A regular update on the life and times of John Hanby’s Newstead Bonsai Centre……..
Topical Times – Late flowers on the sales bench
Think of flowering bonsai and you immediately think of Satsuki Azaleas and rightly so……..they can be so spectacular when in flower. Some of my students still insist on referring to them as “girlie trees”……..sadly it’s their loss!
This example has attractive variations of a red flower and was quite a bush by the time it finished flowering. After repotting and extensive pruning there is a smart little tree inside that looks good even without the flowers.
We always have a lot of starter material/trees in training for sale and some of these are still showing fruit or flowers. Whist you are working and developing these trees you can at least have some seasonal colour on your bench.
These Hibiscus bonsai have produced some super flowers.
Potentilla and Crab Apple bonsai.
A Buddleia ready to flower and a Russian Vine with a sweet white flower.
It is surprising what you can do with everyday garden plants. Even some of the more obscure varieties will respond to being trained as bonsai.
I hope this small selection will entice you yo have a go.
At the time of writing all these trees and many more are available for sale.
Not to be outdone the Hydrangea at the side of our classroom entrance simply had to muscle in on the scene……….maybe it’s not so bad…….