We now just need to let the tree grow and recover from the work we have undertaken. Once we have strong extended growth then we can start to prune the canopy and make the foliage mass even more compact. My student John is doing a good job with this tree and hopefully is now beginning to see the reward for all his hard work.

Sometimes it pays to just let your trees grow for a period. They not only become stronger and healthier but often provide you with a much better piece of raw material from which you can style a really good tree.

The transformation of a small Larch bonsai.

We had a tree that was uninspiring and looking as though it may have no future as a credible bonsai. With drastic pruning, a change of angle and some wiring we now have a dynamic shohin bonsai giving the appearance of a much older tree. The two trunks have taper, movement and character which work well together at this new angle.

A relatively simple change producing a substantial transformation and one that was well worth doing.

A simple technique but the change in the tree is quite dramatic. What was a major fault spoiling the appearance of the tree has now been replaced with a nice solid base which greatly improves its stature and credibility.

These trees were brought along to a couple of recent classes and clearly illustrate the diversity of material I am presented with on a regular basis. it certainly makes life interesting for both me and the other students.

Potentially a really nice Juniper with a strong healthy framework from which we can develop and refine the image.

Juniper Procumbens can be easily found in garden centres and lends itself admirably to the cascade style. It is relatively easy to style and can quickly produce mature looking foliage clouds.