Trip to the Czech Republic - Day 1

Last week I made a trip to Czech Republic. My main goal was to exhibit at the Czech national exhibition which was this year held in Kroměříž, 60 km east from Brno. I haded from home on Wednesday morning since the opening was already on that day in the evening and the trees had to be there before that.

The next day we stood up earley and went for a visit to my good friend Pavel Slovak who has gotten himself quite the reputation over the past few years.

After a short time in his garden we haded to the garden of Mirek Škrabal. There we were also most generouselly welcomed. And after a short brunch me and Pavel worked on one of Mirek's beutifull Sylvestris pines.

 
In between during a breakthey took us to the vilage gallery with a nice japanese looking garden full of bonsai.

This was a great start of my trip to the Czech Republic. And it was only day one.

Shohin Cotoneaster

This is my shohin Cotoneaster. From ''zero to hero'' development in only 3 years.

Tall white

A few days ago I finished my biggest wiring job so far. This big Pinus parviflora. Below is a photo of it from last year when it was still in Japan.

This is how I got it in July. The lowest branch was quite weak, but luckily it was not that necessary so I removed it during the restyling.

Here you can see its size.

This is the tree so far. It is not tottaly finished yet. The upper part of the crown will get some more defined shaping in the near future. Plus I need to get a better pot for it.

Gorizia

On Sunday there was a bonsai exhibition ''Antica Contea di Gorizia'' in Goriza, Italy. After long 7 years I finally found some time again to go check it out.
The exhibition takes place in an old town hall with fascinating old interior. Unfortunately there are no backgrounds behind the bonsai as they are being exhibited, so therefore they cannot shine in their full beuty.
There were more than 15 bonsai clubs exhibiting trees, one tree by club. If I saw correctly our club was the only one to have two trees.

Luckily enough the organizators set up a tokonoma and let us place our bonsai in it to get better photos of them. Here is the tree that I was exhibiting. My Cornus mas, the one that wan best bonsai of the exhibition in Ljubljana this past May.

The second Slovenian tree was a chinese juniper by Tomaž Kovšca, which was awarded best tree by visitors choice.

Beside the exhibition there was also a workshop.

Winter Fraxinus

My Fraxinus ornus is already in it's winter image. Next spring it will be repotted to this position and I also need to find a better pot.