Blackthorn

Hi,
Having bought a pot at the Best of British Bonsai show last weekend. I potted my blackthorn this week.

Today at Dragon bonsai's Sunday workshop I trimmed and removed what I will not need in the final design.

After the work.


I put together a few alcove informal displays using the blackthorn.

With a pair of bronze birds.


With scroll and sweetfish.


With scroll and marsh grass.


Close up of tree and scroll.


You thoughs are much appreciated.

hello jerry, what a beauty. the movement in that trunk. very nice

Really great images Jerry, great tree great scroll and the sweet fish well just perfect, lets have a close up of them, sorry I did'ent have time to get involved I think I spent most of the time with new members. Its good to see so many new comers these days.

Regards Chris

Eric,
Thanks, this time of year Imho, the bark, movement and flowers make blackthorn hard to beat.

Chris,
Just for you Chris.

Wonderful spinosa Jerry! Great movement in a species that is normally arrow straight.

May I ask, what are Sweetfish?

Libby

Libby,
I understand, Sweetfish are similar to a small trout in appearance and like trout they migrates upstream to spawn. Usually in the late spring.
By including them in my display I wish to allude to the approaching summer.

I love the 'wildness' of the tree. Thanks for sharing.

I like it very much! I have admired Blackthorn bonsai that you guys have been nice enough to post. I think the pot complements it well...the slight convexity of the sidewall of the pot looks good too.
There's nothing I would change, but, since I'm practicing with my new Photoshop Elements program (I prefer the old version I think), here's another slant on the tree.

Hi Jerry,

Congratulations man! The Prunus spinosa is just a wonderful example. I happen to prefer the existing shape of the tree. It an elegantly done example of the species and truly done by man with an excellent eye to convey the true nature of the tree. The overall composition is excellent, the pot sellection, moss placement clearly shows a harmonius balance pleasing at least to my eye. I must admit tough I'm a sucker for Flowering trees. Job well done !!!!! This is truly a rival on equal footing to to the Japanese Apricot (Prunus mume).

Hi Jerry.... I love the 'wildness' of the tree, a controled 'natural' look, then again I am sure thats what you intended.... lovely.

BTW I will bring down for you some of the 'wavey' sone that I have recently collected.... I think the sweetfish would go well together on it.

Hi All,
Blackthorn from wild and woolie Wales. The Welsh mume indeed.
Within the display, the table is the main challenge. I think I am on the right lines, but would prefer a lighter appearance.

John,
Thank you fo your fine virtual. Unfortunatly th root would not at present allow such an angle.

Tony,
Sounds just what they need.

I like it a lott, wild but very convincing, order in chaos.

Kind regards
Peter (have to visit Wales some day)

Magnificent !

The sweetfish are beautiful, but my favorite is the display with the marsh grass.

I find that the first display is the most pleasing. All others with the flowering scroll( red berries ) and flowering tree although the colours are different.
I find too repetitive. All of these displays would be better with a different scroll.
Or none at all.
I know that you are approaching summer in the UK so the sweet fish the grass .
All give that feeling with out the bright colours of the flowers in the back ground. JMHO darky.

Ps I hope your spring and summer are warm my wife and I leave in one month for a holiday there.

Hi Jerry, consider on the scroll a waterfall.... the fish will then be swimming upstream, the tree leaning into the void. I know you have a wealth of beautiful scrolls at your disposal. I think this would make a very 'plausible' and pleasing display. And make sense of the 'Formal Display' post that went off recently on this forum.

It is a tree with essence, magnific....
regards

Very beautiful. Almost magical. Thanks.

Hi,
Thank you all for your thoughts. I feel happy you see what I saw and felt.

Darky,
I agree, flower upon flowers.....
I only have one tanzaku, the one I used. I wanted to use a narrow and short scroll, (I love scrolls and try to resist using them in every display I present), I failed.
I had with me a waterfall scroll and a very subtle mountain scrolls, both would have made the display, with the marsh grass, better balanced, and a more restained display. Now I see it.Thank you.

Tony,
Yep.... I do have a suitable waterfall scroll, but I always seem to use it with my semi-cascades and cascades trees.
Maybe there is a reason fo that.

If the flowers are still evident in 13 days time, I might try the above display at the Bournemouth show.

Super tree and display Jerry

I do love Blackthorn but most of mine are arrow straight and trying to put movement into them seems almost impossible. Mind you I was greeted with a few small flowers this year for the first time ever which was wonderful.

Keep sharing your excellent work, it does inspire the rest of us
LP&B
Simon

Gday Jerry when is this show in Bournemouth? My wife and I arrive in the UK on the 20th of May.
Might be able to talk my mate into bringing us to it if we are there.

I do like your tree very much I to like scrolls although I only have two. I like your displays you do put some very nice ones up.
this one was not in my opinion quite right. By the sounds of what you are saying you can improve it. I am very pleased to have helped in some small way. Darky

Hi,
Bournemouth is on the 3rd of May.
You are in the UK during Chelsea flower show week. FoBB's are showing, I'll be there on the 20th.
You are also very welcome to visit us in West Wales at Dragon bonsai our event diary:-

http://www.dragonbonsai.co.uk/events.htm

Have a safe trip

uro wrote:Hi,
Bournemouth is on the 3rd of May.
You are in the UK during Chelsea flower show week. FoBB's are showing, I'll be there on the 20th.
You are also very welcome to visit us in West Wales at Dragon bonsai our event diary:-

http://www.dragonbonsai.co.uk/events.htm

Have a safe trip

The 20th may 7-35 pm at Gatwick is when we arrive. I will have a look at our itinerary. I would like to get to Wales as we have heard so much about it. Thanks Jerry may be we will get to meet up. Darky