Winter 2000

I collected this Hawthorn/Crataegus monogyna in 2001 and since then I've been slowly developing it into a bonsai.

This is the tree still in the ground prior to collection, I found it growing in a poorly drained area of some grassland. As the ground only truly dries out for a few months each Summer, the tree's growth has been very slow. Somehow in the previous 4 or 5 years, the top of the trunk had been broken leaving a rough jin.

Having recovered well through 2001 and 2002, all branching was then removed to restart the branch structure in Spring 2003.

This picture was taken in the Summer of 2003 and shows the tree has responded well to the hard pruning.

Summer 2004.

The tree was repotted into a round Erin Pot in the Spring; the roots needed to be pruned heavily to fit into the small drum pot. As a consequence, growth was weak through 2004 and wiring and styling had to be delayed.

Early Spring 2005 and the Hawthorn is finally styled.

Final height of the tree is 12"/30cm.

Updates: Late Spring 2006 and November 2006