Very happy with my delivery of a nice Japanese Holly bonsai today, from the folk at All Things Bonsai.  This pretty little tree is armed and ready to go, with a host of buds itching to burst into little white flowers.

I’ve already added the obligatory blocks of Bio-Gold (the odd little pyramid shaped objects on top of the soil) and I’m going to hold back on doing too much with it this year, apart from trimming back the new shoots once the flowering is done.

In my eyes, this lovely tree looks great as it is, but it has so much potential to develop the existing pads into more defined shapes and to bring the apex of the tree up a bit.  I think, when it comes to re-potting, I’ll be adding a little bit of a lean to the left and gently pulling a couple of the lower pads down a bit to visually separate them from higher branches.  My main design/shaping work will be with the top-right pad to try and separate it from its neighbour pad to the left, and perhaps raise it a little higher to give the tree a definite apex.

For now, though, I’m just happy to sit and admire this little beauty, and to enjoy the blossom that’s due to burst forth any day soon.

Thanks again to the wonderful folk at All Things Bonsai for sending me such a gorgeous little specimen.