Menu
Harry Harrington
Is this worth spending time ?
Prunus spinosa/blackthorn as bonsai Harry Harrington explores the virtues of the blackthorn with its white flowers contrasting beautifully against its dark black bark Prunus spinosa is a tree species native to the UK and Northern Europe and incredibly desirable for bonsai. Wild blackthorn flowers profusely in March/April each year and…...
Talking trees
What can autumn in deciduous trees tell you about the health of your bonsai? ‘The hidden life of trees’, a book by Peter Wohlleben, has transformed our views of the way trees work. For Harry Harrington it was a real eye opener. This article is based on his understanding of…...
The busiest time
Harry Harrington’s tasks for native bonsai during late autumn With the growing season left long behind, November sees the last of the leaves fall from our deciduous bonsai, as average day temperatures and light levels drop. The daily chore of watering our bonsai collections has almost finished; however, it is…...
Anti-clockwise
Harry Harrington reworks a Japanese yew with superb fluting. An elegant 88 cm Japanese yew (Taxus cuspidata) was bought to my garden by its owner in June 2020, explains Harry. My task was to style and carve it. A very healthy imported specimen, the yew had strong vibrant green foliage,…...
The last flush…
Harry Harrington sums up the tasks for late summer and early autumn July in the Northern Hemisphere sees the last flushes of growth in most of the broadleaf and deciduous trees. After the vigorous growth of spring months and a pause for midsummer, these last flushes of growth are typically…...
Is it natural? (2)
Harry Harrington’s helps you to create and use deadwood features on deciduous and broadleaf bonsai As discussed in part one my favoured approach to creating deciduous and broadleaf deadwood is one originally pioneered by UK bonsai artist, Kevin Willson. The deadwood is given a blackened hollow core surrounded by a…...
Summer is coming
Late spring (May/June) tasks for native and deciduous bonsai Harry Harrington: ‘May is always a very busy month for bonsai enthusiasts growing deciduous bonsai. After a long winter and early spring of dormancy, our trees explode into growth and it can feel like it is impossible to keep up with…...
A date with spring
Spring tasks for native deciduous bonsai Repotting is the primary focus for bonsai enthusiasts during spring. However, there are a number of other tasks, often forgotten, that are worth carrying out at this time of year. The beginning of spring and start of the growing season when deciduous trees come…...
Cold weather care
Needless to say, the weather is not always ideal for bonsai during the cold months. The winter period is very active; however, good protection and aftercare are essential. Eventually, as winter arrives, trees have completed their natural defensive system against the cold of winter – dormancy. Most species of bonsai…...
The cornerstone
As the leaves fall in autumn, it is time to study the branch structure of the tree in detail and begin pruning This article describes the pruning of deciduous tree branches in autumn. I believe pruning deciduous bonsai at this time of year, rather than spring, is a cornerstone to…...
Betula – Tough to work on
The birch has many virtues, it can prosper in the harshest environments, but as bonsai you need to be a little more patient and gentle to achieve good results. Harry Harrington gives us his hands-on approach on how to grow birch. Betula is a genus of about 60 species of…...
A solid regime…
Bonsai need water, air and sunlight in order to photosynthesis and grow. The combination of these three elements is enough for a tree to manufacture the sugars and starches it requires from its leaves. Harry Harrington explains how to fertilise your bonsai by taking a no-nonsense attitude, during the growing…...
The many virtues of larch bonsai
Larix is a genus of around 10 species of deciduous coniferous trees from forested areas of the Northern hemisphere. They have attractive young foliage and normally display brilliant autumnal colour. The needle-shaped foliage is borne in loose spirals on long shoots and in whorls on short shoots. Larch is a…...
Fabulous feet
Thread and approach grafting new roots to improve the nebari Many enthusiasts would like to improve the nebari of their bonsai. By using thread grafting and approach grafting techniques this can be easily done A young and pliable branch from either a separate plant, or the bonsai itself, is threaded…...
