Alnus glutinosa Layering,, collecting,,

Hey all,,
1 more question from me,,

I was wondering if anyone has had any experience with layering or even collecting
Alders? i have an opportunity to layer or collect a few. (I'm kind of partial to the Zone 5 natives )
I have seen a few alders as bonsai, and was wondering about the bonsai aspect of them. I read from the
M. Dirr bible of trees, but sometimes books, can't take the place of experiences.
Thanks,
KJ

TreeKiller64 wrote:...and was wondering about the bonsai aspect of them.
KJ

OK, it's in Frrrench, but the photos will give you an idea of the aspect you can get :

http://site.voila.fr/babadubonsai/docum/docauln.html

(the group planting at the bottom of the page is alnus glutinosa, the other, at the top, is alnus cordata)

Cuttings are said to be difficult, and I don't know about air-layering, but apparently collecting them is very easy and you get a good chance to see them survive.

Last year, I tried about a dozen cuttings of "alnus imperialis", which is a wonderful cultivar with laciniated leaves, but none of them took... (there's a photo of a "bonsai" of this cultivar here : http://www.bonsai-ka.com/Aulne+imperial+alnus+glutinosa+imperialis+pr%E9+bonsai+45cm. About the price, how do you say, it's a... rip-off?... )

I have seen pictures of alder bonsai trees on the UK ebay site, but no where else. However, there is a deserted house with window boxes that has alder trees growing in it near our 'retirement house'. When we finally retire (hopefully next year if the economy improves), my plan is to rescue them from the window boxes and try them as bonsai. Whether they make 'good' bonsai or not, I enjoy playing. I have my potential bonsais, and I have my 'experiments'.