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After losing a bunch of trees a couple years ago I decided to try and stick with trees that do well here. Mostly I've stuck with native trees or ones that seem happy here. These aren't anything special now but I think they have the right bones at least. I have no idea what this shrub is but...

Howdy Nuts. I was a pretty pathetic middling level fella back when BonsaiTalk was a thing, it was great when BonsaiNut came about. I had a lot of bullshit and a few trees that might've been something nice some day and posted quite a bit. I got whack-fucked in the head at work and had some...

Here's a little nerifolia/salicaria/salicifolia/rubberbabybuggybumpers that was a cutting off a clump I found in a regular nursery a couple years ago. Potting angle and placement are not the best, I just made do with what roots there were. Any comments or ideas welcome.

I'm not sure it was the best solution to what was wrong as there's still a straight ugly section in the middle but it's come a ways from what it looked like in Home Depot. The most recent pics are from 9-26-11.

Another thread on an Amur was updated due to it's "completion" so I thought I'd start a new one on a different project. Picked up about 2 years ago and put in an Anderson flat, this is what's been going on with it this year. The secondary branching is coming along but ugly atm, will probably...

Anyone recognize this tree? The person I got it from thinks they grew it from a native seedling but no idea on it's species. The person had another tree of the same type growing in the ground that was flowering but I didn't get a picture of the blooms. My closest guess is some kind of...

Culling time continues! Eight or nine other J. viriginiana made it into the pile in the back of the truck today, this is one I thought might be worth keeping. They like to throw out new shoots everywhere except where you'd like them it seems, I plan to keep unwanted new growth under control...

I was inspired by davetree's posts of spirea to get this tree after I had another fairly nice looking one get eaten by mice. I think it's goldmound but don't hold me to that. I think I should pull the main heavy leader more in line with the trunk but it cracks and groans pretty quick. Here's...

Here's a little lilac I found a couple years ago. Not sure of the type, I haven't let it bloom yet. I noticed the flower buds swelling and figured I'd do a little work on it while I had it out. I didn't plan my wiring very well, forgive the crossing wire. Think it's heading in the right...

Finally replaced my camera with something other than my cell phone camera. I picked this guy up off ebay late last summer or early fall, don't remember which. Going to be repotted into a brown unglazed oval with a bit more room. Has a long ways to go but bigger picture do you think it'd be...

So I've been planting out some of the crap I've picked up over the years that's never going to amount to anything if I just keep them in a pot and it's given me the idea to plant out some younger juniper, hornbeam, and maple. Problem is I can't decide what type of maple. Tridents are no good...

Anyone have any experience with these folks? http://wabisabibonsai.com/

Even though I should know better I can't stop myself from sticking my nose in just about every tree I run across at a department store. This one stuck out and was worked on in April. This one definitely gets the most attention whenever someone takes a look at some of my trees. Main branch...

I definitely wish I'd taken a before picture of this one. I'd found it last summer at a mom and pop place that was clearing out some stuff that'd been sitting for a long time. Totally ignored till this week when I took it with me to visit a knowledgeable guy who's been very helpful. First...

Just got back from a workshop Andy Smith put on with the Iowa Bonsai Association. Definitely a good time. It's funny how you can spend so much time trying to get a lot of separation with individual branches then you take a pic and you end up looking like you just have a big clump. It'll...

Never heard of 'Grey Owl' before but I was in Omaha picking up Turface and herad about a nearby nursery and went to check it out. Looked like the place hadn't been tidied, watered, whatever in a long long time. Maples and ash trees had been in the same place long enough the roots had went to...

This is a Shimpaku I received from Brent at http://www.evergreengardenworks.com/. Ridiculously nice material. I just have to hope I can manage to bring out its potential. I did initial work on this at the workshop Chris was kind enough to host recently. Chris was a fantastic host and it was...

After seeing how well two acer ginnala took to being chopped back and having their roots drastically pruned last summer I decided to take the heavy pruning to a new level with my last remaining maple which I had not reduced the roots on. I screwed up carving the branch stubs back and tore a...

Does anyone who lives or used to live in the Midwest in zone 5 or colder have any experience attempting to field grow Japanese red pine? From just looking at hardiness zones and general information it seems they should do well here. Two problems that I know would be a factor are pine wilt and...

I'm not going to post the link because I don't want to step on any toes but there is a very interesting Q & A with Brent Walston at bonsaichat similar to the one done at AoB some time ago. A very good read as to be expected from Brent. I'd really like to get out that way and shake that man's...

I was re-browsing Harry Harrington's articles and was thinking about his article on collecting Quercus robur http://www.bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATquercus%20rootpruning%20and%20repotting.htm Does anyone have experience with North American oaks responding similarly to the English oak as...

After pretty miserable survival rate (1 out of 6) on mulberries collected this spring I've been thinking of trying a modified approach to get feeder roots closer in to the trunk. I've read in many places to spade around the tree cutting surface roots and forcing the fine feeders to develop...

Picked this mugo pine up this morning. Pines are pretty intimidating but I figure I won't learn if I don't get started killing them so this is probable victim number one! Keeping it in the shade and planning to mist as often as possible till it decides whether it's going to accept this...

Was shooting the breeze at a nursery this morning and picked this one up for 10 bucks. Conifers give me headaches but for the price I figured what the heck, it'll be a lesson in what not to do if nothing else. Probably took way too much off, time will tell. It'd been potted up recently so...

This one was collected the same day as the other hackberry. It's entirely too tall now of course, I cut it off at the lowest point where it had foliage. Probably unnecessary considering how quickly it pushed new buds but better safe than sorry. Hard to make out much of the base since I was a...