Boxwood Cascade

grouper52

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I've never seen a boxwood cascade, so when I saw this guy yearning to express himself in that way I thought I would offer to help out.

The original nursery stock photo is lost to posterity apparently, but this was just some big uber-bushy thing destined to a dull life in a hedge somewhere. It was, however, leaning over a bit, showing off some nice little novice attempts at nebari. I could have just gone forward with yet another box, but the thought of leaning it over a bit further, killing and carving the majority of it, and thereby making this into an interesting cascade just screamed out at me, and I went forward. Drastic root pruning and hard pruning of the main trunk, with initial wiring of the rest into a crown and a two-branched cascade, and here it is at the moment.

Enjoy.
 

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grouper52

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I thought folks might (or might not) like seeing this virted into a nice Tokoname. Enjoy. :)
 

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ianb

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I think this would work but I would probably reduce the jin significantly to perhaps a small stub with a hollow running into the trunk. Just my 2 cents.
 

Smoke

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You have my attention.
 

Attila Soos

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May be it's because I haven't had my coffe yet, but I just don't see a bonsai there. I just see a shrub.
There must be something wrong here, since I quite like your other works. There must be a catch here.
 

grouper52

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May be it's because I haven't had my coffe yet, but I just don't see a bonsai there. I just see a shrub.
There must be something wrong here, since I quite like your other works. There must be a catch here.

"Don't make your shrub look like a bonsai. Make your bonsai look like a shrub." Ghost of John Naka :D
 

Klytus

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I was out cycling today and stopped to walk through winter woodland,i found many trees in nature looked much worse than the shrub pictured.

Lot's and lots of spongy deadwood,i was in fear of being crushed flat by rotten timbers.
I felt constantly reminded of the Australian 'Widowmakers' trees,those that shed entire branches in response to drought.
I parked my cycle to inspect a gnarled specimen of Beech that had lost one of it's vertical trunks but decided i would avoid walking under it's horizontal limbs.

Would there be a warning,an inauspicious cracking sound that gave me enough time to see my doom hurtling towards me?

I avoided these brushes with death but find myself wondering about broom with deadwood.
It's prevalent here in nature,but is it the done thing in Bonsai to recreate such a diseased and distressed look?
These big trees were mainly Oak and Beech and growing in possibly ideal conditions.
Should Bonsai look better than ideal?

As an afterthought i was pondering deadwood left where it fell,would that add authenticity to the design?
 
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ghues

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Klytus,
I think that you have an interesting point (and look forward to comments on it) that perhaps needs its own thread....rather than de-railing Groupers?
Cheers G
 

grouper52

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Klytus,
I think that you have an interesting point (and look forward to comments on it) that perhaps needs its own thread....rather than de-railing Groupers?
Cheers G

Hi, Graham. While I appreciate some of the sentiments behind your suggestion, I also like the post by Klytus right where it is.

I'm sitting down tonight to begin my final proof reading and editing of the Dan Robinson biography and retrospective, and I just got through reviewing my polishing of the Foreword which Walter Pall so graciously wrote. It is a truly excellent little treatise on the naturalistic style, and it got me to thinking further.

This little tree of mine, like most of my others, is also from the naturalistic style. It is very early along in it developmental journey, but even though it will be refined over time, it will likely always retain a bit of the wild qualities seen here, and seen out in nature.

That my post inspired Klytus to view or recall more deeply his awe and impression out in nature tells me that this tree hit sometime of the right note with him. I don't mind at all if my thread is highjacked in such a way, although his thoughts may indeed get a broader readership if he posts them elsewhere. It's fine with me either way.
 

Klytus

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I went cycling and looking at trees mainly because little else was happening,i found some scrub had been cleared and a bench installed,the area had been named as Whipsnade Heath.

The most striking tree growing from a gently sloping grassy bank looked rather similar to the shrub but where the shrub has deadwood the tree had a profusion of living branches.

Maybe in spring i will go with my Camera.

I can try to show the tree in question,it may or may not work.

Select birds eye and click on the circle.

http://www.multimap.com/maps/?count...82:20|undefined|&ib=favourites|savedfavourite
 
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ianb

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Ahh near my old stomping grounds. Used to live in Tring & Aston Clinton, spent many a Saturday afternoon at Whipsnade Zoo with my daughter.
 

Klytus

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If you have been away for awhile i can confirm the Pines are still attempting to recolonise Ivinghoe Beacon.

I suspect in ancient times the hills were wooded with Pines,the Five Knolls were possibly situated in a Pine glade atop the downs.

Not so today,it's all pockets of Hawthorn.

Aston Clinton was a family seat of sorts,until the council of the time cleared away the family manor to build their council estate.

The Giant Sequoia in Tring is still going strong.

At the new Dunstable Downs heritage center blind people can 'feel the view' with a bronze relief of the area.

Update: I checked my facts and the family manor was cleared away for private houses!,Green End Lane or somesuch.
 
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grouper52

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Update today. Inspired by the several recent penjings I've worked on, I took this guy in that rather obvious direction. Refinement of foliage and deadwood over time may be forecoming, but otherwise this will be his basic form for the forseeable future.

Of course, he could still easily go back into a pot at any time if I want. :)
 

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I would be completely in love with it if the tree were a little more to the left... beyond that I reeeeeaaallllllyyyyy like it a lot.

V
 

nip

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Your idea reminds me of another nice naturalistic boxwood featured at BCI, originating as a hedge in Mobile, AL. This one was modeled after our majestic live oaks. I think your virt is a great direction for your tree
 

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grouper52

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Your idea reminds me of another nice naturalistic boxwood featured at BCI, originating as a hedge in Mobile, AL. This one was modeled after our majestic live oaks.
That's a beautiful tree! Thanks for posting it.
 
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