Bonsai Summer Images 2011

After a hot and dry Spring in the UK, the Summer that followed was very wet and mild. A relief for those of us who spent the first three months of the growing season continually watering their bonsai!

Here follows my bonsai summer of 2011 in images:

June 2011:Contrasting Hostas: Hosta venusata bonsai accent set against a Hosta 'Sum and Substance'.
The H. venusata leaf-size is approx 15mm while the leaves of the 'Sum and Substance' are around 340mm each in length (not including the stem/petiole)

June 2011:My Ligustrum ovalifolium/Common Privet Bonsai, height 15"/37cm after partial defoliation to remove all but the smallest leaves on the tree

The crown of the Privet after partial defoliation. Removing all but the smallest leaves took approximately 4 hours and involved the removal of 1000's of leaves, one by one. Those leaves that still remain are incredibly small.

Detail image of the crown of the privet as seen from below

July 2011: In early July I fully defoliated my large English Elm to allow easier wiring of the Spring growth and to increase ramification. Height of bonsai 27"/66cm, trunkbase 9"/22cm in diameter.

July 2011: In mid-July I partially defoliated my Hawthorn cascade bonsai (Crataegus monogyna) restyling/rewiring it at the same time. The Hawthorn is 15"/37cm in height with a reach of 32"/79cm and a 4"/10cm trunk diameter.

July 2011: My Hawthorn cascade seen from the right hand side

July 2011: Three weeks after defoliation my Elm bonsai was back in leaf

July 2011: By the end of July this newly styled Potentilla fruiticosa belonging to Faisal Waheedy was flowering prolifically. Height 12.5"/31cm with a 2"/5cm diameter trunk. I had been longing to work on this tree for a couple of years, so I was delighted when Faisal said I could style and develop it this year.
A very difficult tree to work with but the sight of the tree in flower was worth the effort!

A close-up of the Potentilla flowers

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