PROCUMBENS

There is not so many chances to work on good cascade. Today Roland came in Tora in Ljubljana and we worked on Juniperus procumbens. Really nice species, more than appropriate for bonsai, piece which Roland brought to workshop was really good. This material was already prepared before, we just added the final touch.

Redko imam priložnost delati na dobri kaskadi. Danes se je v podružnici Tore v Ljubljani oglasil Roland in obdelala sva brin vrste procumbens. Izjemna vrsta, več kot primerna za bonsaj, primerek, ki ga je s sabo na delavnico prinesel Roland pa je bil res dober. Očitno že pripravljan materijal, ki sva mu dodala le piko na i.

Starting material

Roland working

It was raining and getting colder but we were in our special worlds. Pure meditation. Of course we spoke about some bonsai things, but most of all we enjoyed a good material.

Dež je škrebljal, postajalo je hladno a z Rolandom sva bila vsak v svojem svetu. Čista meditacija. Seveda sva obdelala tudi nekaj bonsajskih tem a največ uživala na dobrem materijalu.

Almost there

Final touch

Result

This cascade is very close to it's final look. Just re-potting into smaller and narrower pot appropriate for cascade style and Roland will be able to exhibit his small treasure!

Kaskada je že zelo blizu končni podobi. Le še presaditev v manjšo, bolje rečeno ožjo posodo primerno za kaskadni slog in Roland bo svoj mali zaklad lahko razstavil!

BRINA

I re-potted two junipers (meanwhile we found out that first one is communis and not rigida) in their first bonsai pots. Juniperus chinensis named Warsaw, because I shaped it last year at demonstration in Poland, has still a long way to go. There is still a lot of work on dead wood and on the crown. But by re-potting Juniperus communis I did a big step forward. Angle of potting is a little different that I planned but still attractive, maybe even more then before. When It will settled up in the pot I'll shape all clouds in the crown. I am planning to exhibit it in one year time.

Brina (za prvega smo med tem ugotovili, da je communis in ne rigida) sta dobila svoji prvi bonsajski posodi. Kitajski brin imenovan Varšava, ker sem ga oblikoval lani na demonstraciji na Poljskem, je še daleč od končnega cilja. Čaka me še veliko dela na suhem lesu, pa tudi na krošnji. Navadni brin pa je s presaditvijo v posodo napravil velik korak k končnemu cilju. Kot posaditve je nekoliko drugačen, kot sem ga načrtoval prej, a je še vedno zelo atraktiven, morda še bolj. Ko se bo v posodi dokončno udomačil, me čaka podrobno urejanje krošnje. Predvidmoma ob letu osorej bo pripravljen na prve razstave.

Juniperus communis in it's first bonsai pot

Juniperus chinensis - still a long way to go

ARGENTINA

In the morning I was re-potting Pinus pentaphylla. It really needed help. Mister from Moravče brought it to me for re-potting. In the afternoon I worked on Juniperus with Andrej, last year we gave this tree a name: Argentina. I will not repeat this story for now; we were planning to present this Juniperus at this year's International exhibition in hotel Mons. But Andrej neglected the tree a little, he forgot to pinch it and the season was almost lost. Today we rescued what we can and shaped Argentina again.

Dopoldne sem še presajal beli bor, ki je pomoč res nujno potreboval in ga je v presajanje prinesel gospod iz Moravč, popoldne pa sva se z Andrejem lotila brina, ki sva ga že lani krstila za Argentino. Zgodbe zdaj ne bom obnavljal; načrtovala sva, da bi ga predstavila že letos na razstavi v Monsu. Pa ga je Andrej čez poletje nekoliko zanemaril, pozabil na vršičkanje in sezona je skoraj izgubljena. Danes sva reševala, kar se je rešiti dalo in Argentino ponovno sfrizirala.

Starting material

Andrej working on Argentina

Result ...

We started on warm sun but we ended in garage because evening cold banished us in. We enjoyed our work on good material, chatting and time quickly passed by. Andrej will now decide if the tree will be checked for exhibition or not. If Juniperus will grow fine in next month and we'll pinch it once more then it might be ...

Začela sva na toplem sončku, končala v garaži, kamor naju je pregnal večerni mraz. Uživala sva ob delu na dobrem materijalu, opravljala in čas je minil kot bi mignil. Andrej se bo zdaj odločil, ali bo drevo prijavil za razstavo ali ne. Če bo brin v mesecu dni dobro pognal in ga bova še enkrat zvršičkala, potem mogoče ...

GREGA IN JOŽE

We were working again! Grega came in Tora for basic workshop. He told me that he wish work with bonsai for a long time, but his friends always warned him that bonsaism is too complicated. Well, Grega soon realized that this isn't so. If you have a good teacher, of course ;-) . After an hour of theory we choose Larix in Tora's treasure of materials. From bush we created a bonsai. Grega is great talent for wiring. He learned how to wire without any problem! Anyhow, Larix is one of the species on which you can easier learn how to wire. There is no needles or leaves on the way and the brunches are very flexible.

Sper smo delali! Na tečaj za začetnike se je v Tori oglasil Grega. Pravi, da si je želel z bonsaji ukvarjati že od nekdaj, pa so mu to dejavnost vedno odsvetovali češ, da je prezapletena. No, pa je kmalu ugotovil, da le ni tako. Če imaš dobrega učitelja pa sploh ;-) . Po urici teorije sva v bogati zakladnici Tore izbrala macesen in iz grmička je nastal bonsaj. Grega je izjemen talent za žičenje. To veščino je osvojil brez težav! Sicer pa macesen gotovo sodi med vrste, na katerih je žičenje najlažje učiti. Nobene iglice ali lista ni na poti, veje so zelo prožne.

Grega and Jože in action

Grega in Jože v akciji

Grega, master of wiring

Grega, mojster žičenja

Meanwhile Jože worked on his Chamaecyparis. He has some experiences with bonsai, but anyway he like to come to Tora for advice or two. We ended the tree that we already started in the winter. Then we searched for a right pot. We digged Chamaecyparis out of the mud, washed the roots and potted it into chabasai. It will enjoy that!

Med tem je v ozadju na svoji pacipresi delal Jože. On ima že več izkušenj z bonsaji, vseeno pa rad pride v Toro po kakšen nasvet ali dva. Dokončala sva drevo, ki sva ga začela že pozimi, potem pa sva pacipresi poiskala še primerno posodo. Izkopala sva jo iz blatnega oklepa, sprala korenine in jo posadila v čabasai. To bo uživala!

Just watering and this is it

Samo še zalivanje

Bonsai spring will continue even in the next days. Keep  reading!

Bonsajska pomlad tudi v prihodnjih dneh ne bo popustila. Se beremo!

DAMA

Prunus mahaleb, this old lady, has a special meaning for me. Whenever I am working on her I feel respect. I am respecting being who felt a lot of everything - old bark is from time when Italian occupants marching through our land, she saw my parents growing up. Now she inspire us on different way - as tree in the pot talking its stories to the admirers. Quietly and again and again every spring. As so many years before.

Ta rešeljika, stara dama, ima pri meni poseben status. Vedno, ko delam na njej, občutim spoštovanje do bitja, ki je občutilo že toliko vsega - starodavna skorja je iz časov, ko so po Primorski še korakali italijanski okupatorji, videla je odraščanje mojih prednikov. Zdaj navdihuje na drugačen način - kot drevo v posodi občudovalcem pripoveduje svoje zgodbe. Tiho in vedno znova, vsako pomlad, kot že toliko let.

March 2004

March 2010

This year I changed humus in the pot with pure acadama. A little bit of cutting and wiring and she is ready for new season. Highlight of the season will be the International bonsai show in hotel Mons in the beginning of May.

Substrat z velikim deležem humusa sem ob letošnji presaditvi zamenjal s čisto akadamo. Nekaj malega obrezovanja in žičenja in pripravljena je na novo sezono. Vrhunec bo gotovo doživela v začetku maja na mednarodni razstavi v Monsu!

ČEVLJI

In bonsaism we often compare bonsai pot with frame of the painting or with shoes of lady. And searching for right pot sometimes take several years. Ugly duck get its first class pot from Klika&Kuratkova; it is better looking and more harmonizing in this pot. Just a little wider crown at the left side for balance and we'll be close to the goal. We get a long way from the start!

V bonsajizmu mnogokrat posodo primerjamo z okirom slike ali s čevlji uglajeno urejene dame. In iskanje prave včasih traja več let. Grdi raček je dobil vrhunski primerek Klike&Kuratkove; lepše in bolj usklajeno deluje v tej posodi. Še nekoliko širša krošnja na levi strani za ravnovesje, pa bova že blizu cilju. Več Grdi raček pač ne ponuja. Za nama je že dolga pot!

One year ago it was in too big Chinese shoes ...

Pred letom dni je bil obut v prevelike kitajske čevlje ...

This year it is in first class shoes ...

Letos je dobil vrhunsko obutev ...

In different light (the first one is more natural)

Še z drugačno osvetlitvijo (bolj naravne barve so na prvi)

P.S.: Re-potting is in full progress, one week more in it will be done!

P.S.: Presajanje je v polnem teku, še en teden zdržimo, pa bo!

JAMI

We changed fog in Ljubljana for sun and fresh windy air in the country side. Oh yes, home sweet home ... This year's first digging was successful: one hundred years old Cotinus coggygria, that I already found last year and at least one hundred years old Prunus mahaleb. What a spectacular material. Tomaz dig out one too. Now Pinus sylvestris digging time is coming!

Ljubljansko meglo sva s Tomažem zamenjala za primorski sonček in svež zrak z vonjem po burji. Oh ja, domači kraji ... Prvi letošnji izkop je bil uspešen: stoletnemu ruju, ki sem ga našel že lani, se je pridružila še vsaj toliko stara rešeljika. Res izjemen materijal. Tudi Tomaž je izkopal eno. To je vse za letos, kar se listavcev tiče. Vsaj načrt je tak. Prihaja čas lova na rdeče bore!

P.S.: It was a really beautiful day!

P.S.: Res je bil lep dan!

NITRA

Lately I am so busy that I can't keep up with reports on my blog. Just in few words: Juniperus named Nitra got its pot. This is first class pot from Isabelia. For now tree is potted a little high but because of the roots there was no other way at first re-potting. But even though: Nitra has come a long way from last spring, isn't it?

V zadnjem času imam toliko dela, da niti ne zmorem vsega dohitevat z zapisi na tem blogu. Čisto na kratko: Nitra je dobil svojo posodo. Gre za vrhunsko posodo iz Isabelie. Za zdaj je še nekoliko visoko posajen, a zaradi korenin v prvem presajanju ni šlo bolje. Vseeno pa je od lanske pomladi napravil lep kos na poti k lepemu bonsaju, kajne?

April 2009 - before the work

April 2009 - after work

July 2009

March 2010 - before re-potting

March 2010 - after first re-potting

DARJA

Yesterday, the busiest day at the Flora fair, Darja came by and we had a course for beginners right at the SBK place. We worked on Pinus mugo, not an easy material but quite good little tree. People were crowded around the table but Darja was not disturbed by that. She was in new world and she was soaking new knowledge.

Soboto, ki je sicer na sejmu Flora najbolj obiskana, sva z Darjo oizkoristila kar za tečaj za začetnike na prostoru SBK. Materijal je bil tokrat ruševje, še zdaleč ne lahek in začetniški materijal, ampak že kar lep drevešček. Ljudje so se drenjali ob delovni mizi, a to Darje ni motilo. Potopljena v nov svet je srkala znanje.

Darja is a peaceful soul, bonsaism is good for her. I did feel so when I was working with her. How deep into bonsaism she would go is totally up to her!

Darja je umirjena duša, ki ji je bonsajizem pisan na kožo. Vsaj tako sem začutil ob delu z njo. Kako globoko pa se bo pustila zapeljati, je seveda odvisno od nje!

P.S.: Today is the last day of the Flora fair. See you there!
P.S.: Danes je še zadnji dan Flore. Se vidimo tam!

TISA

Spring is in the air; one event after another. My brother Borut is assembling a new watering system at his garden. And I am a happy owner of new yew with great nebari. Tree was growing right on the pipe-line way so I offered it a new home ...    

Zavrtel se je ples pomladi, dogodki si sledijo, da jih komaj dojemam. Borut na svojem vrtu ureja namakalni sistem, jaz pa se zato lahko veselim tise z odličnim nebarijem. Bila je pač odveč in seveda sem ji z veseljem ponudil nov dom ...

This is it for now, from Friday on we could meet at Flora fair in Celje!

Toliko na kratko, od petka naprej se bomo srečevali na sejmu Flora v Celju!

DOBER DAN

Yes, this was a good day! I was waiting for Andrej, his girlfriend gave him a workshop in Tora as a present, meanwhile Raje in Tomaž started to work: repoting trees from greenhouse, and there was a lot of work:

Ja, to je bil dober dan! Med tem, ko sem čakal, da v Toro na tečaj za začetnike (darilo njegove boljše polovice!) pride Andrej, sta se Raje in Tomaž že lotila dela. Na vrsti je bilo presajanje dreves, ki so zimo preživela v rastlinjaku. In dela ni bilo malo:

Andrej participated at basic workshop, we worked on Juniperus chinensis and gave it a new look. Andrej is skilled photographer and he has a feeling for beauty. Without problems he learned how to wire and other basic bonsai skills.

Andrej je bil deležen klasičnega šolaja na kitajskem brinu, ki je dobil novo podobo. Izučen fotograf ima občutek za lepo in je brez težav osvojil osnovne veščine oblikovanja, predvsem žičenja.

Then Miha joined us, he helped with transplanting of Raje's trees, after that we find the first pot for his Chamaecyparis too.

Potem se nam je pridružil še Miha, ki je najprej pomagal pri presajanju Rajetovih dreves, kasneje smo poiskali prvo posodo še za njegovo pacipreso.

We ended this day with lunch. A beautiful spring day, a lot of friends, Raje overcoming his crisis after coming from Alaska - this is what I call a good day!

Dan smo popolnili s skupnim kosilom. Lep spomladanski dan, prijatelji na kupu, Raje je že prebolel najhujšo krizo ob predčasni vrnitvi z Aljaske - temu se reče dober dan!

DOBRO JUTRO

Maybe my appearance in Good morning show on national TV fulfilled its goal: to promote our international exhibition in congress center Mons. 8 minutes of program is way too short for good conversation about bonsai. But I knew that before! Of course, when you are at the opposite side of the microphone the things are different. If I am a host 8 minutes are a lot of time ...

Morda je gostovanje v oddaji Dobro jutro na TVS le doseglo svoj namen: reklamiranje majske razstave v Monsu. 8 minut pogovora je veliko premalo, da bi o bonsaju povedal kaj pametnega. Kot, da tega ne bi že prej vedel! A ko si na drugi strani mikrofona, je vedno zelo drugače. V vlogi voditelja se mi 8 minut zdi zelo veliko ...

But the company was nice! Unfortunately I was forced to bring the one and only indoor bonsai I have to the studio - ficus. The morning temperatures are very low and my trees are still frozen. I didn't want to weak them up just for the show - the risk was too high. I don't have a room, where my trees would be protected from the cold.

Ampak, družba je bila prijetna! Žal sem v studio moral prinesti ednini sobni bonsaj, ki ga premorem - fikus. Jutranje temperature so pač prenizke in vsa moja drevesa so še lepo zamrznjena. Da bi jih prebujal zgolj zaradi oddaje - se mi ni zdelo vredno tveganja; prehud šok. Prostora, kjer bi jih lahko počasi navajal na višje temperature, pa nimam.

See you in the evening at the meeting of organizing committee of international exhibition!

Gremo naprej, zvečer se vidimo na sestanku organizacijskega odbora za razstavo!

KONČNO

The new season is finally here. Winter is still showing her teeth, but sooner or later she will be over. Meanwhile the Tora school is working with full steam and students are coming: yesterday we shaped and repoted some trees. We'll continue in Sunday.

Nova sezona je končno tu. Zima sicer še maha z repom a tudi tega mahanja bo prej ali slej konec. Med tem pa je v polnem teku šola, v Tori se vrstijo učenci: včeraj smo presajali in oblikovali, nadaljujemo v nedeljo.

Most of all I am working on preparation for 4th International bonsai exhibition which will take place at the beginning of May in congress center Mons in Ljubljana. My latest achievement is official flayer design. But already tomorrow morning I'll promote our exhibition and bonsaism in morning program at national TV!

Predvsem pa imam v zadnjem času ogromno dela s pripravami na 4. Mednarodno razstavo, ki bo v začetku maja v Monsu. Zadnji dosežek je oblikovanje uradnega plakata; že jutri pa bom razstavo in bonsajizem promoviral tudi v jutranjem programu na TVS!