Creating a Side Garden For Bonsai

[Poimandres]

Greetings all,

I'm starting this thread to document some minor landscape work I am soon taking on to convert a neglected side area of my house into something a bit more useable. Nothing too fancy. I’m going to remove the existing plants, level the ground a bit, add a gravel path and some benches for bonsai and other plants.

The area gets morning light and some dappled sun throughout the day in the Summer (shade by mid-late afternoon). It should be a good spot for some of the more heat sensitive species.

Additionally, as I’m going to raze the area, I’ll have an opportunity to collect some material for practicing Bonsai techniques

There are 3 species of tree that I can source from the area:

Olea europaea ‘Little Ollie’ . Dwarf, non fruiting olive tree that the previous owners had at one point pruned as topiary globes. Each is ~ 20” - 30”tall with 1.5” - 1.75” trunk

Arbutus unedo (Strawberry Tree). I’d love to try to save these and develop them as future bonsai. ~ 4’ - 6’ tall with 2” - 3” trunks

Ficus microcarpa. These are 7’-9’ trees with 2.5” - 3.5” caliper.

Before I get to digging and chopping I have some questions for the forum, looking for any advice :

1. Aside from digging up, hard pruning and potting into a developing pot, what else can be done with the Dwarf Olives? Is it worth experimenting with different ways to develop the tree (I dug up one before and have it currently in a collander type aeration pot)? Is it conceivable to go straight from ground into a bonsai pot? Any other techniques that I should perhaps consider?

2. I’ve read that the Ericaceae family of trees and shrubs do not take well to heavy root pruning. Is there a method of gradually reducing pot size that could work to keep these Strawberry Trees alive and eventually create bonsai?

3. What would you do with the Ficus’? Is a chop and potting even viable with trees this size?

 

[ShadyStump]

I believe your best time for digging any of these trees up will be after winter. Ficus and most other tropicals are usually worked in summer while actively growing, but I have no experience with olive or strawberry trees.

Slowly reducing the root ball on your strawberry tree will require repotting every year or 2 into successively smaller pots, trimming the roots only just enough for it to fit in the new pot. If you're using any in organic substrate and maybe potting into baskets, that should help it develop the fine roots right under the base of the tree, but you may still want to take your time.
The focus should theoretically be able to handle just about whatever you can throw at it, as long as you get all the root you can, and in the right season.

 

[BrianBay9]

The olive and the ficus should do fine with a major chop, dig, and pot up. I wouldn't go directly into a bonsai pot. Give them a year or so to recover from the collection. But both of those should respond well, even if you get minimal feeder roots when you dig. Olives can be developed pretty much any way you want. They hold jins well, look good with shari, carved, mangled, abused.....or straight upright with a traditional canopy. You should have fun with them. Similar with the ficus, except deadwood won't hang around long. Try to heal over the chops on the ficus. I don't know anything about the Arbutus.

 

[Poimandres]

Thank you both Shady and Brian!

The olive and the ficus should do fine with a major chop, dig, and pot up. I wouldn't go directly into a bonsai pot. Give them a year or so to recover from the collection. But both of those should respond well, even if you get minimal feeder roots when you dig. Olives can be developed pretty much any way you want. They hold jins well, look good with shari, carved, mangled, abused.....or straight upright with a traditional canopy. You should have fun with them. Similar with the ficus, except deadwood won't hang around long. Try to heal over the chops on the ficus. I don't know anything about the Arbutus.

Should I wait for Spring/Summer, or can the olive & Ficus handle the transition now in the fall?

 

[BrianBay9]

Thank you both Shady and Brian!

Should I wait for Spring/Summer, or can the olive & Ficus handle the transition now in the fall?

Better in the heat

 

[Poimandres]

Been a little over a year and I've put a lot of work into this side garden (went beyond the initial plan and re-worked the entire side area). Still lots to do! Looking to add a couple more benches and of course more bonsai

Thank you all who provided helpful tips and information in this thread and others.

Sharing some updates and recent photos (from this spring and fall)

• The dug up Ollies are doing quite well. I moved 2 of them to another area of the property and they have taken. One I kept to develop as a bonsai and is also doing very well with lots of new growth this past spring.
• Unfortunately the Strawberry Tree did not survive
• I only repotted 1 ficus after the heavy chop and that one is also doing pretty well displaying new growth
• Japanese maples have been thriving. The two bloodgood saplings in development boxes had tons of new growth this year and I also added two larger Acers - a Bloodgood in the retaining wall and a Coral Bark in a pot behind a container water garden.
• Sharing pics of a Juniper & Sweetgum which are my most established and nicest bonsai
  
  
  
  
• 

 

[ShadyStump]

This is a great example of what can be done with a small space. Great work!

 

[Tieball]

Fabulous utilization of space. You have excellent tree material, a space design and a superior work ethic to complete the plan. Mighty fine all around.

 

[brentwood]

That sweet gum is really looking nice - great work on that space!

B

 

[bonsaiwood]

What are the plans to be with the concrete pad? Nice btw!

 

[Poimandres]

What are the plans to be with the concrete pad? Nice btw!

I’ve been using it as a general potting/ gardening -work area and as a space for morning meditation. Im hoping to find some time in the next couple weeks to build another bench /worktable and some shelving against the wall.

 

[bonsaiwood]

I’ve been using it as a general potting/ gardening -work area and as a space for morning meditation. Im hoping to find some time in the next couple weeks to build another bench /worktable and some shelving against the wall.

Multi-purpose work/relaxation space, I’m diggin’ it. Like yours, I have an empty side area in my yard that gets filtered sun all day, mostly shade in late afternoon. I’m planning to clear the space and digging out all the landscape plants with bonsai potential in early spring. Inspirational to see your yard transformation!

 

[Poimandres]

Thank you all for the comments and engaging with my project here

I put some more work into the garden over the holiday break and added a workbench and three display pedestals - all made of concrete block and Redwood to match the existing benches. I also added some landscape lighting. The maple planted into the retaining wall is due for some serious pruning, this will be later next month or February as I'm planning to chop it down pretty significantly.

 

[bonsaiwood]

Love the addition of wooden stands above the concrete blocks. Simple and to the point. Very well done!