Front Yard - Fall

Japanese Garden Front Yard fall

This is a portion of my front yard.  It's not a very good picture considering the fact that my moss-rock stones appear washed out, when in actuality they are a dark redish orange color.

Japanese Garden Front Yard Fall 2012

This picture is slightly better, although my cloud-pruned bushes are not in it.  My small crype myrtle is red, as it's in the middle of fall.

Bougainvillea Bonsai

This is my Bougainvillea Bonsai.  As with a concept in Japanese gardening, I'm borrowing the background of pines and a Magnolia tree.

Dead Wood Bonsai

This is a slow process but I think in the end it will turn out to be something my family and I will really appreciate. About year ago I pulled up this old bush out of my front yard and set it beside my house.  And there it stayed.  I'd seen various bonsai's utilizing dead wood so I thought I'd attempt to do the same thing here.  For some great examples please here.

The pic to the left is at the very early stages.  I cleared off some unwanted wood, prior to removing roots and flatting the base.

Simplicity

Near Koi Garden

My family and I went to dinner and a walk about two weeks ago.  We passed through the Koi pond garden and near this little grassy area.  I really enjoyed the beauty and simplicity of it.

Another Chinese Loropetalium, and a little progress.

Chinese Loropetalium/ Bonsai training

I got another Chinese Loropetalium from a local nursery at a huge discount - my MO.   I cut it back hard, and am starting its training into a bonsai.

Not long ago I conducted a little Fukinaoshi on one of my Wax Myrtles.  It had grown to large and the shape was boring and too normal.  But today I noticed that it is starting to bud (notice the small green buds) which is progress. As it grows I will start the training process.

The Budda Belly Bamboo

Budda Belly Bamboo

I originally bought this bamboo plant in the spring of 2009 before I realized how much I enjoy Japanese gardens.  It is known for its swollen internodes and unique style.  While mine is actually in the ground, when they are placed in pots their internodes swell-up because of various reasons such as lack of water.  As you can see, mine gets plenty of water so it doesn't get the characteristic swelling.  Regardless, I really like this slow grower.

It's been moved around a couple times but I think it has found its permanent home.

Current Project: Crepe Myrtle and Bush

In the fall I drug my family to the Houston Japanese Garden.

I wanted to see how they use plants, stone and borrowed landscape typical of south east Texas.  To my enjoyment, they had some very interesting Crepe Myrtles.  These where not the typical lolly pop shaped trees commonly used by landscapers and home owners.  No the artist allowed these unique trees with their beautiful bark to spread out and grow in very interesting ways.

As you can see to the left, the branches shoot out towards the upper horizon as opposed to the usual vertical display.  They are very appealing.

Training a Crepe Myrtle sapling 

Now what I have done, is started the long process of training one of my voluntary crepe myrtles. Using wire, I have begun to distort and reshape this little sapling.  At this point in the season, the fleshy stems are very bendable.  But as the season marches on, they become woody and hard which should allow me to clip the wire off and the stem should maintain  their unique shape.