Swindon Winter Image show February 2014

Myself and Peter Tombs, representing the Ashfield massive, travelled down to Swindon yesterday for the annual Swindon Winter Image show
Congratulations to the organisers of the show, another excellent, well executed show.
It was great to catch up with all our bonsai friends and make new friends.
Here are some pictures from the event, the first few show Bespoke Bonsai Stands in use at the show.
The others are trees or accents that took my eye.

 Black Pine on Bespoke Bonsai Stands root stand

Spindle ? on burr Elm ji ita

Chojubai on English Oak ne taku

Accent on Maple ji ita

Oriental Bittersweet in Koyo pot on Bespoke Bonsai Stands root stand, winner of best pot/tree combination

Korean Hornbeam ? on Maple ji ita

Close up of edge detail

Chinese Elm on Mahogany ne taku

Ezo Spruce

Deadwood detail on Ezo Spruce

Blackthorn

White Pine

Korean Hornbeam

Chojubai

Itoigawa Juniper

Japanese Holly, Ilex Serrata

Lovely scroll and excellent ramification on a Trident Maple

Beautiful accent planting

Ligustrum

Mondo grass accent in a funky pot

Wonderfully ramified Chinese Elm

Chinese Elm, Zelkova or Korean Hornbeam ? Lovely whatever it was.

John Armitage carried out 2 rock planting demonstrations using shohin junipers, thoroughly entertaining with excellent advice freely given.....and he sold both of the buggers before I got a sniff !!

John's first planting completed

My display at the Noelanders exhibition

The Noelanders Trophy has been and gone again.
4 members from the Ashfield Bonsai club exhibited trees this year but unfortunately photography for the general public had been banned, I'm hoping to be able to show the club members trees on the Ashfield Bonsai Club blog soon.
Phillipe Massard has kindly allowed me to use his pictures of my display on my blog.

Azalea Kozan in an antique Canton pot, Peter Warren with the help of Akiyama his Senpai sourced the pot earlier this year, a perfect combination I think.

Oriental Bittersweet in a ball achingly awesome Koyo pot















Our trees were taken over to the Trophy by Peter Warren and Peter Snart who were ably assisted by John Armitage. Without these gentlemen offering their service I for one would not be displaying at the Noelanders Trophy.
Many thanks to the 2 Peter's and John for there hard work and commitment to pushing British Bonsai forward.
I've attached a link to Peter Warrens site where he has written about the trip and show  http://saruyama-bonsai.blogspot.co.uk/

Even more Autumn colour

My Chinese Elm was looking foxy today so here are some pictures of the tree in its autumn glory.

More Autumn colour

You've seen this Cotoneaster before...many times, but the leaves are showing lovely autumn colour so I thought I'd share with you.                    

Oh........ and the root stand it sits on is for sale...£145 plus postage

Autumn colour on my Boston Ivy

It's a good job I took these pictures today as the leaves were dropping off the tree as I took it into the house.
Another windy day and I think they'd have disappeared !

I took some picture of this tree earlier in the year on a smaller root stand and now I've seen it on this bigger stand I think the newer combo works much better for scale......I would wouldn't I...I'm trying to flog the bloody things.....

Without further ado

Aaaaah Bisto.......

British Shohin Association display at Don Valley BTA event

Just a few pictures taken today of the British Shohin Association display put on by John Armitage.

White pine

Elaeagnus

Oriental Bittersweet

Rose

Itoigawa Juniper

Snapshot of my Cotoneaster

I was tarting up my Cotoneaster yesterday and took the opportunity to take a quick snapshot on my mobile phone.
Apologies for the crap picture.
Berry nice !

This bonsai is not a tanuki or wraparound, the deadwood is the original trunk and roots.