Another US National Bonsai Exhibition Entry

Ang3lfir3

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So my wife promised that I would post my entry some time soon. Finally having the time and energy to setup the lights and photograph the entry and its companion planting.

I would have liked this image to have the companion planting more to the left but the table underneath the backdrop wasn't wide enough ... so use you imagination :p

The companion is several types of wild moss collected from a trip in the mountains several years ago. The tree is of course a Japanese Larch. I hope you all enjoy ....

ERidgeway2012USNBEentry.jpg


yes this tree has deadwood ... :)


Final Choice:
ERidgeway2012USNBEentryB.jpg
 
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goosetown

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That moss is gorgeous. I was just saying in a thread yesterday how much I like this look and how undervalued I find the practice of mossing an entire surface. I know it can potentially be a bear as far as upkeep.

I enjoy this one quite a bit.
 

Redwood Ryan

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Now, I assume in WA you don't leave the moss on at all times, do you?

It's a great tree and great photography job. I really like it, especially the pot and stand combo.
 
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Smoke

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Nice.

Check the shape of that stone bowl and then check your Willie Benz book and get back to me.
 

daygan

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Beautiful. I like the two wooden pieces acting as a stand for the moss container. Not knowing common display practices, I can only say that it looks innovative and artistic in its simplicity, but for all I know, maybe a lot of people are using "stands" like that...
 

Ang3lfir3

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Nice.

Check the shape of that stone bowl and then check your Willie Benz book and get back to me.

yeah yeah ... its ovate (irregular but ovate) .... but then again ... with a limited number of companion plantings... (most aren't mature enough yet)...
there is a small sedium in a round footed rough pot .... which was another choice for this tree.... its alpine enough that it shouldn't be a problem

and here I thought you were gunna harp on me for over use of shades of brown (cream would have been nicer)


edit: damnit .... ur right..... went outside and changed it to the sedum in the round pot..... much better ..... (thanks++)
 
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Ang3lfir3

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Now, I assume in WA you don't leave the moss on at all times, do you?
we don't generally leave this moss on there all year ... its a very fine tight moss .... there are some mosses we do leave and encourage all the time....

That moss is gorgeous. I was just saying in a thread yesterday how much I like this look and how undervalued I find the practice of mossing an entire surface. I know it can potentially be a bear as far as upkeep.

I enjoy this one quite a bit.

I believe that was my wife's tree you were talking about.... mossing is very important... this moss has been growing on their since April to give it enough time to knit together and become uniform
 

Ang3lfir3

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Beautiful. I like the two wooden pieces acting as a stand for the moss container. Not knowing common display practices, I can only say that it looks innovative and artistic in its simplicity, but for all I know, maybe a lot of people are using "stands" like that...

actually yes it is a common practice to make such a stand from slats... but thank you non the less...
 

goosetown

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I believe that was my wife's tree you were talking about.... mossing is very important... this moss has been growing on their since April to give it enough time to knit together and become uniform

Have you ever mossed from spore, or do you prefer to graft? I'm going to attempt sporing this Summer but it's something I have zero experience with. Any clue what I should expect, or any tips?
 

Ang3lfir3

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Have you ever mossed from spore, or do you prefer to graft? I'm going to attempt sporing this Summer but it's something I have zero experience with. Any clue what I should expect, or any tips?

never tried it.... doesn't seem much worth the effort... i just grab moss out of one pot and put in another... it grows... I'm happy....

this particular moss was collected from a nursery in Oregon (we drove several hours to go collect it) ..... we picked it up out of the pots and off the ground... they were happy to see it go...
 

Smoke

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yeah yeah ... its ovate (irregular but ovate) .... but then again ... with a limited number of companion plantings... (most aren't mature enough yet)...
there is a small sedium in a round footed rough pot .... which was another choice for this tree.... its alpine enough that it shouldn't be a problem

and here I thought you were gunna harp on me for over use of shades of brown (cream would have been nicer)


edit: damnit .... ur right..... went outside and changed it to the sedum in the round pot..... much better ..... (thanks++)

Nope thats not it.

Check again. I don't have a problem with the shape birds eye view just head on as in the picture.


Hint: its a left right thing.

You will see it. Just study the picture and look for weight distribution and it will all become clear.
 

Ang3lfir3

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Nope thats not it.

Check again. I don't have a problem with the shape birds eye view just head on as in the picture.


Hint: its a left right thing.

You will see it. Just study the picture and look for weight distribution and it will all become clear.

so are saying that it's pointing left? .... with that in mind I see the issue... maybe turn it around so the weight is on the outside?? now I am torn.... maybe I will try and get a shot with the other accent... of course waited till the last second as the tree is going over to the Pacific Rim for pick up tomorrow... :(

so turn it around? (I've read the book dozens of times [learn something new every time] but there is nothing like getting the perspective of a real person in the know)
 

Ang3lfir3

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so the other option for the tree is this sedum ... I think this actually looks better ... anymore I don't know what I think really ...

ERidgeway2012USNBEentryB.jpg
 

JudyB

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Without knowing much about the theory behind the correct choices, (although I am gleaning these threads and learning) I also like the sedum better. Something about the shape and how it's mounded and the small mirroring with the moss mounds... You just see it without looking at it. The other one, I look at the tree, then at the companion, then the tree... with this, I just see the whole.
Very nice.
 

Brian Van Fleet

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Beautiful entry Ang! The deadwood and pitch of the trunk is very convincing of a fallen giant. Well done!!! I like the accent plant, pot, and ji-ita.

If I was to hazard a guess to smoke's riddle, I'd say the accent plant seems to be headed left too, and urging the viewer to move left to the next display, quickly. If the accent plant was turned 180 degrees, the viewer may look at the tree, follow the line left, catch the accent, which sends the eye back around for another trip around the tree. The profile of the sedum should spill back toward the tree, instead of out of the composition...?

Or could it be that since the tree has fallen to the left, the accent should be on the right to better anchor the display?
 

amkhalid

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Very nice composition.

As my humble suggestion, I would recommend plucking all of the downward pointing needles just before the show. This will give the tree a much more tidy look... it will almost look like a JWP. A nice little trick for larches.

Of course, you are of the Dan Robinson school and may not be going for the tidy look :)
 

Smoke

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There is a tipping point to all this talk about display. As the display is now I like the small round pot and the sedum. I would cut it back and only allow maybe one or two balls to hang over, but I would make sure the whole pot could be seen.

Nuance. Add that word to your vocabulary for anyone wishing to put displays together with trees. This is not tree pornography. Bonsai should have some clothes on and not show everything. It should retain some mystery and allow the viewer to come up with their idea of what good should be. Let the viewer fill in the missing parts. start them on a path with just a hint of what your trying to say and let it stop short. Thats the key to success.
 

Ang3lfir3

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Of course, you are of the Dan Robinson school and may not be going for the tidy look :)
:p

good call :) i had considered removing the downward needles at about 1am last night.... I decided to leave them as it would be too tidy... I totally agree with you tho that it would tidy it up
 

Ang3lfir3

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thank you all for the comments I truly appreciate them .... this gets me all on edge and nervously thinking that I have missed something and either done too much or not enough...

glad to see that people are enjoying it .... that is all that I can really ask for ...

as you all already know... we are already making plans for 2014 and 16 ....
 
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