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
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.
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
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
We visited Kew’s bonsai collection earlier last year but could not resist going back for a another peak at the winter image.
Paul Goff of Bonsai presentations will be a trader at the Winter Image Show in February 2013.
Original Fig in full leaf
Recently I have been caring for a Ficus microcarpa as it was starting to show decline and leaf problems so I agreed to aid with the recovery if I could as I am used to looking after tropical bonsai trees having a few myself for the past 6 years.
B&Q are currently selling these JCB Tool Rolls, good value for £5.98. You find them here
Marcus Watts, lives in Cornwall and bought his first bonsai 22 years ago and has been enjoying the hobby ever since. He prefers working with larger trees and now maintains a smaller collection of mostly Japanese bonsai. He likes to refine and finish trees, so spend a lot of time wiring ! Next year he will be representing the UK in the European final
Mike Jones has been interested in Bonsai Trees since the early 1980’s. If not for that small ‘extra’ Christmas present of a ‘grow your own bonsai seed kit,’ he may not have been so passionate about the hobby, as indeed he has – and still is!
From that humble seed kit to today – he has seen many changes within the hobby.
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