made an approach graft earlier this spring - see the blueish circle at the second pic.   And I still plan to add another one on the other side of the wound - green circle.  I know that the wound of this size will never be closed but I just want to make it a bit narrower so the inevitable hollow will be less dramatic.   If I keep the front as it is in the first pic  the hollow will not be noticeable I guess.   And if I do the carving well - I can still use the other side as a front and have the tree in my preferred 360°. Approach graft_I have decided to keep both branches to have ther

Massive nebari is probably the most attractive feature  right now... The trunk has nice white color... The crown starts showing some initial branch structure and even some sort of ramification...    Is it a birch, though? Birches tend to be slim, tall trees with thin long branches.  White in color with lots of black spots.  Joyful dalmatians.   Well, at least the vast majority of birches looks like that.    For sure, this tree will never have such typical habitus.   On the other side there are some very old gnarled birches that definitely differ from the " typical" birch perception.    Looking at this one I know that I need to go into this direction.    And that would require a lot of time to get the right appearance of age.   This tree looks promising but still looking way  toooo young for that category.    

Dewired and lightly pruned. Need to fix the scar in the top section next season.                                                                       

 I have this larch in my collection from 2013 I guess.   We had met few years before the collection in fact neverthless I was more focused on the deciduous trees at that time for one and I did not like the strange looking elbow like branch near the top of the tree.   Luckily that did not prevent me to visit this tree  any time I was in the area.   Still it has taken me few years to realise that the elbow like branch is something special.  Something similar to what  makes  monumental larches in Switzerland so special.    Collected: Central Bohemia 2013 Height:  43 cm Pot: Tokoname  Getting there.  Need some more styling and time to improve...   Elbow like branch_situated on the back of the tree Elbow like branch Flower buds ready for next spring The only cone left after the removal of blossoms in the spring Improving surface roots I have added the moss on the surface only this spring with the hope to get some new roots to improve the heavily one sided nebari a bit.  Very happy indeed fo

With the late autumn approaching and my deciduous trees  gradually changing their colours and loosing their leaves I feel a bit more curious about the structure of their branches.   Yeah, you try your best to keep it and develop even in the peak season but the real picture is shown only now.  Winter look.        Repot next spring and try to have more ramification.  Frankly, not much of a progress this year.  I do love this pot but maybe the birch has different view...    

Basic data: Origin: Yamadori Collected in 2011 Height: 38 cm Width: 50 cm Pot: Growing - China  The tree has been nicknamed "The Drunkard"  thanks to the lower section of the trunk.   The current inclination of the trunk is +/- the same as it was on the original biotop.   At the very beginning I was thinking to follow the line of the trunk and develop a subtle crown  with opposite inclination.   You may recall a Collin Lewis's hawthorn  that I had in my mind as a design to follow.   Well, I guess most of us was trying to imitate someone else's bonsai in their early bonsai age.   Worse for me, I was in bonsai for nearly 10 years then.  Shame on me... Luckily I have decided  to make it different.  Maily because of the character of the trunk - not much movement in the middle section and overall thickness not very suitable for the Bunjingi.  So I have built a kind of Myogi instead.   Maybe not the best choice but at least it's me behind it... And here we go.   Strong

 It is quite common to ask this question.   Supported by many professionals who sell trees and instead of providing details of origin, variety  and substrate used they try to impress the potential buyer with AGE of the tree.   Just comparing the size of the tree and its presented age, I do have a strong feeling that there is obvious clash.   If these guys are just like me each of them would add some years once the tree moves from their hand.  So at the end the tree that  in my oppinion is about 3-4 years old is claimed to be 8-10 years in propagation.    Unfortunately,  this AGEING is typical not only for the bonsai retailers.   A great bonsai amateur Mr. Pall is a good example of  that.  Well,  I believe  that he IS in fact a well established bonsai retailer with great marketing skills, but because he always disclaimed that  he must be an amateur then. What really strikes me was the Mr Ryan Neil's pages with promo sales of some of his trees.  RMJ,  185 years old...  Frankly,  I ca