C A R P I N U S ... B E T U L A Garden centre stock acquired 1986 85cm high - 55cm wide Pot: Japan After cutting the original 10ft trunk back to a suitable height, this tree was allowed to grow freely each year until 1993, when it was finally potted into a bonsai container. Since then, the ever-increasing ramification has led to ever-smaller foliage - a process that will continue for the rest of its life. This photograph was taken six months after the nebari (surface roots) were impoved, as explained in "Improving Nebari" in my Studio pages.