Boxwood Stub - Korean, I think

[grouper52]

Here's a progression on a tree I got somewhere but in '08, a Boxwood, Korean I think.

I kinda liked the style it came as, trimmed up a bit in the first photo here. I thought, however, that I would take it way back and start a slow clip-and-grow training to make it into something a bit more interesting. The second photo shows the rather radical state I took it back to.

Now, four years later, the last photo shows it today. I will spend some time this season clearing out the foliage and applying directional cutting in anticipation of the next year's growth. Slowly it will take form, with only minimal use of guy wires and wrapped wires.

Clip-and-grow is a great technique for creating authentically natural looking trees, but it is only practical if a tree will grow reasonably quickly. It is a very popular technique in the tropics, but even in our climate here a few trees such as boxwoods and redwoods and Chinese elms and a few other deciduous trees grow robustly enough each year to make it a viable technique for the patient. I'm in no hurry with this tree (even just growing it in a regular pot rather than a training pot) so I'm just doing little bit to it each year and not hurrying the results.

I'll try to remember to post again after this season's work.

 

[JudyB]

Oddly enough, I like the second image the best. The base is so powerful in that image...

 

[grouper52]

I agree, Judy. When I get after it this season, for which the third photo is preparation, it will once again be taken down quite a bit, although it would be hard to maintain in such a sparse condition as the second photo.

I've also never been thrilled with the three trunks, and may remove or jin one at some point when the mood strikes me. I think that may help solidify where I want to go stylistically. The trunk is certainly the focal point, and the foliage should frame and accentuate that focal point, rather than draw the eye away from it. I hope also, though, to create the multiple tops that ancient deciduous trees develop, but once again, those tops will need to be lower and sparser. Moving in that direction is the work of this season.

 

[JudyB]

I'll be eagerly watching for updates...

 

[edprocoat]

I really like the three trunk look in this tree. It looks like something I would climb up as a kid, which is one of my visualizations of a real tree in nature and this tree accomplishes that readily. Great job.

ed

 

[grouper52]

Here's the trimming for this season. more when it grows out again in the next year of two.

 

[TheSteve]

This may sound utterly ridiculous but have you ever though about training this in a weeping style? it just popped into my head and I don't know why but I'm out of brain bleach so I thought I'd pass the idea along....

 

[TheSteve]

You hate the idea, I can tell. I need to find a way to set my computer to block any attempts to post after 9 pm

 

[evmibo]

i like it so far. still lots of options. the oak on the bnut homepage may give you an idea or two?

 

[grouper52]

TheSteve - actually I almost always post late at night: makes a great excuse for all sorts of craziness.

Actually, the weeping idea is not an altogether bad idea, but I'm actually going more for an oak style, such as evmibo has mentioned. The trunk and the tree overall are naturals for that sort of look.