Friday, September 3, 2010

Cembra pine #3

This cembra pine , Pinus cembra was collected in the Alps in 2002. I got it in 2005 and started to work with it right away. If you look at the development you might ask why I did not try to make 'proper' branch layers. Well, this is impossible with this kind of material. And it would look silly anyway, like a bonsai with a weird trunk. Last year it started to look somewhat decent, but the pot was way too big. To plant such an unorthodox tree into an orthodox pot is like dressing an old farmer with a tuxedo. It would look awkward. So the old farmer needs a lederhosen in my area. Today he got it. Alex and WP planted the beast in one hour onto this artificial rock by avicenna. In a year I might wire the branches again. We'll see.
Unorthodox trees should go into unorthodox pots.

Thursday, September 2, 2010

new big spruce

This is a European spruce, Picea abies. It was collected in the Alps in May 2010 and already has developed very strong shoots in the first year. I edited it a bit and decided that it will be much smaller in about three years - just the right size. Until then I leave it alone, full sun, lots of water, lots of feeding. This will certainly go into my personal collection. I am happy that it found the way into my garden.

two Norwegian scots pines revisited

After the stress around the Late summer meeting I had the time to take a closer look at these two scots pines from Norway. The first it in 'offers' under scotpine 10. I took the sales tag off the second one. sorry, too late, it is for me now. I will leave it just like this for another year and then start styling. In the meanwhile, full sun, lots of water and lots of feed.

Wednesday, September 1, 2010

steel pot

Michael form Germany made this pot. It is of steel! I love it and will find a proper tree for it. Is steel allowed? No? Wow, I love things which are forbidden.

Japanese Maple #11

Japanese maple. Acer palmatum. Was on Kokufu Ten 75 (or 74 or 76). At least this is what I am told. So it is an important tree.If someone has the Kokufu Ten books, please try to find it, make a good scan and send it to me: bonsai(at>)walter-pall.de Anyway, somehow it found it's way into my garden. Walter, Boris and WP repotted it today. We cleaned the huge nebari, cleared old loam like akadama, painted it with biotreecleaner and planted the tree into a nice pot by Peter Krebs. The huge nebari looks almost grotesque in a very small pot. So a large ample pot is better for this sort of tree in my opinion. Next year the challenge will be to get the foliage evenly small and bring out the structure of the crown. In late summer next year it should be ready for exhibit.
I am happy with this acquisition which will become part of my collection, of course.

Late Summer Meeting - Walter's pics

These are Walter's and the lat one is by Gerhard. Thank you both.