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Neither looks natural, you've drawn a main horizontal branch, this ties in with general outdated Japanese aesthetic guidelines ('rules') that is aimed at conifers. I tend to think all the 'rules' that people oblige by is what is holding back western bonsai. I'm sure the modern Japanese artists...

I think it's a shame you are often misunderstood on this forum and feel the need to be on the defensive. Your work on trees, scrolls, and stands (especially the latest ones) are all exceptional. Be proud, stay humble, and keep the creative fire alight!

I'll be hitting 98F on Sunday with 50% humidity. Want to trade? Please say yes....

Depends on your views on bonsai. I know you're a classical man so I knew this would be your response. But really, deciduous trees are known for growing 'sub-trunks' midway, or even further up the tree. This Maple would be a nice example of a twin trunk. The trident you showed while also 'nice'...

Really? It's just above the roots lol @Rob_phillips, I was liking the second photo you posted. @MACH5 virtual confirms what I was thinking. As Adair pointed out the nebari could use some improvement and you will achieve that in time with grafting as you mentioned. Nice project!

Nice work as always @ColinFraser, I've managed to find a few wild Celtis I'd like to dig, going to have to snap them up come winter time. Cutting to the lowest branch seems like the best move, loads more potential now

Progress is progress, it's on the right path. Keep being ruthless!

And the cutting is starting to gain momentum, photos are from 2 weeks ago, the trunk chop is already beginning to heal. Amazing trees, you better believe I've got more cuttings on the go!

One month on, after a trim. Regrowing the right branch which had died after the repot, already thickening nicely. And the callous rolling around the carving is coming in quick, beginning to think in 12 months time I may have to open it back up again

What ever happened to (D)bilbocannon? Do your BSD's have tracking abilities?

I'll be staying tuned. Long term projects are the best, loads of potential and plenty of time to do it right

Will be best to keep the top half in check and let the bottom branches run until late summer so they catch up in girth. Any curves you wire in will be lost unless they're extreme angles, but that's OK because you will then want to cut back hard to repeat the process and get taper in the...

What are your plans for the wound area, letting shoots run to try get some healing, or some carving? I would like to see more photos if possible:D definitely a lot of taper now and it does present a very powerful image

I kind of want to chop it to the 3rd branch at the front ;) I think the real thing that bothers me is the lowest branch, it seems to be growing upwards while everything else is horizontal or below. It's a nice looking trunk, and as the trunk and branches thicken you will see other options.

Damn! That's a hell of a chop:eek: I quite liked the trunk as it was but I can dig where you're going with it. Will you continue to develop in a grow box or pump it up in the ground?

I should not be showing you photos with that lock open, you won't even need a drone just walk in and introduce yourself :rolleyes: Now I'm thinking of a root over drone composition, Ficus fights back.

I do generally look for the smallest tree but this would be much too far IMO. I've got enough squat trees, I want something more believable. Looks like I've got 2 years to work on home security:eek: I would like to say I DID treat it and the moss came back, fact is Ive been lazy and am only...

Summer update, growing strong after a clip. Got 2 roots hanging over the edge of the pot 2 feet, almost hitting the ground. Good callous beginning to form and the carved area still holding up. Need more ramification and leaf reduction.

A bit more filling out and adjustment of branches. Still lazy on the weed situation. Reading @markyscott posts lately, I gotta perform some soji!

Summer foliage after a light trim, think I need to round out the canopy a bit more as its looking a bit square up top. Mealy bugs are my enemy on this tree, coupled with the slow growth rate I'm sticking to one trim during the growing season. A few more years or a decade may see a vast...

If I want a Ficus to backbud through defoliation, in my experience you need to cut the growing bud. Otherwise the branch continues to grow and all the leaves you clipped will sporadically set buds that won't grow until you disrupt the flow of auxin. I can see it being ok for deciduous trees as...

I am quite surprised that a cut back and defoliation did not yield any results. In any case, I rarely bother defoliating Willow Leaf Figs as its such a tedious job when their petioles are so small in length and shohin size trees can have possibly up to 1000 leaves. A lot of people advocate just...

Not enough changes to post any photos just yet, letting the shoots grow to get some vigour after the repot. Once the roots are filling up the pot I would expect plenty of aerial roots to start popping along the rock. Give it a few more months, thanks for asking.

Trees survive through floods...

This actually is a very interesting idea worth discussing, I encourage @MichaelS or anyone else to begin a new thread. We've all heard people quoting John Naka in regards to making a bonsai look like a tree, but those same people don't necessarily practice what they preach. I like the examples...