Tag Archives: yamadori

Feb 17 2012

A Visit to Angel Mota’s Garden and Europe’s Best Olive Bonsai Collection

I was holidaying with Carolyn on the Island of Majorca, just off the coast of Spain. Angel Mota invited me visit his garden and take a look at the spectacular Olive bonsai that he works. His house and garden is in the Capital Palma and we spent a few hours discussing ideas and swapping Yamadori hunting stories. Angel was very generous with his time and his hospitality unmatched.

It was nearly 40 degrees Centigrade  when we visited! BTW… I am the VERY white guy

Note: Angel won the very First Ginkgo Award in 1997 with an Olive and the very last Ginkgo Award with his fine display of Olive Bonsai.

Feb 15 2012

The Tall Yew Six years after collecting.


Today I filmed this tree because this year will see a dramatic increase in foliage, refinement of the image and maturity of the bonsai. The tree had its first styling last year when the main branches were put in place.

Creating the right structure from an early stage means that you can avoid having to correct mistakes and loose years of work later. The image is OK now but it is still a very young ‘bonsai’ but not a young tree. With good horticultural technique, timely application of bonsai ‘know how’ and a good few HOT summers this bonsai should be ready for exhibition in 2016.

The story of collecting this tree from the mountain can be seen here. 

Feb 12 2012

Yamadori, Bears and Wolves in The High Tatras Mountains of Czech Republic

I have collected Yamadori throughout Europe but one of the craziest adventures was with Pavel Slovak, his son Kuba and two of Pavels friends. The ‘walk’ in to the collecting site took THREE HOURS! and we climbed over 1,200 metres. But it was NOT the climbing that I had to watch out for it was the Bears and Wolves.

The trip was very successful bagging 10 trees… but it was exhausting. I reported from the top on one of the mountains that we climbed… and from the top of a tree so that I could get a better look at the view.

After climbing the tree I was told how foolish I was because Bears climb trees… as once you are up a tree you have nowhere to ‘run’ 😦

Feb 11 2012

How to re-pot a Tall Mature Hawthorn Bonsai

I have had this tree for over 20 years, its planted in a lovely Derek Aspinall pot, it was desperate to be repotted, here is a photo story.

Feb 7 2012

Yamadori for sale

Yamadori for sale, you see it all over the web… Yamadori for sale… especially on EBAY, but should you buy Yamadori from a photo? and what guarantees do you have that the tree has not been collected two days prior purchase? Listen to what Enrico Savini says about Yamadori for sale. This is good advice… All Yamadori for sale on this site has been established AT LEAST two growing seasons, has been planted in an open soil mix to encourage good root growth AND I have been selling Yamadori for over 15 years. Many of Europe’s top bonsai artists buy from me because they know that quality is paramount. Rant over!