Czech Yamadori

Small trees in my backyard:  Prunus mahaleb Mahaleb cherry Height: 20 cm Nebari: 8 cm Pot: Training Collected in central Bohemia in 2012 There are not many mahalebs in the shohin category.  Just try to use the search engine and you will see how many results will come back to you.   I have been searching for a small mahaleb for many years.  I have crisscrossed all "my mahaleb's " sites many times.  No luck.  Explored new promissing locations with the same results.   So you can imagine my feelings  when I stumbled over this one.       July 2015 In autumn 2015 I have decided that there is time to move the tree into the prebonsai stage.  So it has been moved into the non frost over winter shelter that allows me to work on the tree in this odd period. Dec 2015 Dead wood carving in progress.   The rough part has been completed but still  more fine tuning is needed. Also need to decide on the first branch on

Prunus spinosa _ Blackthorn Current height: 42 cm Trunk caliper (diameter ) at the ground level (DGH ): 8 cm Collected: Central Bohemia Pot: training This is the first sloe I have ever collected.   I have been attracted by its size and nicely curved trunk.   The preparation for collection took me more than 2 years. During that time I have tried to get some fine roots closer to the main trunk.   The branch on the left was dry already at that time when I have found the tree.   Later on I noticed that the part of the dead wood is much bigger.   The removal of old bark revealed nicely curved lines of deadwood spiralling the trunk. Winter silhouette - early December 2015 with first sign of new growth due to the high temperature.  Pre X mas carving + new pot Back side.  The green mole hill is a cover for raised roots that can be seen in the first pic just behind the trunk.   I plan to keep them in position.  At least for now.  The low sacrifice  br

  Yamadori hawthorn - The Drunkard - a winter silhouette  A bit of pre Xmas cleaning/pruning on this smaller hawthorn.   The surface layer of substrate has been replaced.  The root that is encircling the stone has been covered with a substrate with added chopped sphagnum moss to promote its growth.      Now having  a good rest before the next growing season in the winter shed. The introduction of this hawthorn in  here

 Malus purpurea -  The bigger one Current height:  approx 30 cm  till the cut on the top primery branch Trunk caliper (diameter ) at the ground level (DGH ): 12 cm Collected: Central Bohemia in 2012 Pot: training      This is the second one of my purple crab apple.  Collected at the same place as the small one. So it has been "pruned" by the highway maintenance workers now and then.   While the tree has developed quite nice trunk under the cutting level of the  machine used to keep the woods and bushes in a reasonable distance from the highway  there was a heavy cut on the top of the trunk.  Well, I was quite hesitant to collect it  - on my last visit the tree looked quite good but the early spring maintenance has removed most of new top branches.   Finally, I have decided to go for it.    There was no future for the tree on this spot and I may move it to a better/safer position in the woods in my neighborhood.    Autumn 2014 Dec 2015 -  The tree after repotting

The Grandma of Pears_ the most valuable tree of my collection What is the value of my most  favourite tree?  And how did I calculate it? My metrics are far from the standard one even though at the end it has the two most important parts integrated.   What are these two parts?    ADMIRATION and JOY that please your soul.  What is behind of those parts?  For most of the bonsai enthusiasts it could be species of the tree, its age, design, proportions and scales. For some others it could be the name of the person who has trained and shaped the tree or the name of the previous owner.    For a few others, it is the intimate relations with the tree quite often grown from a seed... For me it is the common memories that are linked to the tree. So what about The Grandma?       It is the early March 2011.  I am sitting in the car watching the grey sky and cords of rain  drumming on the hood.          I am on my knees trying to dig out the deeply rooted old pear with one of the most bea

Small trees in my backyard... Part five:  Prunus spinosa_Smaller than small Height: Around 10 cm Collected: Central Bohemia Age: + 20 years It is quite difficult to find a decent sloe in my region.  Most of them look pretty much like a stick to support tomatoes.  Only a few have reasonable thick trunk,  but no taper.  Finally,  a very few are worth of collection.  Lucky enough to find one after hours you have spent on your knees clearing your way through the prickly shrubs?   GREAT.  You have completed the easy part.  NOW you  face a challenge how to bring home not only the trunk, but also enough roots to keep the plant alive. BUT if you succeed,  then you are every single spring rewarded with a flood of delicate yellowish white blossoms that contrast with dark chocolate color of the branches and trunk.  After the pollination the  fruits appear.  Small hardly visible green balls that quickly gain volume and end up with frosted blue color that attracts not only the bonsai enthu

Pyrus pyraster_ Pear_The Grandma I believe this is the oldest tree in my collection.    The Grandma of pears.     She grew at a very dry south facing slope.  Thin layer of poor substrate on a limy bed.  A scarce water supply in summers affecting the lenght of growing seasons...  That was the biotop that modeled her appearance for dozens of years before she has been spotted and collected by a bonsai novice.      I guess I would leave such tree alone these days having a respect for its wild character and ability to survive in such harsh environment.  But at that time I have just seen an amazing tree  and have not realised that a collection is only the very and the relatively easy beginning of a journey of such old tree from the wild to the bonsai pot... Autumn 2010 2013 Spring 2015 Spring 2015_An alligator skin all over the body