Cedar Elm Forest

[willhopper]

The wife and I completed our Cedar Elm Forest this weekend. We still have to trim and style a bit and add some more accent pieces, but it’s essentially done. Here are some photos of the various stages.

 

[0soyoung]

Quite nice.

You made the slab?

 

[willhopper]

No, a friend did, but I know how. Just not sure if I will.

 

[Eric Group]

Looks like it was out together well, the slab is nice. Good healthy trees!

I think that small tree close to the middle that moves abruptly right is jarring and would fit better maybe all the way to the right... they are too evenly soaced also- as arranged, looks like a bunch of individual plantings put together. Adding some smaller trees of varying size might help with the over all look, adding some density.. make it look more natural!

 

[jriddell88]

Also may want to cover the surface with shredded sphagnum moss with shredded moss , might wash the soil away when watered , the sphagnum will help with that ! Looks good though , fun project , once the moss starts growing the soil will stay intact , how’d you make your muck ?

 

[willhopper]

Looks like it was out together well, the slab is nice. Good healthy trees!

I think that small tree close to the middle that moves abruptly right is jarring and would fit better maybe all the way to the right... they are too evenly soaced also- as arranged, looks like a bunch of individual plantings put together. Adding some smaller trees of varying size might help with the over all look, adding some density.. make it look more natural!

Thanks, Eric. It’s nine trees, just in case you can’t tell from the camera angle, because these tress aren’t really evenly spaced when you see it in person. They don’t sell cedar elms any smaller than the smallest ones we have, and the larger ones they do sell are too big for this project. We will be adding smaller accent pieces, such as golden ferns and maybe some cuttings to help with density.

We had the tree that takes a right turn all the way to the right in one of our earlier mappings, but it just went too far off the plan and didn’t look right. As you might be able to tell, I placed it leaning forward to aid in softening the lean. My wife wanted it like that because this forest partially replicates a childhood memory of hers where the forest creates a sort of canopy.

Thanks for the suggestions. We will continue to tweak.

 

[willhopper]

Also may want to cover the surface with shredded sphagnum moss with shredded moss , might wash the soil away when watered , the sphagnum will help with that ! Looks good though , fun project , once the moss starts growing the soil will stay intact , how’d you make your muck ?

Thanks. Did you see the photo of the finished forest? That shows the entire floor is covered in lush green moss with a path cut out through the middle. The lighting was pretty dim in the house when I took that final photo so it may look like it’s still soil, but there is no soil exposed in the final shot.

We made the muck out of sphagnum moss, peat moss and powdered clay and water. It was pretty easy.

 

[jriddell88]

Ah yes I went back and looked missed that one as it was dark , good job man , awesome your wife is helping , sounds like a keeper

 

[Eric Group]

Thanks, Eric. It’s nine trees, just in case you can’t tell from the camera angle, because these tress aren’t really evenly spaced when you see it in person. They don’t sell cedar elms any smaller than the smallest ones we have, and the larger ones they do sell are too big for this project. We will be adding smaller accent pieces, such as golden ferns and maybe some cuttings to help with density.

We had the tree that takes a right turn all the way to the right in one of our earlier mappings, but it just went too far off the plan and didn’t look right. As you might be able to tell, I placed it leaning forward to aid in softening the lean. My wife wanted it like that because this forest partially replicates a childhood memory of hers where the forest creates a sort of canopy.

Thanks for the suggestions. We will continue to tweak.

Sure! Just my opinions, obviously it is your creation! I was thinking taking some cuttings could get you the smaller ones- an aray of smaller sizes along the back of the planting would add some depth and density I think.

 

[willhopper]

Sure! Just my opinions, obviously it is your creation! I was thinking taking some cuttings could get you the smaller ones- an aray of smaller sizes along the back of the planting would add some depth and density I think.

Thanks, again. Yes, my wife is really into propagating so I think she will do that and if they take, a couple years from now when we repot we might add cuttings.

 

[willhopper]

Ah yes I went back and looked missed that one as it was dark , good job man , awesome your wife is helping , sounds like a keeper

She got me into bonsai and she is definitely a keeper! And thanks!

 

[sorce]

Leaves are pretty!

Love the slab shape.

Diggin the tree placement. The three group, amd the one left of them...great!

But....

What the hell are the pop(soda) tabs for?

Sorce

 

[jriddell88]

Those are PBR tabs , we used to collect em too , show how many beers we drank

The bark is starting to look good on these man I just looked again

I need to get my lady buildin slab planting’s !!

 

[willhopper]

Leaves are pretty!

Love the slab shape.

Diggin the tree placement. The three group, amd the one left of them...great!

But....

What the hell are the pop(soda) tabs for?

Sorce

Actually, the tabs are for a girl who gets dialysis. Apparently the tabs earn her treatments, a local teacher collects them for her so we save them. And thanks for the comments on the forest.

 

[willhopper]

The lighting was so poor last night so I took a few shots just now outside before the sun would set.