Hinoki Cypress Progression

Posted on January 27, 2014 by Lyons Bonsai

This is my Chamaecyparis Obtusa Nana Gracilis. I acquired it just over a 2 years now in 2012 from a small garden center in the middle of no where, it was just sitting in the corner minding its own business until i came along. The garden center owner was more than happy to sell it cheap, I think I paid 6 or 8 euro in the end for it.

I have not attempted to style it in anyway, only keep it alive and healthy. When I first got it I reduced the size of the pot it came in by cutting the top down and removing a small amount of top soil. On doing so I revealed the second trunk and a nice enough small natural shari. I reduced it further this year to get to the base of the trunk.

I just pinched the new growth to allow sunlight to penetrate to the inner branches, as I have heard a Hinoki will never back bud on old wood. I was hoping to maybe begin to style it this summer and repot it next summer as I don’t know how long it has over stayed its visit in the pot it is in. Anyway here is some photos I have been meaning to up load a while since starting the Blog.

I really like this shot from underneath

Some growth I am trying to protect and encourage

From above

Just need to decide now where to start with styling. Plenty of thought and research before hand

At the Munster Bonsai Club workshop, i had the oppurtunity for Ian and Phil from NIBS to have a look at this and see what they thought.

After some discussion it was decided to remove the lower branch and begin to wire it.

It was decided the whole tree needed to be wired in the end, with help from Ian it finally got done, Here me grooming my balded tree 🙂

The before image

The after image, Finally 🙂

So that’s where the tree stand at the moment, Just need to keep it going strong now.

New Growth

Posted on July 23, 2013 by Lyons Bonsai

So over the past two or three weeks i have noticed my little trees push out a lot of new foliage. I dont know is this due to the crazy weather we are having along with all the watering but has really increased compared to a few weeks ago.

This Cypress has pushed out very dense foliage pads over the past two weeks alone. And I though this cypress was dying only a few months ago. This has really surprised me and come on leaps and bounds. What do do with it now is the next question, i was thinking of literati as the foliage is all based at the top of the tree.

Here is what it looked like last year.

And here is what it looks like at the moment.

A bit naked down low but all the other branches where long and had no inner buds. And with these trees gaining a miracle from the Vatican if they bud back i decided to remove them.

A look at the foliage up close.

With a bit of wire and bending the trunk a bit may make this bushy cypress not a bad literati.

Also pushing lovely new growth…..

My little Himalayan Ceder with little back buds.

And my Sageretia Theezan which was resued from Aldi. Pushing nice healthy growth.

And the Juniper which was heavily pruned this summer. What to do with this is another question as i am decideding to let it grow this season and recover from the heavy trimming.

And to finish off, my little Hinoki. This was also pinched at the start of the summer to allow light to penetrate the inner branches to maintain vigor. After a bit of advice i think i will also leave this one grow for the rest of the season untouched.

Few pictures of my Dwarf Hinoki

Posted on June 25, 2013 by Lyons Bonsai

This is my Chamaecyparis Obtusa Nana Gracilis. I acquired it just over a year now from a small garden center in the middle of no where, it was just sitting in the corner minding its own business until i came along. The garden center owner was more than happy to sell it cheap, I think I paid ten euro in the end for it.

I really like this shot from underneath