The seed for this Alder was collected in the autumn of 1987, from a local tree, planted in standard seed compost and left outside to germinate. For the first three years growth was very slow. I decided to do some research into Alders and found out that they grew close to water. From then on I stood it in water during the summer and it immediately started to grow very fast. In the spring of 1992 it was planted in a washing up bowel, stood in a tray of water and fed every two weeks with Chem pack No 8. By the end of the year I was standing it in half strength Chem Pack solution and the growth was strong and fast. In the winter it was pruned back hard to create a good trunk taper. The hard pruning also had the effect of creating a lot of back budding which was also allowed to grow, the effect of this was to fatten the trunk up very quickly. This method of growing and pruning hard continued until the winter of 1997 when the first of the branches were selected and wired into place.
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![Pine before styling by Jake Hobson Pine before styling by Jake Hobson](https://i0.wp.com/swindon-bonsai.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/06/Pine-before-work.jpg?resize=384%2C614&ssl=1)
Scots pine before styling by Jake Hobson
Our first experience of Niwaki, at a workshop in Tendercare nurseries, Denham, Uxbridge www.tendercare.co.uk
Jake Hobson demonstrated how to start styling a container grown Scots pine from scratch into a Niwaki with
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Here are some pictures of the September 2010 workshop with John Armitage at Swindon & District bonsai club which was great fun and very informative. For more information about John visit his blog at: http://johnarmitagebonsai.wordpress.com/.
![](https://i0.wp.com/swindon-bonsai.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/photo_2.jpg?resize=559%2C1024&ssl=1)
Hinoki cypress bonsai
Japanese cypress or Hinoki Cypress or false cypress (Chamaecyparis obtusa ) is a species of cypress that is native to central Japan. It is an important timber tree and is considered sacred by Shintos. It comes from the family of Cupressaceae which is part of the False cypresses. The genus is Chamaecyparis and the species is Obtusa meaning blunt leaves. In June, a club night was devoted to working on Hinoki cypress and a brief video showing work in progress is posted below.
Hinoki cypress workshop video
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![](https://i0.wp.com/swindon-bonsai.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/Exmouth_2010_2.jpg?resize=195%2C225&ssl=1)
These are a selection of trees exhibited at the show, first some of the Swindon trees and then a selection of others.
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![](https://i0.wp.com/swindon-bonsai.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2010/05/Chelsea_2010_1.jpg?resize=770%2C565&ssl=1)
From this…..
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to this…
Below are a selection of the club trees exhibited on the FOBBS stand.
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![](https://i0.wp.com/swindon-bonsai.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/show_display_wessex_2010.jpg?resize=1416%2C1062&ssl=1)
Our display at the Wessex bonsai show
To see the best bonsai in the show as well as best mame display please read on….
![](https://i0.wp.com/s349747987.websitehome.co.uk/SwindonBonsai/wp-content/uploads/2011/02/wessex_best_in_show.jpg?resize=553%2C737)
Best bonsai tree in the show
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![](https://i0.wp.com/swindon-bonsai.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2011/03/Workshop-group.jpg?resize=800%2C273&ssl=1)
John Armitage workshop 2009
Bonsai workshops area a great way to increase your ever growing knowledge of bonsai and a good place to share ideas and discuss your trees with others. In 2009 John Armitage was invited to host a workshop for the Swindon and District Bonsai club which was very well attended and very informative. It was an excellent day and John helped individuals with their trees and gave them ideas on how to develop their trees further. Here is a selection of pictures from the day.
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Here are some photos from the FOBBS stand at Chelsea in 2008 for you to have a wander through…
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