A thorn in my side

This small rose is a new one for me, having a dislike of garden roses with all the thorns and black spot and just as the flowers come out it rains and ruins the flowers. I have always thought it would be good to have a small one ever since 20years ago when I saw one of Ruth Stafford Jones. I even had a cutting from hers that I have had all that time and still looks much as it did then and has ever only had one tiny but beautiful creamy white double flower.
This one I have no idea on flower colour, but that’s the fun to wait and see. I know it has flowered well due to all the hips. So with the buds starting to move it was time to trim it, I guess this is not going to be a high maintenance plant to keep. Time will tell if this will be a thorn in my side or a joy to keep.

Will keep you updated.

Updated 15/7/15

   
 
First flower bud spotted. 

   
 

My Noelanders shohin exhibit 2015

This is my account of displaying shohin at the Noelanders show. It all started at the 2013 exhibition. Having been interested in shohin since a trip to Japan in 2011 which had fired me up to do more shohin, the whole display concept and verity in pots had a challenge that appealed. During the show I decided having seen the superb displays from Mark & Ritta I wanted to enter the next show, which for shohin is every two years. Easier said than done, but I had the trees but not all the stands needed. Thank you to John Brocklehurst bespoke stands for making the jitta for me. Pots posed another problem and having purchased a great Bigei pot for my Sekka only to find it was too small I was back to the beginning again. Eventually I found a pot while in Japan 1st gen Yamaaki. So with two weeks to go it was time to start getting trees into the right pots.

Having robbed half the neighbourhood of its moss it was the final touch to get the trees mossed up.

My receiving tree was giving me problems I had entered two trees to keep my option open, the #1 tree was a bittersweet when I left for Japan it still had its fruits shut. I closed down the poly green houses while I was away and they decided to pop open and with a lack of circulation then got mould on them. Reserve tree then it would have to be.

After a mock up on my new outdoor display stand (more on that later) I was happy with how it was going.

I had seen while in Japan how the nurserys had packaged up the trees to get to and from the shows so I devised my own version with creates which Andrew Barber of the bonsai shed kindly gave me.

Bamboo skewers were then put round them to stop them moving, and another create over the top for protection. Everything ready for the big day, and at 5:30am it was an early start down to Ashford to meet Chrissie and the others I was travelling with. Hop on the ferry and on to the new venue the Limberghal hall. On arriving it was time for a last pot polish and unpack.

Having checked in it was time to get in the line for the photographer. Once our turn came it was time to put it all together under the watchful eye of Willie the most patient man around.

With my bit done it was down to willie and his team to get the picture they were happy with, this took at least 20mins as a shadow kept being cast on the background after much moving of lights and screens he was finally happy with his shot. I must just say this was my shot if you want to see his perfect shot then get the book when it come out.

Seeing them lit like that was very rewarding and if that was it I would have been happy. It was now time to dismantle and get it over to the exhibition area and set it all up again in the vast hall. By this time some were starting to flag which was understandable as it was now around 8:30pm and hungry tummies were rumbling.

At last it was all set up and ready for the morning.

One happy but released bunny.

A closer look at the individual trees.

A huge thank you to Stewart, Carolyn and Chrissie for all the help.

Better start planning for two years time.

Noelanders 2015 demo trees part 2

This is a second and longer blog page for the demos as I have kindly been given some pictures by Bryan at http://welshbonsaitrees.wordpress.com/
All pictures are courtesy of Bryan.

This was Ryan’s yew he was tasked with it had a very straight lower trunk that will always be a problem in the future without some attention at a later date.

After a couple of hours and a bit of a mishap with a loud crack a bonsai image emerged.

Salvatori had a simple design choice on his collected scots pine.

A pleasing image was created with the help of the owner, think he would have been happy I would have been.

Seok Ju Kim was given a larger job it had an obvious design in it but would take some big bending to achieve it.

Having built a frame of heavy anchoring bars all manner of gadgets were used to compact it.

In time I would like to see it compacted further but a powerful tree emerged.

Below are some general shots and some pictures of the Saturday demos. My fav of those was the sabina that Salvatori created.

Thank you again Bryan for sending me your pictures.
More on the show to come.

Noelanders 2015 demo trees

You will have to wait till I get back to see more pictures and reports, but for now have a look at the demo trees.

Tō-ji

On our way back to the JR station we had time for a wander around Tō-ji complex. Please see the link for details on the complex.
http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tō-ji

Just as we were leaving the fire engines started coming in, I think for an excersise rather than a fire.

Just time to catch a quick coffee before getting the train back to the airport
for the long journey home.

As the sun went down it was the end of a fantastic trip.

A huge thank you to Mark & Ritta for some super days together and Stewart my travelling buddy for great company.

If Stewart lets me I may have a few more pictures to share😉

Kouju-en part 3

This is the work room and where work for the website takes place, everyone was bust prepping trees ready for the next big show Kokafu.

The room next door has pots and stands new and old.

That’s all from the nurserys, but starting now our own show season kicks off with Noelanders.

Kouju-en part 2

More trees, you can never see too many trees.

It’s always good to see the boss working.

Now that’s dead wood.

Part 3 soon.

Stone monkey build a bonsai pot day.

Today we had Andrew Pearson’s bonsai pot making workshop at the http://www.marieprett.co.uk singing soul gallery. The aim of the day was to build one main slab built pot and a couple of pinch pots.
For those who don’t know Andrew Pearson bonsai pot maker who trades as stone monkey ceramics entered this years Gafuten pot class for unglazed and glazed pots where he won the gold award in the unglazed class. So we new we were in very good hands. See his site http://www.stonemonkeyceramics.co.uk

Thank you to Marie for a wonderful lunch spread and keeping our tea and coffee levels up.

We started with a couple of pinch pots with very cold clay.

We started with a slab of clay to the right thickness already prepared by Andrew.

Once smooth we decided what we were making and cut out the 4 walls.

Time to start building, we fixed two wall together so we had two sections fixed.

We then got the 4 walls all fixed together.

This made it a bit more handleable, so we got the base put on oversized to begin with.

Having got this well fixed to the base and some coils in to strengthen the seams we put in the drainage holes. I had a Ginko leaf cutter which I have used before for this job.

Trim of the excess, know now looking a bit more pot like.

At this point I felt the pot was a little to harsh on the corners for me and what I have in mind for it. So I set about changing the corners.

With the image softened our attention turned to feet this can be a real make or break feature. I decided to make this a bit more tricky with a stepped foot. I set them back a bit to stop it looking anymore chunky. The height was also reduced which leaves a nice straight finish.

After a whole load of smoothing, final job was to pop in the wire holes.

Flip it back over check it over and there you have it best part of 4 1/2 hr work. Now it will be wrapped in plastic and left to dry for about 6 weeks before having its biscuit firing.

Then we have to choose the glaze, I am sure you all have your own ideas so go on let me know what you would go for. This is the tree that will go in the pot. (It’s a test to see if you got this far)

Will do an update when and hopefully the kiln gods are kind to me.

Below is Andrew at work on the cascade pot he made to show us each stage as we went along.

See andrews work at http://www.stonemonkeyceramics.co.uk

Good grief you still with me.

😥

Update 1/3/15

The pot has dried and here it is after the bisque firing. Another firing to go with the glaze and to make it frost proof.



Kouju-en part 1

This was our last nursery to visit, on our last day in Japan. Having checked out of our hotel we caught the courtesy bus down to the main JR station, stashed our bags in the lockers and walked 20 mins to the nursery of Tomohiro. Specialising in shohin of the highest quality we had a great 2hr on the nursery.

This was the only nursery we visited where the trees were in winter quarters, Due to the colder conditions In Kyoto.

Not everything on the nursery is shohin and the staircase up to the roof area had superbly finished Hinoki.

Part 2 soon

Hope you enjoy the video it gives a better perspective.

Looking forward to monkey day

Tomorrow is the build a pot day with Andrew Pearson looking forward to building my own pot with a gafu winning western god of the pots. But don’t tell him it will put up the price of the course.

Full report to come.