japanese pruning of cloud pines VIDEO

A short guide to pruning pines (growing in the ground), japanese stlye...

the burren, more images

Some phone camera images of the burren from last August...

bog pine yamadori

I collected some Scots Pines from an area of bog where they had naturally seeded in the last 30-40 years or so. There are mature trees in a nearby drier location which provide the seeds. The seedlings germinate and grow up to 6 feet but then seem to mostly die slowly due to the wet conditions. The largest tree I collected had been driven over by a tracked machine in the past few years and had had some roots torn at the time. It's a bit sickly looking and I'm not that confident, but I've had good success with similar bog pines before so fingers crossed.

beech

 Beech has a fantastic winter silhouette so it's no surprise it's a popular subject for bonsai. It's easy to spot the rusty leaves at the moment along the roadsides where they are trimmed and slashed continuously by passing traffic and hedge-cutters. Spade at the ready I'm hoping to pick up a few by end of yamadori season.

interesting tree

This tree caught my eye the other day. I think it could serve as a good model for a bonsai. Slightly windswept broom. Nice flared trunk and nebari too. I forgot to check which species and I can't tell from the photo now. Either ash or sycamore I think.

interesting tree

the tree that ate the church

Reblogged from Stone Art Blog

The Tree that ate the Church

under the ash tree

This ash tree beside the stream is a part of the original field that I naturally gravitate towards. It would be perfect for a grassy picnic place, for a raised deck, for a gazebo or some other such. I have ensured that the path network will run close by and I am carefully filling in the space around it so as not to spoil these possibilities.

under the ash tree

pinus strobus radiata

This dwarf white pine was a bargain at a county Galway garden centre, €25. It has a nice trunk and lovely soft needles so I planted it across the lawn in front of the pond, beside the path. It's ultimate size is a bit had to determine as the internet gives sizes ranging from 1.2m to 25m tall. I'll attempt to keep it pinched back closer to the former size estimate.

Pinus strobus 'Radiata'

oriental hawthorn

This oriental hawthorn fruited really well this year. Even since I took this photo the colour of the berries has deepened. I will wait until they are ready to fall and then collect them and try to grow them, although they will need stratification; always an unpredictable scenario.

Crataegus orientalis

brigit's garden, connemara

Brigit's Garden is located near Rosscahill in Connemara. It features a celtic garden & nature walk. The celtic garden is divided into spring, summer, autumn & winter themed gardens; imbolc, bealtaine, lughnasa & samhain. It has an emphasis on native plants and plants with celtic symbolism.

samhain

imbolc

imbolc

imbolc

imbolc

st bridget's cross

roundhouse

bealtaine

bealtaine

bealtaine

lughnasa

bealtaine