2018 Bonsai Projects.......

I just couldn't help myself.....    when it comes to wandering around the nursery where all of those pre-bonsai plants are..... well, lets just say I become unreasonable, my heart races, and my desires become demanding and incurable!
    Yesterday was Reserve BYOT day.  I brought home 2 new projects as well as worked  on 3 others I have been developing for 4-5 years.  The first project is pictured above.  It is a Podacarpus.  A cold weather hearty plant, it is a Broadleaf Evergreen.  It is in pre-bonsai state, but very ready for styling soon.  You can see a fat trunk, movement up through the trunk and what I have chosen as the mainline.  It has many branches, ready  to be chosen and groomed for secondary branching.  One of the things I love about this tree is the bark...  it is modeled  with all sorts of bark color.  It is home, right now.  I was out this morning studying it and photographing everything! 
      My first extra is the 2nd project I brought home.....  this is an Illiagnus.  It also is pre-bonsai.  I got this tree because it is so craggy, twist, rough, it breaks most of the regular bonsai rules as far as symmetry and movement.   I really fell in love with many of the other examples of this species, with it's craggy, twisted and unusual nature.  I have made a rule that I don't break....   and that is if I can't carry it, I won't own it.  Because I live alone I have to be able to pick up and move these potted beauties.  The one I brought home was considerably smaller than the ones further along.
    The 2nd extra is the Dwarf Gardenia plant.  It is the very same as a Gardenia, only much smaller.  The flowers are just as aromatic, but smaller.  You can begin to see the structure developing in this bonsai.  I have had it for about 6 months and it is doing really well.
      The third extra is the Trident Maple I worked on yesterday.  This tree was left to grow for the last 2 years when i couldn't walk.  The trunk has fattened up wonderfully, the primary branching has developed and chosen. This spring it should pop new twigging that will develop into secondary branching.  But, the caution here is I have to watch it carefully and not allow the internodes to grow to long.  Keeping the internodes close and then clipping to grow, will develop ramification.  That is where the "old look" comes in on a bonsai.
   The last extra is of the Acer Palmatium.  It is a Maple that has the 5 fingered leaves.  It was a tree I bought several years ago.  It was air layered off and allowed to grow for several years.  Again, it was left to grow while I couldn't walk.  But it is now ready to grow it's primary branches and maybe secondary, this year.
    I have 5 extras left and am very glad I used up as many as I have.  Along with my 2 new bonsai projects, I am going to make a resolution this year to manage my extras better.
      Happy New Year and Good Health to all of my Blip Friends.  May the new year bring great joy, health and gratitude to all of you in the hopes that this year will bring good times and pictures.