John Ruger
Shohin
- Messages
- 470
- Reaction score
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I've seen so many excellent progressions throughout the forum, so I thought to start one of my own; they've become invaluable tools for everyone in a multitude of ways and to those who've taken the time and effort, thank you.
So what is this thing?
View attachment 41388
I bought it last year for $15 in what looked like the out-of-season reject section of a local nursery. I fished around and there were a couple of dead branches around the base, but I thought it was worth a try. Took it home, kept it well and this year it grew like a weed.
I wanted to do some preliminary work today and see what possibilities there may be. I had to dig through the junk drawer to see if I still had the tag for the thing and sure enough it said it's a Grey Owl juniper. With the way this thing was growing and the overall character of the foliage (lanky doesn't do it justice) I realized this thing may fight me to the ends of the earth to even resemble something related to bonsai. So what the hell; give it the old college try.
It was loaded with branches of about every size, shape, configuration and state of either thriving or decrepitude. After cleaning it out a bit I was rather impressed with the overall character.
View attachment 41389
So, I picked out some deadwood options and fiddled with them until they were fairly well cleaned. I deliberately left them long with the idea that they can be reduced or eliminated later depending on how the wind blows.
I played around for a while looking at positional options and thought that either to let it stand as is in the 3rd. pic. or it looks interesting as a semi-cascade perhaps; we'll see.
View attachment 41393
View attachment 41391
Later, I went back and started to clean out the foliage a bit and gauge how this thing will progress. Hopefully, the foliage will cooperate and we can develop some nicely defined pads, but just looking at it I think it wants to fight.
So why bother with this one?
I think I see something really cool with this and if it cooperates, it'll show.
p.s. pic 3 wont rotate so if you turn your head 90 degrees to the left you'll have the correct orientation, sorry.
So what is this thing?
View attachment 41388
I bought it last year for $15 in what looked like the out-of-season reject section of a local nursery. I fished around and there were a couple of dead branches around the base, but I thought it was worth a try. Took it home, kept it well and this year it grew like a weed.
I wanted to do some preliminary work today and see what possibilities there may be. I had to dig through the junk drawer to see if I still had the tag for the thing and sure enough it said it's a Grey Owl juniper. With the way this thing was growing and the overall character of the foliage (lanky doesn't do it justice) I realized this thing may fight me to the ends of the earth to even resemble something related to bonsai. So what the hell; give it the old college try.
It was loaded with branches of about every size, shape, configuration and state of either thriving or decrepitude. After cleaning it out a bit I was rather impressed with the overall character.
View attachment 41389
So, I picked out some deadwood options and fiddled with them until they were fairly well cleaned. I deliberately left them long with the idea that they can be reduced or eliminated later depending on how the wind blows.
I played around for a while looking at positional options and thought that either to let it stand as is in the 3rd. pic. or it looks interesting as a semi-cascade perhaps; we'll see.
View attachment 41393
View attachment 41391
Later, I went back and started to clean out the foliage a bit and gauge how this thing will progress. Hopefully, the foliage will cooperate and we can develop some nicely defined pads, but just looking at it I think it wants to fight.
So why bother with this one?
I think I see something really cool with this and if it cooperates, it'll show.
p.s. pic 3 wont rotate so if you turn your head 90 degrees to the left you'll have the correct orientation, sorry.
