Techniques

Development of a golden yew - Taxus Baccata Summergold

In 2010, we were helping friends to redesign their garden and discovered this yew tree. Unfortunately, it was growing in a very unfavorable place and therefore had to go. It was too good to throw away and it wasn’t particularly good as bonsai starting material either, but we took it anyway because a Taxus baccata “Summergold” is very rare as a bonsai.

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Growing methods

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Bonsai design
Figure 1
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Here you can see the yew before it was dug up.

Figure 2
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In the second spring I was able to carry out the first design.

Figure 3
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In 2012, I was finally able to start the preparatory work for the deadwood, because the front of the trunk was not expressive and needed a bit more drama. The first step was to remove the bark and treat it with lacquer balsam. Before you start working with the deadwood, you have to let the bonsai rest for at least a year, because the active sap paths have to build up new paths.

Figure 4
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In 2013, I continued with the deadwood work. I used the natural wood grain and hollowed out the trunk further. This technique allows you to achieve an old look.

Figure 5
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The yew was allowed to grow until 2016 and has thus gained enough foliage for a first fine design.

Figure 6
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Here you can see the yew tree after the 2018 fine-tuning.

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