In The Workshop

Yamadori Scots Pine

  • In the Workshop Yamadori Scots Pine image 1

    We sold this beautiful yamadori scots pine to my good friend Graham a couple of years ago.

  • In the Workshop Yamadori Scots Pine image 2

    The tree was re-potted and work completed to compact the foliage. Now it is in the perfect condition for it's first styling.

  • In the Workshop Yamadori Scots Pine Image 3

    Pruned back and ready for wiring to begin.

  • In the Workshop Yamadori Scots Pine

    End of the day the work is completed. Take a look at the movie detailing the work on this beautiful bonsai.

Pine

  • In the Workshop Pine image 1

    I picked up this pine at a local nursery for less than £50. Bonsai don't have to cost an arm and a leg.

  • In the Workshop Pine image 2

    Cleaned, pruned and stripped and ready for wiring.

  • In the Workshop Pine image 3

    First foliage pad goes into place.

  • In the Workshop Pine image 4

    A couple of days later the tree is much improved.

Hawthorn Bonsai

  • In the Workshop Hawthorn Bonsai Image 1

    I adore hawthorns. This one was collected in Wales many years ago. It's late winter and time for the trees first styling to begin.

  • In the Workshop Hawthorn Bonsai Image 2

    24 hours later and the basic structure is in place.

  • In the Workshop Hawthorn Bonsai Image 3

    Spring time and the tree has just had it's first pruning of the year.

Shimpaku Juniper

  • In the Workshop Shimpaku Juniper Image 1

    In a moment of madness I added this old but neglected shimpaku juniper to my collection.

  • In the Workshop Shimpaku Juniper Image 2

    After a weeks work we whipped it back into shape. See the movie....

Japanese Yew

  • In the Workshop Japanese Yew Image 1

    A Japanese yew that's been loafing around the nursery for months gets it's turn in the workshop.

  • In the Workshop Japanese Yew image 2

    A few days later.

Yamadori Sabina Juniper

  • In the Workshop Yamadori Sabina Juniper Image 1

    Well established and ready to work for the first time.

  • In the Workshop Yamadori Sabina Juniper Image 2

    Cleaned, wired and ready for styling.

  • In the Workshop Yamadori Sabina Juniper Image 3

    End of the day and a great improvement.

 Swiss Mountain Pine (pinus cembra)

  • In the workshop Swiss Mountain Pine (pinus cembra) Image 1

    Before

  • In the Workshop Swiss Mountain Pine (pinus cembra) Image 2

    After

An old Yamadori Juniper

  • In the Workshop An old Yamadori Juniper Image 1

    An old yamadori juniper. Several people had attempted to deal with this tree before it came my way.

  • In the Workshop An old Yamadori Juniper Image 2

    A few hours work and the tree is much improved.

  • In the Workshop An old Yamadori Juniper Image 3

    To see the full story take a look at the movie

Privet

  • In the Workshop Privet Image 1

    I offered this crappy looking privet for sale at £40. I don't think anyone believed me it was going to make a nice bonsai. So I decided to do it myself.

  • In the Workshop Privet Image 2

    (Picture coming soon) This is how it looked after an hours carving.

  • In the Workshop Privet Image 3

    And here's how it looked by the evening. Wish you had bought it now?

  • In the Workshop Privet Image 4

    See the movie

Yamadori sabina juniper

  • In the Workshop Yamadori sabina juniper Image 1

    Yamadori sabina juniper cleaned and ready for styling.

  • In the Workshop Yamadori sabina juniper Image 2

    Shari and live vein before cleaning

  • In the Workshop Yamadori sabina juniper Image 3

    this madness is all natural.

  • In the Workshop Yamadori sabina juniper Image 4

    The finished image. To see more take a look at the movie.

Wild Olive

  • In the Workshop Wild Olive Image 1

    Wild Olive desperately in need of some carving work

  • In the Workshop Wild Olive Image 2

    A Terrier Carving Tool mounted in a Metabo is used for the bulk of the work.

  • In the Workshop Wild Olive Image 3

    The finished result. A much more graceful tree.

A Terrier Carving Tool can be purchased here.

 Japanese Larch

  • In the Workshop Japanese Larch Image 1

    Japanese larch, pruned from 36" tree just over a year ago and ready for working

  • In the Workshop Japanese Larch Image 2

    Two hours later a shohin bonsai is born. See the transformation of this tree

Spruce

  • In the Workshop Spruce Image 1

    A skanky looking spruce in dire need of some help.

  • In the Workshop Spruce Image 2

    Two hours later the same tree facing a brighter future.

Mugo Pine

  • In the Workshop Mugo Pine Image 1

    Mugo pine arrives from Italy

  • In the Workshop Mugo Pine Image 2

    18 months later!

Hemlock (tsuga)

  • In the Workshop Hemlock (tsuga) Image 1

    Hemlock (tsuga) 3 years since collecting. Nobody wanted it so I decided to do some work.

  • In the Workshop Hemlock (tsuga) Image 2

    A few days later wearing it's new look.

A Very Large Old Buxus

  • In the Workshop A Very Large Old Buxus Image 1

    A very large old buxus arrives for it's first work.

  • In the Workshop A Very Large Old Buxus Image 2

    End of the day and a bonsai tree appears.

Juniper from Japan

  • In the Workshop Juniper from Japan Image 1

    Juniper from Japan. Definitely in need of some help.

  • In the Workshop Juniper from Japan Image 2

    3 hours later!

Yamadori Juniper

  • In the Workshop Yamadori Juniper Image 1

    Yamadori juniper established for many years in the pot.

  • In the Workshop Yamadori Juniper Image 2

    Much foliage removed. We begin to see the tree.

  • In the Workshop Yamadori Juniper Image 3

    Two days later the tree begins life as bonsai.

Large Oleaster

  • In the Workshop Large Oleaster Image 1

    Large oleaster arrives for a days work.

  • In the Workshop Large Oleaster Image 2

    End of the day and the tree is much improved.

Jumiperus squamata Meyeri

  • In the Workshop Jumiperus squamata Meyeri Image 1

    This tree was collected from a local garden in 1997, several air layers removed from its upper part. Two years later this apparently useless stump remained with just one tiny live vein feeding its one branch.

  • In the Workshop Jumiperus squamata Meyeri Image 2

    Initial styling work was by Kevin Willson in 1999. I subsequently carved the trunk, visually lightening it to the limit of its structural integrity. This picture shows the tree three years ater the initial work, following restyling and potting into an Ian Ballie pot.

Quercus suber

  • In the Workshop Quercus suber Image 1
  • In the Workshop Quercus suber Image 2

    After 2 hours work a bonsai begins to appear.

Mugo pumillio

  • In the Workshop Mugo pumillio Image 1

    Mugo pumillio before work begins

  • In the Workshop Mugo pumillio Image 2

    Demonstration for the R.H.S "After the demonstration we begin to see the trees future."

Japanese juniper

  • In the Workshop Japanese juniper Image 1

    This Japanese juniper has had mixed fortunes since it's arrival in the U.K. Now it's ready for some work...

  • In the Workshop Japanese juniper Image 2

    By the end of the day the tree is much improved. Great care was taken to remove as little foliage as possible. This helps maintain the vigour of the tree.

Olive (olea oleaster)

  • In the Workshop Olive (olea oleaster) Image 1

    Arrived from Sicily & re-potted in February 07. Showing strong growth over the summer. (October 07)

  • In the Workshop Olive (olea oleaster) Image 2

    4 hours later we begin to see the tree emerge.

An Interesting Little Juniper

  • In the Workshop An Interesting Little Juniper Image 1

    An interesting little juniper arrives for a days work.

  • In the Workshop An Interesting Little Juniper Image 2

    The work completed.

  • In the Workshop An Interesting Little Juniper Image 3

    Detail of the deadwood.

San Jose Juniper

  • In The Workshop San Jose Juniper Image 1

    A San Jose juniper with great potential

  • In The Workshop San Jose Juniper Image 2

    End of the day and a new start for this promising tree.

Caledonian Pine

  • In the Workshop Caledonian Pine Image 1

    I waited patiently for this yamadori pine to grow strongly before beginning styling work.

  • In the Workshop Caledonian Pine Image 2

    Two seasons later and patience is rewarded. First styling completed.

 Cascade Mugo Pine

  • In the Workshop Cascade Mugo Pine Image 1

    A very healthy happy yamadori mugo pine arrives at the workshop for first styling.

  • In the Workshop Cascade Mugo Pine Image 2

    3 hours later...Next year the foliage mass will be reduced and the tree will be moved to a bonsai pot.

A Classic Bonsai

  • In the Workshop A Classic Bonsai Image 1

    This Japanese white pine arrived in Spring 06. Very quickly it became apparent that the long lower branch had a problem. A bit of a mystery because the rest of the tree was extremely healthy. The new owner of the tree decided we should go to work.....

  • In the Workshop A Classic Bonsai Image 2

    Here you can see areas of the branch dying off.

  • In the Workshop A Classic Bonsai Image 3

    After we cut the branch away the problem became more clear. Here you can see just two small areas of live tissue.

  • In the Workshop A Classic Bonsai Image 4

    Too late to turn back now.

  • In the Workshop A Classic Bonsai Image 5

    As the carving work began the root of the problem emerged. The indentation on the bottom of the branch was caused by a very, very tight tourniquet that had been applied to help pull down the branch above, without protection, sometime in the past. The effect was to cut off the sap flow completely apart from two small live veins.

  • In the Workshop A Classic Bonsai Image 6

    A couple of hours later we see a much improved Bonsai emerge in a very classical style.

MUGO PINE – Beauty in a beast!

  • In the Workshop Mugo Pine Image 1

    Despite many folk looking at this brute of a pine, no body wanted to take it home despite a very low asking price so..... My Italian friend and I set about doing some initial work on the tree.

  • In the Workshop Mugo Pine Image 2

    How can you NOT love this!

  • In the Workshop Mugo Pine Image 3

    Today the plan is to start the deadwood. Styling of branches will come later in the year. Everything superfluous is removed and carving begins.

  • In the Workshop Mugo Pine Image 4

    After a couple of hours we begin to see the tree. Excuse the face but it was raining!

A Taiwanese shimpaku juniper

  • In the Workshop A Taiwanese shimpaku juniper Image 1

    A Taiwanese shimpaku juniper

  • In the Workshop A Taiwanese shimpaku juniper Image 2

    Cleaned, wired and ready for shaping

  • In the Workshop A Taiwanese shimpaku juniper Image 3

    We begin to see the trees future as bonsai

  • In the Workshop A Taiwanese shimpaku juniper Image 4

    Close-up of the trunk

  • In the Workshop A Taiwanese shimpaku juniper Image 5

    This tree needs much refinement and a good pot. That nebari is 2" across!

“An eventful day in the life of a scabby juniper”

Urban Yamadori

  • In the Workshop Urban Yamadori Image 1

    I had my eye on these two yews for several years. Last August I drove by only to discover that their retaining wall had been removed. A quick knock at the door secured the trees as well as the raised bed full of junipers. An hour a piece saw the trees liberated from the bone dry rock hard ground. The gentleman concerned seemed to think that my offering of a couple of bottles of wine was generous in the extreme!

  • In the Workshop Urban Yamadori Image 2

    The first tree arrives home. That's my dad wondering how the hell he got roped into working so hard on a blistering August day. I cut each tree back hard and dropped them into wooden boxes without disturbing the roots. A year later and both trees are thriving. Planted as whips in 1955 the trees were cut back very hard a few years ago. The 14 and 17" trunks display wonderful fluting with flaky bark. So….. keep your eyes open

  • In the Workshop Urban Yamadori Image 3

    One of the trees in it's first pot. The old drag racing axiom springs to mind....'Too much is nearly enough!'

Big Thorn Pot

  • In the Workshop Big Thorn Pot Image 1

    Don't try this at home!

Larch

  • In the Workshop Larch Image 1

    This ancient larch was imported from Italy . Initial carving has revealed growth rings so close as to be imperceptible to the naked eye, this is a VERY old tree. However it is not without it's problems. Whilst the growth is very close in to the main trunk it is going to require some very sensitive carving work, this will be carried out over the winter of 2003/4.

  • In the Workshop Larch Image 2

    Carving work in progress

  • In the Workshop Larch Image 3

    Carving work in progress

‘Old Gold’ Juniper

  • In the Workshop Old Gold Juniper Image 1

    This 'Old Gold' juniper was recently acquired from a local nursery where, I suspect, the proprietor was glad to see the back of it. I immediately repotted it and removed several useless trunks leaving just one as seen here. Only a complete fruit loop would think he could make a bonsai out of this one! Fortunately we found this deranged nutter wandering around the yard and put him to work.

  • In the Workshop Old Gold Juniper Image 2

    Carving in progress. The work of a very disturbed person!

  • In the Workshop Old Gold Juniper Image 3

    Two days later..

Stuart’s Little Stump

  • In the Workshop Stuart's Little Stump Image 1

    "My good friend Stuart bought this tiny juniper to the workshop recently. For penance I had him help to repot a huge yew before we got to grips with the tree. What kind of animal does that deadwood look like?"

  • In the Workshop Stuart's Little Stump Image 2

    "Whilst I like working on big trees I find very small trees to be a real challenge, the attention to detail required is very demanding. Obviously the job for the day was to sort that awful 'block' carving. We will look at the foliage later."

  • In the Workshop Stuart's Little Stump Image 3

    "Two hours later and the job is done! Stuart will deal with lime sulphur etc' at a later date. I could get to like these small trees."

‘Tree-beard bites the dust’

  • In the Workshop Tree-beard bites the dust Image 1

    This ancient war torn English yew was collected 3 seasons ago. Here in it's first pot. I am grafting foliage of causpidata 'nana' onto the live vein in six positions.

  • In the Workshop Tree-beard bites the dust Image 2

    I'm not very good at seeing faces in trees but this one seemed obvious.....

BIG Olives

  • In the Workshop big Olives Image 1

    I recently stumbled across these three olive trees in a nursery. We needed a fork lift to load them into the van!

  • In the Workshop big Olives Image 2
  • In the Workshop big Olives Image 3

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