Sometimes I work on nursery trees, sometimes I work on client’s trees……and sometimes if I’ve been a really good boy I get to work on my own trees. Hopefully these regular visits will give you an insight into what goes on behind closed doors……….
Studio Stories – The story of Yorkshire Privet…..Part Two
Part one of this series was published on the 20th March 2015 under the section Studio Stories.
The Privet continues to flourish. The first two pictures were taken in early summer 2006. The tree is now in a new pot of similar size but slightly different design. The third picture above was taken at our Newstead Two Bonsai show held in September of the same year where the tree was selected to be exhibited at the final Ginkgo Award exhibition to be held in September 2007.
March 2007 and the tree was transferred to a new pot commissioned especially for the tree and made by John Pitt…..and I must say I feel John did an excellent job with this…..the pot looks older than the tree! The third picture shows the tree recovering and growing well in April after the transfer.
The first picture above is May 2007 after the tree was pruned back. He held his head high at Ginkgo…so much so that he was selected to appear at an international bonsai show being held in Arco, Italy the following year. Unfortunately I was unable to attend as it clashed with our own Newstead show. There was no way I was sending him on his own ….. Yorkshire Privet in warm sunny Italy…..there was no way he would want to come back!
The middle picture above is May 2008 and he simply loves to grow. At least he got to appear in Newstead Three September 2008 (picture three) as compensation for missing out on the Italian job.
Above are some before and after pictures taken in April/May 2010.
The pictures above were all taken in 2010, the last two being at our Newstead Four bonsai event. Another 5 years have passed for this humble but rapidly developing Yorkshire Privet. The tree did good…..8 years from overgrown hedge to one of the finest bonsai shows held outside Japan. I use this tree with my beginners to show them what can be achieved using the right techniques at the right time to the right piece of material….for me this tree is an inspiration to us all……….to be continued……