Silva Naturalis

Ligustrum Bonsai video

2012-01-01T21:04:00.000Z

This tree was collected as a stump just over two years ago, from a derelict garden that was due to be cleared. The hedge from which it came was probably more than 100 years old. To have moved a collected tree into a small pot, and to have developed and styled the primary and secondary branch structure, in just two years is very unusual in bonsai, but Privet, like most of the Oleacea, is very vigorous and hardy.

There is one disproportionately large root that needs further carving, but this has not been done yet for the health of the tree.

This is the new preferred front of the tree...
...and the same tree in February 2010, which provoked this satirical reaction from a friend!

Hornbeam bonsai in winter

2011-12-23T19:02:00.002Z

This is my Carpinus betulus, building ramification will be my continuing objective now that the primary, secondary, and tertiary branches are in place. I will resist wirring it again for at least five years, but judicious pruning and defoliation in early summer will bring it along year by year

Naturalistic oak bonsai with guy wires

2011-12-22T15:36:00.000Z

In spring I will have to re-apply all these guy wires, as this Quercus cerris needs repotting, I will do so at a new angle (right)... as with all my trees, many years development will be needed for them to look like mature trees; I may have some good looking bonsai by 2020!

Larch bonsai improving

2011-12-10T23:16:00.001Z

Though I had a vision for this tree from the start, I have on occasion despaired of it ever looking good, but now the branch ramification and tapper are improving I feel more confident, given four or five more years it should look pretty good. The layered roots are staring to mature, still not sure this pot is suitable, but it'll have to do for now!

Autumn Cotoneaster Bonsai

2011-12-03T20:11:00.001Z

Cotoneaster horizontalis, three years after collecting, Autumn colour arrives late for this tree.

European Hornbeam Bonsai

2011-11-14T20:23:00.001Z

This Carpinus betulus is coming on OK, apologies for the lazy photograph (still very busy with work, family, and house). Alot more growth is neede on the left hand side to balance the image, and that wil mean cutting back the right hand side hard for a season or two, still I am happy with the progress since I first got the tree four years ago (see this post), it has been a great learning curve since then.

Field maple in Winter

2011-11-14T19:41:00.001Z

There has been quite alot of progress in just two years, see a post from November 2009 here, though there is still a very long way to go!
I may bring the upright branch on the right hand side down with a guy wire, and next year I will defoliate in May to increase the rate of ramification.

Naturalistic Oak Bonsai

2011-11-12T16:58:00.001Z

Now in Winter I can see the progress a years vigorous growth has made to my Quercus cerris. The guy wires will come off for repotting in Spring at this new angle and then go back on until next Winter. Next year I will comission a suitable pot for it (if finances allow).

Some may not like the rangey branches on this tree, but this is really how old oak trees often grow. This is not suposed to look like an idealised tree, but a real tree.

It is partially inspired by this magnificent Sweet Chestnut at Tortworth, one can imagine from this what the bonsai will look like with much more branch ramification. It will take many years of horticulture for this bonsai to reach a mature image.

Virtual for my hornbeam bonsai

2011-09-07T10:20:00.002+01:00

I found this photoshop virtual of my Carpinus betulus from May 2010, I will post up to date progress on this tree in the next couple of days. I am excited about seeing how the ramification has increaced when it looses its leaves this autumn.

Cotoneaster bonsai in fruit

2011-09-06T22:59:00.004+01:00

This sweet little tree, just over 30cm tall including the beautiful pot by Peter Krebs, makes me very happy in every season, and each year it progresses well towards maturity. In Winter, fine ramification, in spring tiny lime green leaves fringed with red, in early summer tiny pink flowers, in late summer bright red fruit against glossy deep green leaves, and in late autumn, deepest purple leaves persisting right up until the hardest frosts.

Virtual re-positioning

2011-05-19T13:40:00.002+01:00

This is a Photoshop mockup of the possition I will repot my privet in next spring, hopefuly I can get it to sit lower in the pot too.

Privet one step on

2011-04-24T11:37:00.005+01:00

This comon privet (Ligustrum vulgaris) was collected in February 2010. Alreay it is into a much smaller pot, however the planting angle is wrong, next year I will rotate the tree to a better position in its pot (see the second image).
This tree grows very vigorously and I expect progress will be very fast (at least in bonsai terms, only five years or so to achieve a mature image).

Quercus begining to look good

2011-04-24T11:30:00.004+01:00

Just over a year on from being reduced from a 2 metre nursery grown tree, this Turkey Oak (Quercus cerris) is starting to look convincing... plenty of work to be done yet though (and a decent pot to be chosen).

Trees in full leaf

2011-04-24T11:19:00.002+01:00

Common Hornbeam (Carpinus betulis) and Field Maple (Acer campestre) with a full flush of new growth.

Field maple re-potted

2011-03-28T09:50:00.004+01:00

My work on the nebari (surface root spread) of this tree has really paid off... with a couple more years branch develeopment this should become a very satisfying image... I really love this tree.

Returning with spring

2011-03-28T09:36:00.003+01:00

What with buying our new home, building cabinets, curating exhibitions, and the imminent arrival of our first child, I've not had much time for walking, bonsai, or photography of late!

However, spring does not wait and so I have found some time to repot and "edit" some trees.

My strumpy little Cotoneaster horizontalis looks fantastic in its new pot by Peter Krebs, the flower buds have just formed, so it'll be covered in little pink dots soon!

I always love the lime green shaving brushes of Larches in March.

Oak in heavy frost

2010-12-07T17:32:00.003Z

This is a tree of which I am very fond, see it in Summer here.

New pot for cotoneaster

2010-11-29T16:51:00.002Z

This is a visualisation of how the Cotoneaster will look with a much better pot, by German potter Peter Krebs

Winter arrives for my Bonsai

2010-11-29T11:07:00.004Z

Mushroom over-collecting makes the news

2010-10-26T15:47:00.002+01:00

See an interesting and saddening article by the BBC here. Collecting large quantities as a comercial concern is too damaging in Britain, where our remaining forrests are small... it might be ok in the large forests of Europe. Please folks, just pick a few as an occational treat!

Bonsai in early autumn

2010-09-25T15:30:00.003+01:00

This European Hornbeam (Carpinus betulus) is coming along nicely, the canopy will broaden as twig ramification is built over the coming years. I have developed this tree from raw nursery stock for three years.

This Cotoneaster (C.horizontalis) has also been in development for three years and was originally collected from a building site. A better pot is required.

This Privet (Ligustrum ovalifolium) was collected in February of this year, the growth has been cut back twice and I have made a rough branch selection. There's a long way to go with this tree, but good progress in the first year.

Field maple changing colour

2010-09-25T14:57:00.002+01:00

Autumn coming soon

2010-09-20T22:11:00.004+01:00

Lemon yellow leaves begining to appear on this field maple (Acer campestre), although also a little powdery mildew unfortunately (it won't harm the tree much).
The approach grafted roots on the left of the hollow have almost fused and sacrifice branches have really thickened up the lowest branch, I think the winter shilohete will be greatly improved this year!

Eccentric yew

2010-09-20T18:20:00.006+01:00

This English Yew (Taxus bacata) is starting to look like a tree with a future.
This came from a comercial garden store as a clipped pyramid, reduced down to £5 due to poor health... no wonder, vine weevil grubs were eating the roots! The tree was bare rooted, the grubs killed by hand and was planted in a pond basket and very open substrated to encourage vigorous root growth. Less than 2 years on it is inthis gorgeous pot and has been fully styled, now I just need to build ramification of the branch structure.

The same tree one year ago

Genus Amanita: why wild mushrooms are feared

2010-09-13T15:08:00.006+01:00

Many wild mushrooms are delicious so why is it that so many people are fearful of them? My Mum still gets anxious about my mushroom collecting (even though my wife insists that I use three sources of identification and that I am 100% certain of my diagnosis before I eat any wild mushroom).

Are these fears unfounded? No!

There is a good reason that every fungus identification book includes a warning about the dangers of poisonous species. Poor or half hearted identification of mushrooms can have disastrous consequences.

There are a number of mushrooms that grow in the UK that are deadly, and the genus Amanita contains several of the most harmful.

Many people know the iconic poisonous mushroom, a red cap with white spots; the Fly Agaric (Amanita muscaria), this is indeed poisonous and there has been at least one confirmed fatality from ingestion, but the effects are mild compared to some other members of that genus.

The aptly named Death Cap (Amanita phalloides) contains high levels of amatoxins, to which there is no known antidote antidote. Even with quick diagnosis and excellent treatment in intensive care fatality rates are at least 20%, rising to 90% if left untreated.

I'm not going to tell you how to identify this mushroom (or any for that matter) as there are much better sources; the best online resource is Rogers Mushrooms and here you can read about the horrifying effect of this most deadly of British Mushrooms.

It is not a rare species, here is a specimen that I found in Leigh Woods, Bristol, last week:

...and here are a number of mushrooms that I'm fairly certain are an edible Amanita species, commonly known as The Blusher (Amanita rubrescens), which looks remarkably similar to the very poisonous Panther Cap (Amanita pantherina). There are a number of key differences between the two species and I'm 95% sure I can make that differentiation but the danger of fatal poisoning is not worth a 1:20 chance never mind the post-prandial anxiety!

Mmmmm... breakfast

2010-09-11T12:49:00.002+01:00

Hydnum repandum, AKA Hedgehog Mushroom, AKA Wood Hedgehog, AKA Pied de mouton... AKA breakfast!

Fungus season

2010-09-11T10:42:00.007+01:00

Thanks to recent rain and cooler temperatures we are having an excellent early fungus season in the south west.

This Thursday I took the day off work to have my car serviced and while it was in the garage took a walk over to Leigh Woods on the outskirts of Bristol. This is a fragment of the ancient Avon forest, and ancient woodland is fantastic for mushrooms.

I found a huge variety of mushrooms, I may post more later. These are a few I found growing with Scotts Pines (Pinus sylvestris):

Lepiota hystrix is an inedible mushroom, which is relatively rare and can be distingushed from other Lepiota species by its dark pyramidal scales and strong smell, reminicent of Elderflower.

These mushrooms are defintely of the genus Suillus, I think they may be the Sullis collinitus (which is uncommon and Red Listed in some areas).

Russula sanguinaria, AKA the Bloody Brittlegill, was very numerous but saddly not eddible (some Russula species are edible, some are poisonous... take great care and only eat those you are VERY confident in: a spore print is an essential tool for identifying Russula species!)

A few weeks ago I returned to Priddy in the Mendips and collected a few Humpback Brittlegills (Russula caerulea) which I identified but did not collect last year... one positive ID via a spore print later and it was breakfast time (delicious they were too).

European hornbeam in new pot and in full leaf

2010-05-02T14:30:00.003+01:00

Carpinus betulus in a new pot

Field maple repotted and in leaf

2010-04-25T15:58:00.003+01:00

Acer campestre, developed from feild grown stock scince Autumn 2008.

Goblin Combe

2010-04-25T11:42:00.005+01:00

Above Cleeve, half an hours drive south of Bristol, is the beautiful mixed woodland of Goblin Combe.

Bonsai could learn from Ruskin

2010-04-06T13:41:00.001+01:00

'There is nothing that I tell you with more earnest desire that you should believe than this - that you will never love art well till you love what she mirror's better'
John Ruskin (1819-1900)

The Tortwort Chestnut

2010-04-05T18:14:00.004+01:00

The sweet chestnut, Castanea sativa, south of St. Leonard's at Tortworth (South Gloucestershire), is probably 1000 years old (give or take a few hundred years). All the trunks around the main trunk are layered branches and new growth from the roots. The tree is still thriving and fruits each year. St Leonard's itself (in the background of this comparatively young oak) was built in the latter part of the 15th Century.

Joy of Bonsai?

2010-03-26T19:41:00.004Z

Three of my favorite trees from the displays at 2010's Joy of Bonsai event in Bath... there were some nice trees there but it was far to busy and cluttered to really appreciate them, shows like this are not really my thing I must admit.

Signs of Spring

2010-03-18T09:15:00.004Z

Prunus incisa "Kojo-No-Mai"

Larix kaempferi

Acer ginnala

Cornus alba "Sibirica/Westonbirt"

Syringia vulgaris

Cotoneaster horizontalis

Ulmus parvifolia "Nire-Keyaki"

Corkscrew Hazel in flower

2010-03-08T08:16:00.003Z

This Corylus avellana "contorta" (also here) has been edited slightly and is now in flower, with its catkins extending. The male flowers are the catkins, which are obvious, but there are also tiny red female flowers at the end of some of the buds.

Nire elm... still waiting for spring

2010-02-21T12:19:00.004Z

Ulmus parvifolia "Nire-Keyaki" only 13cm tall from the rim of its pot.

Ugly elm gets reprieve

2010-02-21T11:34:00.003Z

This Ulmus parvifolia was bought from a garden nursery in 2006: it was covered with greenfly and nigh on at deaths door... I got it for £3. The roots were terrible and the canopy abysmal... what was I thinking, even at £3 this seemed like a waste of money... not even the nasty dark green glazed pot was worth that!
So in Spring 2007 (after a year improving the trees) I wrapped the ugly roots over a piece of limestone and trunk chopped it bellow the canopy eliminating a nasty inverse tapper in the process; this was an experiment, a learning tool.
In spring 2008 I had a lot of very straight twigs coming straight up off a rather dull stunk with a few big scars on it. I selected a few branches wired them to a rough shape (just fanning out) and then let it grow freely, cutting the branches back twice a year.
A couple of weeks ago, anticipating the coming spring (still not quite here yet!) I gave this tree it's first full styling... and yes, it looks half decent. The roots are almost certainly still awful but now the canopy will make up for that a little bit. Once the buds begin to swell and extend I'll see if the roots have grasped the rock, if they have it'll go into a more suitable pot.

Every bonsai starts somewhere

2010-02-13T16:56:00.001Z

Ok, so first of all here's me and my Carpinus betulus (European Hornbeam) bonsai, hopefully it will be placed in a more suitable pot in about a months time. The image is far from complete and will take another five years before it starts really looking how I envision it. That said, a lot can be achieved in a relatively short period of time with the correct techniques: this is the same tree two years ago.

With that in mind here's my newly collected Ligustrum sp. (an as yet undetermined species of Privet). Privet is very hardy and there were a good mass of fibrous roots still attached after 45 minutes of excavation so I have high hopes for its survival. If the tree thrives, and with the right techniques, this will start looking great in 10-15 years or so. Now I just need to be patient!

Corkscrew Hazel

2010-02-13T14:16:00.000Z

This is a small Corylus avellana "contorta" that has just gone into this new pot, it should look lovely as these catkins open and become lemon yellow.

Japanese Larch repotted

2010-02-13T14:05:00.000Z

This is a twin trunk Larix kaempferi that I've just repotted and had its first full styling in January.

Clifton Down

2010-01-13T16:16:00.000Z

Many more photographs here.

Winter at Westonbirt

2010-01-05T17:59:00.000Z

My favorite view on a winters day at the National Arboritum, Westonbirt, is that of the Dogwoods (Cornus sp.) and Willows (Salix sp.) that are copiced each Spring just to provide this amazing winter display. When the sunlight catches them they are radient with rich colours.

Westonbirt Erman's Birch

2010-01-04T15:30:00.000Z

Betula ermanii is a native of Korea, Japan and the native islands. This specimen is very large, mature and beautiful.

Bridgnorth Oak

2010-01-03T12:52:00.000Z

A "stags-head" oak to the south of the Bridgnorth bypass. The quality of light has been stunning over Christmas!

South East Mendip Beech

2010-01-03T12:38:00.000Z

A grand lone beech to the west of Ston Easton.

Scarlet Waxcap

2009-12-05T12:26:00.000Z

Hygrocybe coccinea (Schaeff.) is edibble and common, growing on grassland (in this case Doleburry Warren in the Mendips). As always with mushrooms use several sources to identify them and unless 100% certain of your identification do not eat them. An excellent resource is Rogers Mushrooms as is the most excellent second edition of his book. A supperb and accessable book about collecting mushrooms as food (and not dieing in the process) is the River Cottage Handbook N01: Mushrooms.

Image of the week on Fennel and Fern

2009-11-29T17:19:00.000Z

A photograph of mine has been shown on Isabel's Stylish Gardening Blog.

Cotoneaster bonsai progression

2009-11-29T16:47:00.000Z

I collected this stocky little Cotoneaster horizontalis as a stump from the bungalow my wife's parents were converting. It may be more than 60 years old, it is very unusual to see cotoneaster bonsai with trunks of this girth. Cotoneaster horizontalis is an excellent subject for bonsai, it has small leaves, pretty pink flowers in spring, wonderful deep purple autumn leaves, tiny bright red fruit, very fine branching and it grows very vigorously.

This first image is a before and after shot from the trees first major styling.

Here is a virtual of the tree in a new pot (modified from a photograph of a lovely pot from Stone Monkey Ceramics... I will probably commission a similar pot).

This first image bellow was taken in January 2008, a few weeks after it was collected, I don't recommend digging up trees or shrubs in December in the UK but it had to be removed to make space for construction work and this was my only opportunity. Being unprepared to have collected this material it sat for some time in heavy garden soil. I was nervous to disturb the roots again so soon after its stressful collection but Walter Pall, one of Europe finest bonsai masters, was kind enough to give me the following advice: I would take the tree out of the wrong soil, shake the soil off and help a bit with a stick. I would not wash it off. Then I would plant it into a rather small container with well draining modern substrate. Now! Walter; thanks to your advice it survived.

Some gardeners say that a well established cotoneaster will not tolerate transplanting, what nonsense.

This is only nine months later (September 2008). It took a while to throw out the first few shoots but once I knew it had recovered from the shock of transplanting I started to fertilise regularly... resulting in really vigorous growth.

This is after its (very rough) first styling (November 2008), it was repotted at this new angle in spring 2009. One would not normally work on collected material so soon but I was encouraged to do so by its obvious vigor. The branches are left long to thicken as new leaders.

Morning Storm

2009-11-28T17:22:00.000Z

Nire elm in winter

2009-11-21T12:26:00.000Z

The lower branches still need to ramify further and extend in length but I am pleased with progress, nothing refined in bonsai is acheived quickly!

Here is the same tree in February 2007:

Beeches and pines at Priddy

2009-11-19T17:24:00.000Z

On a drive through the Mendips we stopped off close to Pridy Pools.

Growing amongst the Scots Pines (Pinus sylvestris) where numerous Russula caerulea (Humback Brittlegill)... at least I'm 95% certain that's what they are, thus I didn't collect and eat them; 95% certainty doesn't cut it when it comes to edibility in fungus!

Field maple re-wired

2009-11-17T14:59:00.000Z

I will now concentrate on developing ramification of the branches and also developing the nebari (root flare), particularly at the front by approach grafting saplings to the trink base.

Nire elm shohin in autumn

2009-11-17T10:09:00.000Z

Ulmus parvifolia "nire-keyaki" (see here)

Boundary Yew of Leigh Woods

2009-10-31T17:55:00.000Z

This wonderful yew (Taxus bacata) slowly absorbed the county boundary wall in Leigh Woods (Bristol) for many years, blocks of stone can be seen partly engulfed by the trunk. Relatively recently the wall has been reshaped to allow the tree room to grow freely and the trunk will continue to thicken. This tree might have been there before the wall was first built, maybe it was even treated as a boundary marker itself. It is very hard to tell the age of any living tree as their growth rate can vary considerably depending on genetics, climate, location, and health. However yews live to prodigious ages and there are yews in Britain estimated to be more than 5,000 years old. For plenty of facinating information about Britains ancient yews visit the site of the Ancient Yew Group.

Beefsteak Fungus

2009-10-23T10:57:00.000+01:00

Before the Autum rains began I tried a speculative mushroom hunting expedition. It was really a fools errand because most fungus need plenty of moisture to produce their fruiting bodies. While some prefer medows, I like mushroom hunting in the woods.

Well the trip was a lovely days rambeling but resulted in few rewards appart from the discovery of this large Beefsteak Fungus, Fistulina hepatica (after the Latin fistula meaning pipe and refeing to its spore releasing tubes on it's underside that give it it's meat like texture and the Latin hepaticus or the Greek hēpatikōs refering to the liver like appearance of the flesh).

This large specimen was growing on the dead wood of an oak, though they are also to be found on the wood of the sweet chestnut. It was well out of reach and I could not safely climb to it (though that didn't stop me trying!) on my way up I found a smaller friut and satisfied myself with that!

The flavour is slighty bitter and it requires long cooking but I have a robust palate and rather like it!

Cockspur Thorn

2009-10-19T22:16:00.000+01:00

Crataegus crus-galli is a native of North America but is occasionally grown as an ornamental in Europe. It is called coackspur thorn due to its very long spines (up to 10cm). This is the only specimen I know of in Bristol and last year I gathered a number of its big starchy berrys... it makes an excellent jelly for fatty meets such as duck or goose. Maybe I will again once the first frost has touched them.

Bonsai Bark

2009-10-19T15:36:00.000+01:00

My Hinoki Cypress shohin bonsai is posted on Stone Latern's Bonsai Bark Blog... I don't expect to win the prize but it's just fun to join in.

Goblin Combe yew

2009-10-11T15:41:00.000+01:00

This Taxus bacata gripping a the foot of the steep side of Goblin Combe really fits the name of the place... wonderful!

My wife spotted a leering face in the roots... can you?

Field maple bonsai

2009-09-21T14:27:00.000+01:00

This is my Acer campestre... it's been in training for just a year and already I am very pleased with its progress. I have high hopes for this tree... the leaves will reduce in size as the branch ramification is developed. This year I have concentrated on rough branch placement and extensive carving of the trunk to give it the apearance of a grand old oak. The pot is not its final home and I will hopefully have one made to suit it.

Habitat restoration by cow

2009-09-20T15:15:00.000+01:00

At Cape Corwall there is a project to bring back more native wildflowers... the solution; Highland Cattle. These docile little gramnivores keep the grass low and allow wildflowers to thrive, plus they are really rather cool! They don't object to the wild coastal weather either being bread for the Scotish Highlands.

Sedum and lichen landscapes

2009-09-07T17:21:00.000+01:00

A happy time spent on the Pembrokeshire coastline taking macro-photographs of small worlds (click on the image to view full size... these are big files so you can share in my enjoyment of their beauty):

Have a look at the centre of this tiny flower... there's a pair of even tinier wasps!

Tsuga progress

2009-08-07T12:05:00.000+01:00

I rewired my Tsuga heterophyla cascade (this bonsai is only 30 cm long from root to tip) I will leave the wire on as long as possible as the branches of this tree tend to bounce back easily to their former shape, too long and the wires will cut in as the branches gradually thicken and cause scars.

This is how it looked before the work

The foliage still needs developing into larger pads as shown in this virtual (a touched up image showing planned development)

Parasol in July

2009-07-29T11:24:00.001+01:00

While most associate mushrooms with woodland in Autumn one can even find edible fungal delights on the coast in July. This giant lone mushroom is either the Parasol (Macrolepiota procera) or the Shaggy Parasol (Macrolepiota rhacodes). I didn't distrurb it to find out which of the two candidates it was, the flesh of the M. rhacodes bruises red; though both make good eating, it was so beautiful nestled among the ripe grass that I left it for others to appreciete.

Another reason for turning down costal mushroom for breakfast is that I had left all my I dentification books at home and though I am confident of this identification I have promissed my wife that I will only eat fungus I have identified with 100% certainty using two different books!

Gorse parasitised by Hellweed

2009-07-27T22:00:00.000+01:00

More usually known as Dodder, Cuscuta epithymum is a parasitic plant that lacks chlorophyll entirely.

Rhi noticed it parasitising Gorse (Ulex europaeus) on the coast of St. Brides Bay in Pembrokeshire.

I particullarly like the name Hellweed as it recalled to me H.G. Wells' description of the martian red-weed in his book "War of the Worlds".