Field grown Korean Hornbeam- purchased at Nature’s Way Nursery. This tree has some good movement and is a suitable caliper for what I have in mind for the final design.  I hope to repot/ bare-root this tree next year so I can develop a plan of action regarding the nebari. Aside from improving the nebari the main goals for this tree are to thicken the new leaders and develop the primary branches.  View high resolution

Field grown Korean Hornbeam- purchased at Nature’s Way Nursery. This tree has some good movement and is a suitable caliper for what I have in mind for the final design.  I hope to repot/ bare-root this tree next year so I can develop a plan of action regarding the nebari. Aside from improving the nebari the main goals for this tree are to thicken the new leaders and develop the primary branches. 

Engelmann Spruce close up. I really can’t say enough about how much I like this tree, though I am a bit intimidated by such an ancient and honorable specimen. I can’t wait to get a look at the nebari, two years never seemed so long! 

Engelmann Spruce after initial work. I removed the two years and older needles, reduced the legnth of the branches ever so slightly, and began work on the top jin. I have been advised to keep the tree in this pot for another two years, during which time I will continue to slowly develop the main branches and jin/ remove those I won’t need.  View high resolution

Engelmann Spruce after initial work. I removed the two years and older needles, reduced the legnth of the branches ever so slightly, and began work on the top jin. I have been advised to keep the tree in this pot for another two years, during which time I will continue to slowly develop the main branches and jin/ remove those I won’t need. 

Engelmann Spruce- Collected from the Rocky Mountains about 5 years ago.  This tree was sharing a divided training flat with another spruce, and had to be put into its own container when I purchased it. The health of the rootball was readily apparent to all, and I was happy to have laid claim to it at this point.  View high resolution

Engelmann Spruce- Collected from the Rocky Mountains about 5 years ago.  This tree was sharing a divided training flat with another spruce, and had to be put into its own container when I purchased it. The health of the rootball was readily apparent to all, and I was happy to have laid claim to it at this point. 

Bosnian Compact Pine repotted. Sadly the repotting revealed quite an ugly graft on this tree where the bosnian compact pine appears to have been grafted onto some Scotch Pine rootstock. The plan for this tree was to replicate the image of a mature Eastern White Pine here in New England, but the graft may make that illusion impossible. The two main issues are the inverse taper and the the two types of bark. View high resolution

Bosnian Compact Pine repotted. Sadly the repotting revealed quite an ugly graft on this tree where the bosnian compact pine appears to have been grafted onto some Scotch Pine rootstock. The plan for this tree was to replicate the image of a mature Eastern White Pine here in New England, but the graft may make that illusion impossible. The two main issues are the inverse taper and the the two types of bark.

Japanese Black Pine repotted into training flat. This wooden container has screened sides as well as bottom to increase drainage. I can also screw hooks into the wooden rim as anchorage points for the guy wires I’ll be using initially to bend the branches down. 

Jim Doyle’s beautiful display in the work area of Nature’s Way Nursery. While I was taking this photo another member of the workshop mentioned that Jim has steadfastly refused to sell this maple to him. I am not surprised.  View high resolution

Jim Doyle’s beautiful display in the work area of Nature’s Way Nursery. While I was taking this photo another member of the workshop mentioned that Jim has steadfastly refused to sell this maple to him. I am not surprised. 

Collected Blue Spruce at Nature’s Way Nursery.  View high resolution

Collected Blue Spruce at Nature’s Way Nursery. 

Amazing deadwood deadwood on another collected Juniper at Nature’s Way.  View high resolution

Amazing deadwood deadwood on another collected Juniper at Nature’s Way. 

This collected Juniper is well over 2,000 years old! It has not been worked yet but still commands your attention. Here’s a link to some picture’s of this tree last year on Walter Pall’s blog- http://walter-pall-travelogues.blogspot.com/2009/05/natures-way-nursery-2009-1-giant.html

My understanding is that Walter planned to begin working that juniper on his trip to Nature’s  Way Nursery this spring. Sadly a Volcano had other ideas and Walter was unable to travel this spring. Looking forward to next year! 

I’m Back

Sorry for the long delay without posts, the spring is a very busy time for me. This spring has been especailly busy for me with a trip to Harrisburg PA to visit Nature’s Way Nursery for a workshop on old, collected trees from Colorado. Soon I’ll be posting images of some of the collected trees, and a few trees from the personal collection of Jim Doyle (owner of Nature’s Way Nursery).

 In the meantime you can see the origins of the collected trees here: 

http://walter-pall-bonsai.blogspot.com/2010/04/new-trees-have-arrived-in-harrsiburg-pa.html