bonsai trees for your perusal

[matsu]

there aint a lot of difference at times, he is a wild man.
an ageing hippy with too many hallulecinegens(sp) in his body form days of old.. and thats my guy not the aussie lol.

and if anyone thinks that its a quiet old mans boring pipe and slippers type of hobby.,...... so far from the truth. the scrapes we have been in over the years going to shows!! had a right old laugh.

matsu

[RedRobin]

there aint a lot of difference at times, he is a wild man.
an ageing hippy with too many hallulecinegens(sp) in his body form days of old.. and thats my guy not the aussie lol.

and if anyone thinks that its a quiet old mans boring pipe and slippers type of hobby.,...... so far from the truth. the scrapes we have been in over the years going to shows!! had a right old laugh.

....It's spiritual, man! 

[RedRobin]

RR- cryptomeria are a weird leaf if you can call it that, prune with your fingers unless youre very delicate with scissors or the ends will go brown...... does it go a really nice purpley colour as the cold gets to it?

....Yes, the colour is changing now it's getting colder.

My outdoor Cryptomeria is absolutely not in the same class as any of your trees and not even a Bonsai. However, I'm told I can control its size with pruning, though not needed anything like as often as with a Bonsai it seems.

Leaf detail (today):



Today:



Last week:



In context, as part of a wildlife pond (no fish) rockery I've been building since June:





As you can see, I seem to have created a miniature landscape. Everything is very low maintenance and hardy. I can't stop collecting rocks!

So, do I just prune by using my fingernails?

[matsu]

the rockery's looking good.. once the plants grow into it it will change the whole feel about it.

yep.. if you pinch it a bit like we do the grass arrows we used to throw at other kids jumpers when we were kids......ok a few months ago in the summer lol
you can use scissors but need to cut in at an angle so you dont cut the tips of the bit you leave behind.
it looks a bit "leggy" and if you allow the growth to go too mad. it dies back on the inner foliage so you end up with longer branches with puffs of foliage on the ends and bare toward the trunk- you ll see that a lot on conifers because people dont prune them. so i would suggest very early spring pinch or cut it back a bit harder, and as it grows on during the year keep it pinched regularly to keep the growth even from trunk to tip. it will also look a nicer more balanced image as well as being better for long term health.
hope that helps
matsu

[RedRobin]

^^^^
Hey, matsu! Thanks buddy 

I may ask your advice again when Spring comes.

Apparently this 'bush' tree's brother/cousin/whatever can grow up to 150ft in the UK and 230ft in Japan, providing conditions are right of course.

[matsu]

cryptomeria japonica me old fruit!!
its very much like the california redwood in trunk etc.
the foliage is much tighter than the one you have.
ill try find some pics
matsu

[Greeners]

Very impressive and interesting stuff Matsu! 

[RedRobin]

cryptomeria japonica me old fruit!!
its very much like the california redwood in trunk etc.
the foliage is much tighter than the one you have.
ill try find some pics
matsu

....Impressive!!

The handwritten tab on mine reads: "Cryptomeria sp" - I'm guessing "sp" just means "species" rather than "Spain".

[matsu]

here you RR.........


there is a website that shows how bloody huge these things can get!!


you can see how "tight" the foliage is compared to your sp- species lol
matsu

[rich83]

Matsu.. im in harrow, any good bonsai nurseries around here?

[RedRobin]

.
I ask this in complete ignorance but it looks to me as if the tradition of Bonsai tree cultivation is strongly related to Japanese gardens of the spiritual kind. Is this so?

[matsu]

hi mate
 we talking harrow london ish lol
its a bit of a journey but ken leaver  has windybank bonsai... great prices for top quality- depends on what you are looking for to be honest. but he is a lovely guy, very helpful and hugely knowledgasble- speaks fluent japanese i seem to remember.
http://www.windybankbonsai.co.uk/

RR. i think there is a definate element of spirituality towards bonsai- it is said you can acheive a zen medititive state whilst tending your trees.
bonsai was originally penjing- monks from china took little trees with them on their travels to remind them of their homeland and to keep in touch with nature as they travelled so it was spread from china as most things in this world have been.
(-off topic slightly anyone read "1812 the year china discovered the world"??? amazing book china actually discovered and trans covered the globe before anyone else and soooo much more info... a definate reead-will blow your mind)
and every asian culture took to it in their own way.
japan and esp the samurai developed it to the structured art it is today.
the ying and yang- they were a violent race so they needed some softness so many were poets artisits garedners and particualarly bonsai-ists.
there are sevral trees in japans historical gardens that were created by samurai many hundreds of years ago and are still very much alive and thriving today=passed through family generations as heirlooms and are worth millions!
big japanese businesses buy bonsai trees-famous trees as corporations in europe might "invest " in a picasso for example.
oops gotta get back to work hahahahahah
matsu

[rich83]

Cool... not too far away!

Are there any trees that are able to survive properly kept in doors all year round?

[matsu]

sod work for a sec....

yes mate.. lots, to be honest most species will survive our winters with just a little help.
 but if you want to just leavei t and forget it(to a greatr extent)
go with a juniper or a pine. decid trees need care.

ok back to work
matsu

[RedRobin]