Azaleas - "The Snake" and "The Downtrodden"

As we seem to be in Azalea mode these days, can someone give me a. cultivar names for my Shohin azaleas, and b. some advice on how to bring them back to full growth as both have suffered a mishap over the winter.

The first is the one I call "The Snake" for obvious reasons. Although kept reasonably in shelter, it was caught by a gust of wind and fell off the benches. One side looks blooming lovely while the other is a blooming disaster. It's as if there's a big scar running through it. Do I just sit tight and hope for new growth or does anyone have any other ideas?

The second is a tree with decent nebari and a pretty flower colour. I call it "The Downtrodden" because a famous Scottish bonsai artist accidentally stood on it and broke the brach away at the right hand side as you look at it. Actually the other side is probably a better front now but what do the experts think regarding possible styling?

Fiona

"The Snake"


From the other side


Best I can do for a close up of the damage


"The Downtrodden" and its trodden off branch!


From other side

I'm working on the first one, but the second is chinzan.

Russell Coker
Mobile, Alabama

fionnghal wrote:a famous Scottish bonsai artist

Oxymoron? Unless it was your fair self

From the photos posted of "snake", this is an extremely difficult call. If this is indeed a variety with solid colored flowers it could possibly be momo-no-hikari or meiwa-no-hikari. As I mentioned in another post, this could also be a plant grown from a cutting taken for a solid colored branch of a multi-colored variety. If that's the case, you may never know the variety's true identity.

But whatever it is, its a cool tree with great possibility. You are well on your way to a pretty little windswept/semi-cascade. Take an old, wet tooth brush and clean that trunk and larger branches and they will glow. Show off as much of that trunk as you can, that's what it was designed for.

Russell in Mobile

Tony wrote: Oxymoron? Unless it was your fair self

"Oi! Who you callin' a moron? An' I aint no ox either!"

But, since you've brought out the English teacher in me, it was in fact not an oxymoron but a metaphor for the whole Scottish bonsai scene.

Today's assessment topic: Please discuss if in fact the example provided was a. an oxyoron, b. a metaphor, c. a synecdoche, d. a metonym or e. if it was just a plain ole bit of sarcasm.

Actually, the sad thing about it is that the "famous Scottish bonsai artist" is only famous outwith Scotland. Talk about prophets in your own land!

fionnghal wrote:

Tony wrote: Oxymoron? Unless it was your fair self

e. if it was just a plain ole bit of sarcasm.

Actually, the sad thing about it is that the "famous Scottish bonsai artist" is only famous outwith Scotland. Talk about prophets in your own land!

Answer is 'E' but then again you knew that already.

As for 'prophets in your own land' the Brits are probably the worst for NOT supporting the home grown artists... I guess its a case of "he/she is one of us... therefore no better than us" Ask many UK based bonsai artists where they are invited to showcase their work and they will tell you 'outside the UK' the difference of course is when you get so old or have been doing Bonsai longer than anyone else in the country you become a 'National Treasure'

I know of a few bonsai artists in Scotland that I would enjoy watching them work.

Recognise this Tree Fiona: http://www.bestofbritishbonsai.com/

Tony wrote: Recognise this Tree Fiona: http://www.bestofbritishbonsai.com/

As Mr Brando might have said had he entered Best of British - 'I coulda bin a contender'.

BTW Tony,Why did you not remind me to clean the pot?!

Here's how it looks this evening (after six immensely hot days)
It's been sggested to me that I should lose at least some of the lowest pad at the right hand side to give more balance. I'm far from convinced but would welcome comments/suggestions.

As it looks tonight


Looking up the trunk into the low bottom branch