Bonsai Art

Finally springtime has started to kick in. It’s been happening slowly since the last frost a week ago mostly with only hawthorns so far. I found one which was nearly fully in leaf this morning.

I’ve been on pins the last few weeks waiting for my bonsai to come back into leaf. I hope it happens very soon as the Birmingham bonsai boot sale is in only 3 weeks time!

I’ve been very busy with repotting and trimming my trees and have still got a few to go before spring hits us with a vengeance…

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This weekend I acquired a very odd looking tree which I have named the creature from the deep! It was growing in the side of a very steep slope of loose coal which we call slag heaps. The main trunk had been snapped by someone who was probably sliding/falling down it and used it to stop themselves. Apart from that it was in a bit of a rough way because the roots we being worked loose by the sliding rocks it was growing in.

So I brought it back and planted it in my growing bed to check it out further. It has got to be one of the strangest looking things I have ever had. To me it looks like a creature rising up from out of the sea in an angry mood, possibly because someone has disturbed it’s slumber… My brother just laughed at me when I told him this however.

I’m trying to decide now what direction to take it in. It has lots of exposed roots, some of which are hidden in the photos as I wanted to make sure it was comfortable.

I’ll be leaving it in this bed for a year and doing a bit of styling where it is before committing it to a pot

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I was searching the internet for the proper size for mame bonsai and found this interesting table of bonsai size classes.

Shito, Mame and Komono are also known as SHOHIN

This table was found at Bonsai Outlet

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Sunday March 16th there is going to be a bonsai boot sale at Birmingham botanical gardens in the car park. It starts at 8am and finishes about 12pm. It only happens once a year so book your place now if you want to be a part of it. More info at fobbs website It’s the perfect place to trade trees, pots and tools.

I’ve booked my place today to sell so I’ll be there early. See you there!

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The past week or two I have been keeping an eye on the bonsai in my garden as spring slowly approaches us. Buds of many trees have been slowly swelling in anticipation of the heat and sun that is soon to come. Cherry trees are one of the first ones to respond to this change in the season and are getting ready to open at any time now. But today I noticed one tree that has beaten all the rest of them.. The humble berberis has decided it’s ready to sprout it’s leaves before any of my other bonsai in the garden.

Cherry trees and hazel will be soon to follow with oak and ash last to sprout.

I too cannot wait for spring and the extended light and warmth it brings.

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