JT gave the Taunton & Somerset club an insight into a completely new way of creating a slab for group or forest planting.

This LINK will take you directly to the club page.

After languishing in a corner for some time, I decided it was time to make some changes and tidy this monster of a Bonsai up a bit. I already knew I didn’t like the existing front and a new one had to be found.

Over the previous two years, whilst growth has been extensive, needle reduction plans have paid off. Constant work on new candles finally seems to have reduced overall needle size considerably. It can probably be seen that on some areas of the tree, needles have been cut rather than plucked to protect any future bud growth in these areas.  The tree will be re-potted into the newly commissioned pot from Erin. Ideally I would like to wait until late August early September, but impatience will probably get the better of me and the likelihood is I will run with a repot sometime in late Spring; around late April to mid May.

Sometimes you just have to let a tree do what it does best … grow. Whilst they will be unattractive during this time it can pay off in the end. Especially when looking to restyle a tree. It makes sense to have more to work with.

The following images are as the tree was. As I said earlier, a change in front was definitely in order. Through rotation at 360 degrees the tree now offers a pleasing view at almost every angle.

2010

2011

After much thought and thinning I have created a new front which I am initially happy with. Further work through 2012 will take place with the main focus on a repot late April into the new Erin pot.

As it is for now.

Carrying on from where I left off the other day I have now almost achieved the branch placement and overall layout I was after. I’ve had no luck online looking for a suitable pot sadly; trouble is a friend has provided a good virtual image utilising a Dan Barton made pot. Whilst I would love to ask Dan to make one for me, being retired I can not run that level of expense and am still hoping I can find a ready-made one.

Below is an image I took late this afternoon of the Procumbens after a further three hours of refinement, thinning and branch placement. The second image is one I took (yesterday prior to work today) using an Erin made pot that I have had for many many years. Yes, it is a deep pot and one that will benefit the repot this year as the roots will be fairly deep in teh cascade pot it is currently sitting in. I’m not sure, other than it looks better than the cascade it is in now. The final image is one provided by a friend PB, and I acknowledge full copyright to him. It is a little dark but that is probably just the virtual work and jpg image.

Let me know what you think …. please? All thoughts and suggestions very welcome.