Japanese Maple #10

Walter Pall

Masterpiece
Messages
3,619
Reaction score
20,303
Location
south of Munich, Germany
USDA Zone
7b
What can one learn from this? The trick is NOT to be lucky, have a lot of money. purchase a really good tree and from then on be happy and the tree will get better by itself. Not true at all. The tree will only get better if you work very hard for the next ten years. In the end it looks like it just grew like this by itself. While one could have a really show-worthy tree in these ten years by doing nothing with my method the tree looks kind of funny all the time. If you really want to have a top bonsai you have to sacrifice momentary beauty for future quality. Most would not do this. and so they just don't have this quality. You cannot learn this from what they do in a Japanese nursery. There they simply cannot afford to do what I do. They have to sell and the tree has to look it's best all the time. That's a huge advantage one has as an amateur. Use it!
 
Last edited:

Hyn Patty

Shohin
Messages
456
Reaction score
492
Location
NC mountains
USDA Zone
6
What can one learn from this? The trick is NOT to be lucky, have a lot of money. purchase a really good tree and from then on be happy and the tree will get better by itself. Not true at all. The tree will only get better if you work very hard for the next ten years. In the end it looks like it just grew like this by itself. While one could have a really show-worthy tree in these ten years by doing nothing with my method the tree looks kind of funny all the time. If you really want to have a top bonsai you have to sacrifice momentary beauty for future quality. Most would not do this. and so they just don't have this quality. You cannot learn this from what they do in a Japanese nursery. There they simply cannot afford to do what I do. They have to sell and the tree has to look it's best all the time. That's a huge advantage one has as an amateur. Use it!

Great advice, and an outstanding tree! Thank you for sharing this with us. And to think it's only about 50 years old and has that size and grace. Clearly you know what you are doing, sir. Impressive.
 

BobbyLane

Imperial Masterpiece
Messages
6,058
Reaction score
17,659
Location
London, England
i think it's one of the best maples ive ever seen, that could actually pass off as a veteran deciduous tree. extremely impressive.
 

namnhi

Masterpiece
Messages
2,595
Reaction score
4,553
Location
Houston TX
USDA Zone
8b
Can someone school me on how to look at @Walter Pall photo series please. Are they in any kind of chronological order with the first photo being the oldest and the latter being the newest? They all impressive but I want to see and learn the progression. I seen many posts with photo and seems like they are not in order. Please correct me.
Thanks
 
Messages
277
Reaction score
338
Location
Katy, TX
USDA Zone
9A
They are exactly in chronological order - all of them - always.
Thanks. So I guess you do thin out the small branches after they filled in over the years as I see some of the recent photos that do not appear to have as many branchlets as the earlier photos.
 

Walter Pall

Masterpiece
Messages
3,619
Reaction score
20,303
Location
south of Munich, Germany
USDA Zone
7b
In my eyes it is a big mistake to let trees get too dense. I cut out lots of growth over the years to keep the tree transparent. It looks much better if it is transparent as one can see the structure . If there is too much foliage one just sees a ball. This is also true without foliage. I know that this may sound kind of odd as the majority try to get their trees as dense as possible. They make a big mistake, i think. Everything can be at an optimum. if you then continue it gets worse again.
 
Top Bottom