Alpine Fir Scene

[grouper52]

My recent Sub-Alpine fir posting made me think to post this one as well for folks to enjoy after its yearly photo op. It occurs to me that the foliage and the undergrowth may both need a bit of trimming - it's looking a little too lush for an alpine scene, but otherwise I think it captures the feeling of the Western mountains quite well.

I put a single tree and a clump of three together - both bought at a regular nursery, but collected from the wild for landscaping - about three years ago, I think. It stands 42" above the rim of the pot. It's been a trouble-free source of much enjoyment to me, but all the firs are being killed off by terminal bud blight, so it may not be around much longer. All things pass - enjoy it while you can.

 

[redvw5]

Very nice work grouper. Love those firs

 

[irene_b]

Beautiful Setting Will...I can almost feel the cool breeze blowing thru them.
Irene

 

[AlainK]

It's really beautiful. The different elements go very well together and it looks very natural.

It's probably very hard to find a flat stone that matches this beautiful scenery, but have you thought of using one for the display? Maybe it would add even more depth if the stone is a bit larger than this pot.

But it's a matter of personal choice, and it already looks great like this.

 

[Walter Pall]

Very good.

 

[Bob]

You've bimbled along quite nicely on this on grouper!

 

[rockm]

Very very nice.

One quibble, --what a about a flat rock or ceramic slab about twice as long as the pot? That might open up the vista even more...

 

[grouper52]

Thanks everyone. I agree completely about the cramped feeling that the "small" 38" pot conveys - I would love to plant it on a slab about twice as broad as this pot, and should probably do so. The thing that has held me back is that it would need to be about a 6' slab! I'm simply not used to thinking THAT big, and the logistics of moving the thing around if I need to are daunting as well. BUT . . . I spend a fair amount of time hanging around with Dan Robinson, who has huge slab plantings all over Elandan Gardens, and you would think I would simply emulate his unstoppable attitude, wouldn't you? If I ever get off my butt and do the obvious I will certainly re-post. Thanks for the many suggestions to spur me in that direction.

Vic, Eric - You folks want to help me with the heavy lifting? (And I wonder if Dan might want this one donated to Elandan, to put on one of the many flat boulders he's got sitting around. I'd have to insist it be situated somewhere where it wouldn't simply cook on the hot rock surface. His only comment about this, BTW, was typical Dan - he was walking along looking at the trees in the front yard, stopped in front of it for about ten seconds looking at it silently, said "That'll die" - referring to the blight that will get it some day - and walked on! A way with kind words, that man. )

 

[rockm]

Have you thought about using two or three individual slabs that fit together to form the final image? That could be done effectively using artificial stone (like ciment fondue or the like). Constructing a "slab" that's basically two or three interlocking pieces would make it easier to move...and probably less expensive.

 

[grouper52]

Have you thought about using two or three individual slabs that fit together to form the final image? That could be done effectively using artificial stone (like ciment fondue or the like). Constructing a "slab" that's basically two or three interlocking pieces would make it easier to move...and probably less expensive.

It's an interesting idea, and would solve that problem, but I'll have to give it some thought - something about a big, solid piece of actual real estate, even if I was the only one who knew the difference, just appeals to my sensibilities more, and in a quirky way I somehow think the trees would "like" it better. How's that for irrationality, especially when juxtaposed with the question of whether my back might "like" it more if I did it the other way! Strange thing, the mind.

 

[rockm]

"something about a big, solid piece of actual real estate,"

It's your back...

There's a bald cypress forest planting at the National Arboretum that's on a slab that's roughly the size you're talking about.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Bald_Cypress,_1988-2007.jpg

They move it with a forklift...

I believe if your slab is much thinner than this one, you would face "structural failure" when you moved it-- and would wind up with two or three pieces anyway. Of course you might also wind up with only one leg and some broken trees, but hey, who's counting...;-)

 

[AlainK]

(..) The thing that has held me back is that it would need to be about a 6' slab! (...)

Wow! Not being used to speaking in inches, I didn't realise this was 106.7 cm high!

So yes, that's BIG. I understand now...

Just for the fun, here are two photos I took in a "Bonsaï museum" in the South of France two years ago. It is labeled as "The largest bonsaî forest in Europe" (spruce).

The first one shows the overall design (needed some weeding out I thought) :

I stand in the shade on the second one to show the scale (I'm 1m78, 178 cm / 0.3937008 = 70.1"
70.1" ÷ 12 = 5' remainder 10.1" or 5' 10.1") :

Yours looks better

 

[ericN]

Very nice composition Will. Sad about the future of this trees due to terminal bud blight.

eric

 

[grouper52]

Of course you might also wind up with only one leg and some broken trees, but hey, who's counting...;-)

Well, it's got an even number of trees, so that might solve that "problem'!

 

[Ang3lfir3]

Lol be happy to help with the lifting... I think we could do this pretty easily with a few people....

And lol that is very typical Dan.... Sometimes I wonder why I never bothered with the Limber Pines.... maybe I should have at least tried...

 

[Dwight]

Will , I'm sure glad you're posting here with such abandon. I really like this forest group and I usually don't like forest groups.

 

[Klytus]

Multiple slates on a slab,could solve the desire for real estate and the breakdown for transport.

 

[the3rdon]

I'm a little late with my $0.02, but that is an awesome group planting!! Grouper's that is.

 

[Saru Bonsai]

Beautiful planting. It looks so much like some of the natural landscapes seen around here, (Western Canada). The trees, ground cover, and rocks all fit look so much like the natural landscapes.

 

[grouper52]

Thanks for all the kind words. I'm glad you all like it.