Our garden

Bonsai, garden trees, houseplants and the odd volunteer seedling.

This is our little online catalogue of everything growing in our garden, made for friends and family. It's a work in progress, and there's always something new going in.

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Bonsai
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Elmer (Mr John G Elm)
View 1, 25 Sept 2026

Elmer (Mr John G Elm)

Ulmus parvifolia

Classic S-curved trunk with a full, rounded canopy of small serrated leaves. Moss growing on the soil surface.

Common name
Chinese elm
Section
Bonsai
Style
Informal upright (moyogi)
Spot
Outdoor windowsill
Soil
Bonsai mix
Options
Potential

Bonsai: an informal upright, with fine branching and small leaves supporting a compact tree silhouette.

From
A local independent garden centre, Aug 2026
Age
About 7 years
Next repot
Around Mar 2027
Edible
❌ Not for eating.
Hardy
🤔 Borderline: shelter from hard frosts
Garden-centre price
about £35
RHS guide

Care & updates

Next root check
Mar 2027
What to expect
Slow and steady: expect fresh shoots each spring to pinch back, thickening a little more each year.
Feeding
Every 14 days, Mar–Aug, with Balanced bonsai feed, half strength
  1. Observation

    Drinking more than expected during the warm spell; substrate seems free-draining. Check daily while it stays warm.

  2. Observation

    Foliage healthy and dense. A few long shoots growing past the canopy outline.

🎮
Mega Drive moment Shinobi III: Return of the Ninja Master (Mega Drive)

Joe Musashi leaps through Japanese forests and bamboo groves, just the place for a little tree with big ambitions.

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