Surviving a Mild Winter

This is the first time I have had trees spend the entire winter outdoors - even if in quite a sheltered spot on the small terrace.

Frosts are frequent enough here, but other than winter 2017/2018 there hasn't been that much snow in years.

Got some this year - but looks like all of them survived it.

Here's a pick from the cold snap around a month back.

Spring is Here

It has really warmed up in the last few days, though the nights are still near freezing.

Looks like my little Oaks, Lilac and Wisteria will be coming back to life soon :)

As I might have said in the past, the Lilac I will try to grow into a significant cascade, the Oaks I am not sure yet, but they might be fairly central to my roof terrace design once I get everything sorted for that (could be adding ~50 square metres of unhindered roof space which will give me a lot more room.

I have plenty of plants indoors but they are completely different in terms of how I approach most of them.

Weeded the trees as well a few weeks back and brought them indoors to get a better look - will post some pictures from then as well, alongside where we are now,

I am not following most of the Bonsai rules, though will incorporate some of what I know as time goes on and I can build an automated watering system so that I can maintain the recommended soil mixes.

Fail

That last time was a bit optimistic, given what I was about to go through. 


Will share on that elsewhere, but feel I am truly coming back to being me so will attempt this again.


I have decided to make a return, and a meaningful one. Revive my web presence and see if I can find some kind of audience before I start my really crazy stuff.


I have decided to launch a number of separate blogs simultaneously.


As productivity increases I have a soft target of a post a day and a post per blog once a week.

Will update this post with links here once I have got a couple going, alongside the Anthology and the Opera Omnia:



At the very least I will revive this one as Spring approaches and my lovely little trees start coming back to life - they had a tough winter, plenty of days below freezing, so I hope they thrive.


This lost are and are not bonsai.


Technically, they are trees in pots so the transliteration matches, but not currently grown in any kind of meaningful restriction on their roots and in soil that is unfit for bonsai in any case.


The Oaks I ordered from Amazon last year and mangled somewhat, the Lilac has been with me for several years now - I tend to take it to my mums place when it is about to bloom and the Wisteria which I hope to grow in a cascade style as I do the Lilac.


Have no idea how the Oaks will do - will wait and see.

Sorry, Sorry...

Ok, had a short break in Istanbul for my brothers 30th, then fathers health issues took up a bit more time along with a few crazy weeks at work, back to regularity again starting... Now!

Shrub to Tree (Part 2)

Ok.

Maybe I wasn't expecting this many branches to come off but the end result shows promise.

I won't post any photos of it for now, still need to clean up the trunks, but below is a plate of cuttings :)

Shrub to Tree (Part 1)

So here are some photos of the new "tree" - CHAMAECYPARIS THYOIDES - Rubicon.

Went to a garden centre over the weekend with my dad, just to look for a few plants for their garden and saw this shrub with unusual colouring on new growths, an interesting purplish tint.

My father liked it and decided to grab it for me, I've been looking to experiment for a while now, and i guess the timing couldn't be better.

Will trim it down to something more resembling a tree later in the week.

I'm Back...

Not that many people are all that likely to care :)

Work has been crazy and had a little bit of a breakup, so now im free and single, with plenty more time to invest in myself and my future trees.

Let's say my trees have suffered over the winter, but recently had a gift of a "garden shrub" that I will be pruning into a, hopefully, successful tree.

Quite a few posts to come this week with pictures of the tree as it was, the extensive trimming and wiring. I won't be repotting it until next year, want some vigorous growth for now.

Will be planting quite a few seeds as well that have spent almost a year in the fridge.

Aaaaaaaaaaaaaaarh!!!

I've just been terrible, a resignation of a collegue at job meaning I need to work New York hours as well as the usual late European afternoons, plus a week-long trip to Vegas for my Brothers Stag-Do.

Back now, thankfully the trees haven's suffered much, but the same can't be said for the seeds...

Back to writing frequently in the coming days!

However...

The first of the Blue Jacaranda seeds has sprouted! These are the trees I'm most looking forward to - but thats almost a decade away, even if they grow well...

Doesn't Look Good...

Unfortunately it seems that the sun has been a bit much for the little Black Locust Tree seedlings. Has been very warm in London over the last few weeks but they look so sun-bleached. Moved them into the shade now, and hope they recover but those hopes are not high...

OK...

So now I realise that there is no way that I will be able to post every day - and given the visitor numbers aren't exactly great I think I will stick to three posts a week, rather than every day...

I'm tired and working more than 12 hours a day during the week, sometimes nearer 18... Hope no-one minds.

If someone prefers the current schedule, let me know. Doubt that's the case... :)

The Other Idea...

Also, the top of the tree is so densely grown that its difficult to reach into and trim back any new twigs forming leading to even more dense growth. I understand that they will lengthen in time and the leaves nearer the trunk will fall away, but I would like the tree to have more height to it, so I would like to trim back some of the thicker branches - make the peak of the tree more defined and allow for an extention of the trunk beyond its current height...

The Idea...

I feel that the tree is more than a little unbalanced... Looking from the front - there is a lot more foliage and weight on the left hand side of the tree... I like the assymetry, but would like more balance for sure...

So the branch circled (or ovaled depending on precision...) is, in my view, in need of thickening and lengthening - the foliage needs to be denser too. So any growth from this branch will not be cut back (heard this helps with the thickening of the branch - someone please correct me if I'm wrong), the decisions on which to keep will come later...

The Growths...

The Chinese Elm is definitely in need of a trim... But I want the second bottom branch to fill out and lengthen to give the tree a bit more balance... Growing so vigorously! Just take a look at the pics, this is only in the couple of weeks since the last trim.

Won't be trimming all of them back though, as I mentioned earlier about the wish to lenghten and thicken a certain branch... That Idea will be described tomorrow...

The Other Tree - Almost A Month On...

Unlike the Chinese Elm, this one is growing at a much more sedate pace, as is fitting given its nature. It seems to have taken a while to get comfortable and is only now starting to sprout new leaves/flat needles, which are a lovely pale colour.

All I can really say is that I'm very much looking forward to see how this tree will look a few years from now, with a hopefully thickened trunk and denser foliage... Maybe a few extra inches in height as well... And maybe, just maybe, it will decide what to be called as well...

Away For The Weekend...

I'm away for the weekend - the son of my boss from my previous job is having his Bar-Mitzvah in Paris, followed by a weekend of celebration in the french countryside. 

Never been to one before, regardless of the fact that something like 30% of my school was jewish back in the day. Should be quite an experience... Left a couple of posts to auto-publish whilst I'm away, including this one...

Back To My Tree...

Here's a quick update on the progress of my Tree... Still need to name him though, any suggestions?

He's been growing very quickly, new branches just shoot out in a matter of days so he's in need of another trim already! Very much so if you were to judge by the below photos...

Will let him grow for another few weeks and into July before I do that though as I want to get a better idea of how the branches harden as they grow, leaf count, etc...

I'm also looking to do a bit of wiring, just on the second lowest branch for now, as I feel a bit more balance could be beneficial.

He's not having as many yellow leaves of late, I guess as a result of not letting the soil stay soggy - will definitely be replanting as soon as is feasible - though I'd rather get a bit of help/advice before I go ahead with that...

Just SO Readable...

Ok, so this is looking a bit like Peter Chan Week over here, but would like to add a bit of a review of his book - Bonsai Secrets which was delivered about a month ago and that I've read cover to cover at least 3 times (have it lying around in the most visited parts of the flat so often sit down and read for a few minutes, or just marvel at some of the specimens within...).

The book is just so well written, with a bit on the historic roots of Bonsai in China, the migration to Japan along with other substantial parts of Chinese culture, along with the evolution of the art over the last century.

Most of the pictures are just stunning (I'm a particular fan of the Red Maple specimens) and it's very hard not to be inspired by the obvious pasion Peter feels towards Bonsai.

A warning though: This book makes you feel like you need to move into the country-side and grow the beautiful, majestic trees. I see myself as a metropolitan dweller, but the draw of nature is palpable when you read this.

The book describles very succinctly various techniques that should be followed to ensure the best looking tree, along with visual photographic guides.

If I had a star rating system going I'd definitely give it a 5! Love it.

Peter Chan - Herons Bonsai...

I've decided that I need to go on a bit of a pilgrimage when the weather is fine and the time available. The trip will be my first to a proper Bonsai nursery - Peter Chans in fact! The trip shouldn't be more than an hour or two each way and I have a friend who's teaching at a boarding school not too far away so if I manage to make it before the end of term, will try and catch him for a drink or two.

Herons Bonsai Nursery looks great! Seven and a half acres of Bonsai Goodness... http://www.herons.co.uk/ Will be sure to take plenty of photos! I'm sure most of the trees are going to be stunning!

And Book #3...

The third and final book that was delivered is also by Peter Chan - Bonsai Masterclass. Apologies in advance for the quality of the picture, lighting was terrible when I had the chance to take a photo.

Seems to be a much more in-depth look at bonsai and is my first hardcover book on Bonsai. Haven't opened it yet and will wait to do so, too much to read already and this seems to be a great one for once I've fully grasped the basics... As you can probably tell - a bit of a fan of Peter Chan