Mountain Hemlock - Repot

[sorce]

Yup.

Killer combo.

Deserves more pics!

Very nice.

Sorce

 

[dick benbow]

Looking forward to the update, thanks Graham

 

[Cadillactaste]

Amazed at how far you've taken this tree! I wanna see more angles please...

 

[Vance Wood]

It is really sad that this species of tree is not available outside of the West Coast and Mountain areas. I would venture a guess that it is not available in the nursery trade at all, a condition that totally escapes me. This particular tree is a wonderful example of the species and the work skilled hands can do with it.

 

[James H]

Great series of photos and instruction on how you are working on this tree. You tree looks amazing with that rock. I grew up in the middle of the cascade mountains in western Washington and you really captured the look of the trees high up the mountains. I cant way to see it when the roots are fully exposed.

 

[GrimLore]

Great to see! Always you brighten my day - Thank you!

Grimmy

 

[ghues]

Thanks

Thanks Sorce, Dick, Darlene, Vance, James and Grimmy.
Here are a few photos from earlier this summer. As you can see its very "loose, wild even" and free of wire. However more recently I have brought the branches back closer to the boulder.
This tree was one of my first rescue-dori's back in 2008 (a chunk of the logging road cutbank/slope had fallen into the ditch with this tree)…that’s when the bonsai bug really took hold of any spare time I had, so it’s a special one for me.
My mentor back in 2009 showed me how to take a straight branch and put some major bends in it…(I was going for a semi-cascade back then) however, at close inspection the "signs of an amateur" can been seen….I’ll hide it with a foliage pad.
Vance – this species is getting more popular within the PNW as far south as Portland as I know that Michael Hagedorn has some (and wants more) and Dan Robinson and many others in Washington have many of these in their collections. My mentor did tell me of one of his Hm went to Toronto but slowly died - but that could have been from lack of winter protection (only a guess).

My future issue is that I will have to come up with a different pot or perhaps a large landscape tray….and it will require a few more hands to move and set it in place lol.
Cheers
Graham

 

[Cadillactaste]

Thanks Sorce, Dick, Darlene, Vance, James and Grimmy.
Here are a few photos from earlier this summer. As you can see its very "loose, wild even" and free of wire. However more recently I have brought the branches back closer to the boulder.
This tree was one of my first rescue-dori's back in 2008 (a chunk of the logging road cutbank/slope had fallen into the ditch with this tree)…that’s when the bonsai bug really took hold of any spare time I had, so it’s a special one for me.
My mentor back in 2009 showed me how to take a straight branch and put some major bends in it…(I was going for a semi-cascade back then) however, at close inspection the "signs of an amateur" can been seen….I’ll hide it with a foliage pad.
Vance – this species is getting more popular within the PNW as far south as Portland as I know that Michael Hagedorn has some (and wants more) and Dan Robinson and many others in Washington have many of these in their collections. My mentor did tell me of one of his Hm went to Toronto but slowly died - but that could have been from lack of winter protection (only a guess).

My future issue is that I will have to come up with a different pot or perhaps a large landscape tray….and it will require a few more hands to move and set it in place lol.
Cheers
Graham

Oh I like the sound of the landscape tray Graham! Your eyes would be totally focused on the bonsai in front of you with nothing trying to steal the show. Just an amazing piece. I can't get over what you were able to do with the original collected piece.

 

[ghues]

Accent - Penstemon - Second flowering

Hi Folks,
I collected a Cliff Penstemon, Pestemon rupicola close to where the tree was collected and placed it with the tree at its last re-potting. It flowered back in late May but with a unseasonably warm summer and then a period of cool wet weather it flowered again...... They root from contact with soil so I've been able to make a number of cuttings this year.
Cheers G.

 

[ghues]

A spring update that I call Wild and Wooly.
I'm going for the wild look on this mountain hemlock as compared to the more classic formal approach of aligning all the branches so that you can see the underside of the branches with the ends all turned upwards. They don't grow that way naturally and besides this fluffy/puffy foliage masses closer reflects the metaphor I'm trying to portray.
Once the new growth starts to harden off I'll trim it back.
A couple of angles only as this thing is so heavy its very difficult to move with only two hands lol.
Cheers
Graham

 

[GrimLore]

A couple of angles only as this thing is so heavy its very difficult to move with only two hands lol.

Seems to me it is worth it! The progression has gone well and it appears in good health. Letting it go wild a bit sure makes it a natural beauty as well. Is just the shear weight of the stone holding it in place or?

Grimmy

 

[Vance Wood]

Gorgeous tree.

 

[ghues]

Thanks Grimmy and Vance, I'm glad that others appreciate this wild and crazy looking tree.
Grimmy, I've positioned its base on a small plateau/ridge that supports the base and I've draped the roots down to the bottom of the large brown grow pot - hence the ugly plastic pot holding the soil/roots adjacent to the stone (hard to see in the photos in the first post), the trunk wraps around itself on the stone and I've got a guy wire or two holding the upper branches tightly against the upper portions of the stone.
I'll update with more photos in the fall.
Cheers
Graham

 

[ghues]

A year has gone by, moved the entire "hord" (my wife's description) collection of my trees 3 times .....while our new home was being built....still working on benches.....other garden work has taken priority....but made time to do my annual "trimming" of all my Mountain Hemi's......here is this one.....only top third is complete. I'll get a better photo once I've got a much better set up and an extra pair of muscles as this one is v. heavy.
For first timers to this post....its a limestone column.
Cheers
Graham

 

[Wilson]

Amazing project! This really stands out in terms of thought and execution, a beautiful piece! Keep up the great work.

 

[ghues]

Amazing project! This really stands out in terms of thought and execution, a beautiful piece! Keep up the great work.

Thanks Wilson,
I try to portray this species as it is in the wild.....In that I have many Mtn. Hemi's that capture more of its natural branch (foliage pads) weeping habitat (breaking the rules for conifers that the foliage should always be upwards)......however, the more I work with this tree the more I want to follow the more traditional approach lol as that way it allows me to make the rock column compete for attention as much as the tree does. It's not a typical style and maybe less Japanese and more penjing....or should I state more Northwest Pacific....in that it captures the ensence of the alpine forests of our area.
Cheers from the west Coast.
Gran

 

[Vance Wood]

Thanks Wilson,
I try to portray this species as it is in the wild.....In that I have many Mtn. Hemi's that capture more of its natural branch (foliage pads) weeping habitat (breaking the rules for conifers that the foliage should always be upwards)......however, the more I work with this tree the more I want to follow the more traditional approach lol as that way it allows me to make the rock column compete for attention as much as the tree does. It's not a typical style and maybe less Japanese and more penjing....or should I state more Northwest Pacific....in that it captures the ensence of the alpine forests of our area.
Cheers from the west Coast.
Gran

Not to be arguing a point. but not all conifers are supposed to be upwards in the direction of it's growth.

 

[ghues]

Not to be arguing a point. but not all conifers are supposed to be upwards in the direction of it's growth.

That's right Vance, you caught me generalizing......lol

 

[Vance Wood]

I wouldn't have made a point if there were not so many newbies on the site. It should be pointed out that all species are treated in their own unique ways. Spruce, Hemlock, Cedars and False Cypress species usually have their foliage trained outward, downward and in a fan shape.

 

[ghues]

I wouldn't have made a point if there were not so many newbies on the site. It should be pointed out that all species are treated in their own unique ways. Spruce, Hemlock, Cedars and False Cypress species usually have their foliage trained outward, downward and in a fan shape.

I fully understand....recently it seems as though there has been a huge influx of folks that are taking up this unique form of art......which a great to see.
The more I work with natives the more I try to combine the characteristics of the species natural form......guided by a dose of traditional techniques..... somewhere between "mallsai" and "craftsai" mine will never really truly be bonsai "per se" lol.