Korean Hornbeam

1st place – AW, Korean Hornbeam

Korean Hornbeam

2nd place – SM, Korean Hornbeam

Prunus mume

3rd place – RA, Prunus Mume

 

 

 

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As it is currently the tree planting season in the UK, I thought I would share some photographs I took during a visit to Japan of trees in domestic gardens to hopefully inspire you

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Hornbeams are a fabulous tree for bonsai, a firm favourite with many and for good reason. You can see from the impressive image above that they can be of majestic proportions and this is one of our members trees which he has had for many years and developed it into this fine specimen.

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Kew Japanese Garden

The Gateway was first created for the Japan-British exhibition in 1910, a replica of the Karamon of Nishi Hongan-ji, Kyoto and then later restored and reconstructed for the Japanese Landscape at Kew in 1996. This covers five-thousand square metres and contains three garden areas built to compliment the Japanese Gateway named Chokushi-Mon (Gateway of the Imperial Messenger).

Contrary to the opinion that nothing really happens in the garden at this time of year, I recommend a visit to Kew’s Japanese gardens. This is the perfect time to appreciate the many different hues of green and the deep saturation of colour the wet weather provides. The moss growing on rocks and anywhere else it likes, looks at its best and we were also treated to an Iris in flower. A perfect escape from all the Christmas shopping.

You can find more information about this here

Verve Soil Conditioner

Verve Soil Conditioner

An interesting article in The Dendrologist magazine…

Rock Dust Fertilizer – Scottish quarries are supplying 420 million year old volcanic rock, ground up and packed in 10kg bags, now being sold in B&Q for £5.98 as ‘Verve’ soil improver. It contains ‘the full suite of nutrients’, as marketing director Jennifer Cook proclaims. Rock dust has long had its fans in the permaculture movement to re-mineralize soils. Humus is also important and it is interesting to realise meadows hold about 1-2kg of dry plant biomass per square metre, whilst forests hold about 30kg. With more layers of plant structure, trees, shrubs, tall perennials and ground cover, the more habitats and food sources are available to animals.

Verve soil conditioner available from B&Q here