It's time to breathe!

Today, is the beginning of a weather trend here - finally spring is showing it's face.  The extremely cold and unusually snowy winter appears to have spent itself, and spring is now coming a bit earlier.  Temps are ranging from the low 60's F to high 30's F overnight.  Buds are starting to show everywhere and burst in some instances - junipers are showing new growth eager for pinching..  It's time to come out of cover and see what lived with my new wintering techniques implemented.

I did well!  Only lost 4 small pre-bonsai trees, and I realize why - not the best placing of trees undercover (they did not get enough water during the winter season).  Other then this loss (nothing terrible at all) everything did extremely well and is showing it's health.

Here follows all my surviving items - all pre-bonsai, as I have nothing yet I would consider show worthy.  You may see some of the potential and ideas I have for some of my trees, and the range of material I am playing with.

My big ole' 'precumbens nana' Juniper; you've seen plenty of him on my blog but here he is outside - a healthy survivor indeed.

My Japanese (Or English..) Boxwood, 2nd year in training. 

Large double trunk Privet in another neat looking 'brick' styled pot by my best friend Aaron.  Tree is doing very well; ready for de-leafing and a serious haircut.wiring.

Most everything out from cover, and on the table or in the sun again.  Junipers on the left, deciduous on the right.  (same on the ground as well in front).

A side table with my bigger items, left to right; Azalea, Privet in large clay in rear, 'rose of sharon' rhododendron species front center, smaller privet in long clay pot, and large trident maple rear right.  

A larger nursery Juniper I am training for the distant future.

San Jose Juniper nursery material that I began work on last year.  I finally have the idea in my mind for this tree; some serious branch bending, and will make it a windswept style.

Wild Cherry - it's mostly dead, but has strong suckers growing (you can see they are already as tall as the tree I brought back originally)..  I've seen this done and shown on forums online; I plan to attempt to carve 'growth' channels and wind the living suckers up the dead stump, to take advantage of the really good looking bark and trunk that this tree had.   If nothing else, I will learn some things  from this tree.

The 'other' really large Azalea that I removed from my front yard last year and turned into hopeful bonsai material.  This baby will give me some great air layers on both of the large branches left/right (Thick, aged bark that somewhat resembles pine, oddly).

And a few things not shown: pre-bonsai in the ground in a few areas, my 'tree farms' of trident maple, japanese maple and other things for the future.

Spring is here!