Trident Maple Forest

Dorian Fourie said:

Thanks Bolero

Appreciate the feedback.

Just to give you an idea of the plan going forward. I will definitely be putting the stairs and the rocks back in. On the left hand side closest to the edge, I will be adding in rocks to make it look like a cliff / rock face with a sharp drop almost over the edge of the pot. The open space to the right will gradually get less rocks as it moves from the forest into the edge of the pot. The effect I am trying to create is one that you will either be walking up a slight hill into a forest and it getting more rocky as you go upwards or the opposite effect of leaving the forest and moving towards the open.

I think once it is done (and if I do it properly) it will stand out.

Now to go and get more rocks and in about 2 weeks, I will start the positioning and planning. So watch this space.

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I like this scene quite a lot. Looking forward to your update with the moss and new rocks placed in. I think this would look good on a slab also but the new pot is a definite improvement to my eye.

I think the negative space is drawing me eye away from the forest. Your photoshop image was nice, very encompassing and the trees are more distinct, alive even.


Feel like I'm leaving a great fishing/camping spot next to a river......to walk into a parking lot.
Once you moss it up and do the nice work you do with those stones, it'll look much better, but still, the trees are looking so good...too much towards penjin.


Still like quite well, thank you!! the layout of the trees themselves is sensational, why distract from that? Take this forest in a second!!!!





edit: hope you don't mind and no offence!

LanceMac10 said:

I think the negative space is drawing me eye away from the forest. Your photoshop image was nice, very encompassing and the trees are more distinct, alive even.


Feel like I'm leaving a great fishing/camping spot next to a river......to walk into a parking lot.
Once you moss it up and do the nice work you do with those stones, it'll look much better, but still, the trees are looking so good...too much towards penjin.


Still like quite well, thank you!! the layout of the trees themselves is sensational, why distract from that? Take this forest in a second!!!!

View attachment 162871

View attachment 162872

edit: hope you don't mind and no offence!

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Thanks so much for the feedback

No offence taken. Actually I appreciate having honest feelings and feedback as it helps me learn and develop.

You may be spot on with your feelings but over the next few weeks, I am hoping to get it all mossed up with the rocks and then we can see how it pans out.

Thanks
Dorian

Hi Dorian, looking forward to seeing updates on your Trident Forest, soon I hope ???

Off Topic here is a picture, Iconic South Africa, Acacia and Giraffe...I have tried to replicate this scene... to no success tho.
Would you consider something like this ?

The thing that really need to be done to really set this off, is some of the trunks to be be grown out as they are all kinda the same size.

Giga said:

The thing that really need to be done to really set this off, is some of the trunks to be be grown out as they are all kinda the same size.

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Absolutely

I am leaving some of the trees just to grow out before I will cut them back at the end of the growing season. Hopefully that will make a difference.

Bolero said:

Hi Dorian, looking forward to seeing updates on your Trident Forest, soon I hope ???

Off Topic here is a picture, Iconic South Africa, Acacia and Giraffe...I have tried to replicate this scene... to no success tho.
Would you consider something like this ?

View attachment 163575

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Hi Bolero

Right now the moss is settling in around the base of the trees. It is actually starting to look quite nice. Over the next few weeks it should merge totally into each other. I am trying to remove all the creeping moss so every now and then it is long nose tweezers and pulling out bit by bit. I open area on the right will get more moss in the next few weeks. I am just needing to go and collect it but that is not quite on the agenda at the moment.




Now with regards to the picture that you posted. Yes a typical african sunset and very very difficult to replicate nicely. I know Nigel Saunders from the Bonsai Zone on You Tube did an African style scene with a Serissa foetida and has all the progess on his you tube page.

This is the link to the first video



Here in South Africa we actually have another style known as 'Pierneff Style' named after a famous South African landscape painter - Jacobus Hendrik Pierneff. He was know for painting Acacia trees and a style was named after him.

One of his paintings


Probably one of the best known 'Pierneef' or 'Umbrella' Style trees from SA is one by the late Louis Nel. It is actually a buddleja salinga. Now imaging you put a good giraffe underneath this tree and see the effect.

@Bolero

I am currently growing a few Acacia to try and replicate the umbrella thorn or 'Pierneef' Style

This is an Acacia Burkei (Black monkey Thorn). I have been developing it for 10 yrs now and it is starting to get closer to being ready to show. Probably about another 1 - 2 yrs.
The canopy needs to fill out more to the sides and I need to decide if I am going to remove the lowest branch on the left. If I remove that lowest branch, then I will need to bring the 2nd branch on the left upwards slightly and thin out the bottom of the canopy.

It has been a month since this pic was taken and I will probably decide what to do with it in the next week or 2. I might start a thread about this tree.


This is an Acacia galpinii - Monkey Thorn. This is going to be a 'Pierneef'style tree. The difference between Pierneef and Umbrella is that on a Pierneef the canopy is much smaller and compact and not as large as the umbrella. It is a very fine line between the styles though. The canopy is not going to be any bigger then it currently is and I am working on getting it nice and rounded. Next year I will work on reducing the root ball and getting it into a shallower pot.



Pierneef style african tree.


The 3rd one is also an Acacia Burkei - Black monkey thorn. This one I got gifted from my neighbour who's mother had passed away. She had it growing on her veranda and the branches had grown really long to try and get to the light. You can see it in the bend of the trunk too as it was growing towards the light. Over the last few years I have been cutting the branches back considerably to try and get the branching correct and now I am starting to see results.

This is from Sept 2009


This is from Sept 2017. Starting to look much better although I never think it will be perfect due to the movement of the trunk. But I will still get a good (Not great) umbrella thorn style out of it.

Dorian thank you for sharing your pictures, efforts and Info, it is most interesting...I especially like the tree in #107, let the sides grow out, trim top up or flatten a little and you've got it. too Helmet looking now, need to Naturalize it a bit...JMO
#108 is outstanding and even more so when the foliage thickens up...
I applaud all your expertise and skills, you've got it going on....

Bolero said:

Dorian thank you for sharing your pictures, efforts and Info, it is most interesting...I especially like the tree in #107, let the sides grow out, trim top up or flatten a little and you've got it. too Helmet looking now, need to Naturalize it a bit...JMO
#108 is outstanding and even more so when the foliage thickens up...
I applaud all your expertise and skills, you've got it going on....

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Thanks so much. Appreciate the feedback

Time for another update.

Over the last few months, the temps have been really hot here in Johannesburg South Africa. It has been hitting the high 30's celcius. That has been causing huge problems with the moss. I have had to water excessively because of the shallow pot and the heat. The moss has then formed a thick black slimy jelly like substance on the top and as soon as that dries, it becomes hard and it kills the moss.

As you can see from the next picture, it doesn't bode well for the moss.


Over the last weekend, I found an area at my mates house that was an absolute moss paradise. I counted 5 different types of moss in the area and I collected a container full.
I made sure I got the pieces out that I was going to use to place in the areas where the previous moss had died.



I removed all the dead moss and loosened up the soil.


The new moss got planted, watered and pushed into the soil.


After that, it was back into the garden for the moss to settle. Hopefully it will take nicely. The temps are still high, but I am moving the forest to an area that gets less sun.

@Dorian Fourie I think the black slime is algae

Agae from wet and fertilizer probably. Had it with organic liquid and organic particles some years ago.

parhamr said:

@Dorian Fourie I think the black slime is algae

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dirk hoorelbeke said:

Agae from wet and fertilizer probably. Had it with organic liquid and organic particles some years ago.

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Thanks Guys.

It is horrible stuff. Makes almost like small black jelly balls that then burst and dry. It can be removed but that is such a time consuming exercise.

Yes.

LanceMac10 said:

edit: hope you don't mind and no offence!

Click to expand...

I mind! You don't even do YOUR trees like that!

Good eye!

Dorian! I missed this since the changeover...

Killed it! Love the well proportioned downed logs....

As the trees grow up, and the mound comes down, this is going to be really swell!

Sorce

sorce said:

I mind! You don't even do YOUR trees like that!

Good eye!

Dorian! I missed this since the changeover...

Killed it! Love the well proportioned downed logs....

As the trees grow up, and the mound comes down, this is going to be really swell!

Sorce

Click to expand...

Thanks so much Bud

All a work in progress. The logs were a last minute addition. A wild olive yamadori that’s i dug in Aug 2017 doesn’t look like it will make it. The branches are dying back but the trunk is still green. So all the branches that I have been breaking off have actually been left in the pot and I saw them and quickly added them in. I agree that it works well. Have actually put them in a safe place for when I will show the tree

Next step will be to replace the rocks and see how it looks

Today I decided to start putting the rocks back into the forest. It took me about 3 hrs to get these few rocks in and be happy with the positioning... It was putting the rocks in, placing the moss, having a good look, removing the rocks and moss and starting again. Eventually I was happy.

Tomorrow I will put in the rest of the rocks on the left hand side. I am still undecided if I am going to put the stairs back in as I feel that it may look better as a more natural nature look.

Yesterday, I started to finish off the forest with the rest of the rocks.

I had to hollow out the rock so that I would fit into position without having to cut too many roots off.

This is the piece that needs to be hollowed out.


I carefully cut grooves into the rock

I then broke the groves out and smoothed out the area with the angle grinder



This rock has great character and will fit in nicely with the forest.

This is the front side that I need to work on.



This is the side view of the forest and another area that needs to be worked on.


I carefully lifted the moss and put it safely to one side.