Chinese quince is doing fine!

Many visitors in my garden in this past summer wondered why I would keep a 'dead' bonsai and not at least hide it from the public. Actually one day before my late summer meeting an assistant thought that it was a good idea to put it into the garage over the weekend to not give a bad image!. The tree had not shown growth in spring! I purchased this wonderful pot from Peter Krebs at the end of March and repotted the quince right away. For some unknown reason it just did not show growth that spring. Quinces have the habit to show the buds and already some small leaves for next year extremely early. They actually start in December in my greenhouse. In April then this turns into real spring growth. But it did not in 2008. Over the summer the buds turned black and the tree was apparently dying!! Well, I, like many people, was very much afraid, but I always had hope. Whenever I made everything wet when watering I could see that the trunk and the overwhelming majority of branches were alive. The bark was green and they looked solid and did not shrink, which would be a terrible sign. So we left the tree in the garden over my big festival. Everybody could see it and the majority thought that it must be dead. I wonder what they said behind my back.
So look at it now. It is in the unheated greenhouse and not only has thrown buds but a lot of spring growth already. I will have to put it into the frost-free room where the pots are.The new growth might die when it gets blow minus 5 Celsius. I am even contemplating to show it at the Noelanders Trophy. What a resurrection!

Certre Award 2009 has started.

As of today teh Certre Award for the best combination bonsai and container has started again. I will certainly participate again this time.

See here:
Certre Award 2009

bonsai garden in winter

Gone is all the glory of the exhibit. The trees are eithr in the un heated greenhouse or on the ground between the stumps or under the benches. This will stay so until mid-April.

More about the workshops at Nature's Way

Jim Doyle and I decided to accept silent observers for the workshop on Saturday. We will ask 50 US$ for just listening and watching.

Regarding the price for the workshop: One has to understand that we are dealing with material that typically costs around one grand or much more. There are way too many folks out there who have lost such trees because they did not know how to treat them properly. So 150 bucks for a workshop to learn how to not loose more than a grand should be fair.

Regarding the fact that people will pay for helping doing my work. Well, it is not exactly so, but there is some truth in this. So why will almost all participants of last year be there again? I think it is because they have learned a lot and it was fun.

Program for Nature's Way in May 2009

SPECIAL WORKSHOP SESSIONS with Walter Pall

From Walter:

Jim and I were luck to get around 50 new trees for Nature's Way. They
will arrive until end of April.

I will be at Nature's Way Nursery in Harrisburg, PA at the beginning of
May 2009. We will offer very special workshops like in April 2008. There
are more than 50 NEW outstanding collected trees that we work on. These
are Rocky Mountain Junipers and Ponderosa Pines as well as some other
pines of exceptional quality. Some of them are clearly material for
world class bonsai. There are many this time which are somewhat affordable.

We will do with the trees whatever need to be done at their stage. This
will be lifting from the container, examining roots. taking out old
debris from the root ball, cutting branches, deciding about future
shape, reducing foliage, cleaning trunks, potting into bonsai pots. The
participants will actually work with these trees hands on. I will
explain every step, what, how and why. I will go into the horticultural
side at length and certainly also into the artistic side. We will not
style a single tree, but participants will get a good picture of the
future of each tree. I will also make professional photographs of the
trees during the sessions. Folks who are interested will get my advice
about how to make professional bonsai images.

The trees are available for sale by Jim Doyle. They are certainly not
cheap though. There are many affordable though. It is not required that
someone purchases any tree. Prices can NOT be quoted at this point in
time. Trees will have a price tag at the beginning of May though.

Fee: $150 for the day. In addition you may bring one tree of your own
for styling advice. Register now with a $50 deposit.

Outside the workshops there will be ongoing work on large pines and
junipers. It will be possible to watch Walter and Jim Doyle work on these and ask
questions. These 'demos' are free of charge.

Dates: Friday May 1: Demo WP and Jim Doyle and possibly private workshop on the side
Saturday, May 2, all day workshop
Sunday, may 3: demonstrations WP and Jim Doyle and possibly private workshop on th side.


Individual sessions may be available in addition. Pricing by WP.
Email or call for further information 717-545-4555.

Spring program at Nature's Way Nursery

Due to popular demand we will have the same thing and more in spring of 2009.

From Friday, May 1 to Sunday, May 3 we will have the second Collected Trees Symposium at nature#s Way Nursery in Harrisburg, PA.

There will be around 50 new trees, some quite spectacular; many in a generally affordable range, junipers and pines.
The plan it to have a full day workshop again about working on precious collected material; hands on repotting, cutting back, developing etc. This will be charged.

On two days I will be working on outstanding trees in an ongoing demonstration. This is for free.
Exact program will follow.

Back from South America

Tired but happy after 36 hours of travel. From Joinville, Brazil to Curitiba, Brazil by car. Then from Curitba to Montevideo, Uruquay by plane. from Montevideo to Buenos Aires, Argentina national airport. Then transfer by Ruben and Uschi (thank you very much) to international airport. Then from Buenos Aires ot Madrid, Spain. From Madrid to Munich, Germany. And then by train to the backwoods to find my car still standing in front of the railway satiion and then back to our houme which was cold at arrival, but is warm now.

Very good memories. I will report tomorrow on travelogus.

Away to South America

I will be away for two weeks.

From November 6 to November 9 in Buenos Aires, Argentina for the FELAB 2008 Convention.

From November 15 to 16 in Joinville, Brazil for the Flower Festival.
In between to the Iguazu waterfalls and some more sightseeing.

Bonsai is good to me. What a life!

I will report of course.

Preparing the lot for the Paris car show.

Today we loaded the van which went off to Paris and is supposed to be there by tomorrow noon. Mr. Morimae selected a broad overview of bonsai with different species, different sizes and different styles.

Pinus mugo
Pinus mugo
Pinus sylvestris
Picea abies
Picea abies
Buxus microphyllum
Acer palmatum
Acer burgerianum

These will be at the Japanese car show

from 01/Nov. 2008 to 09/Nov./2008
At "Cite des scienences et de L'industrie, Paris"
30, Avenue Corentin-Cariou 75019, Paris

I am very happy and proud that my trees were selected. Alex will be there all week long.

winter images #11

all wild cherries:
Prunus cerasifera
Prunus mahaleb
Prunus spinosa