Dare to dream

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I saw something that inspired me so I am now trying it. Will it work? This thread is my progression journal

Date june 19 2021
(Full moon june 24 2021)
18-29 C. 70% humidity
Expected chance of rain

Dwarf alberta spruce
Barberry
Euonymus
Birds nest spruce

Soil layered top to bottom

Rock drain for weight
Fine flat mulch
Vermiculite
"Mix" - 2 vermiculite 1 potting 1 chabazai
Pine bark
Rock drainage


Watered with promix root booster as label directed after rainfall

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Forsoothe!

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It won't work. They won't play together well. Remember, everything we do is to make an artificial environment that doesn't allow the viewer to mentally compare the miniature tree in comparison to other things which would be out of scale. A forest of one kind of tree can be viewed as if from a helicopter. When you place different species together the viewer has to choose which one to believe is real and that breaks the spell. It will always look like a funeral arrangement. The closest you can come to a mixed planting is a penjing which has lots and lots of supporting materials brought together because they support each other's image of a miniature scene.
 
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Thanks soothefor, I studied the trees and I see your point. But telling me it wont work has the same effect as telling Elon Musk that only governments can send things into space.

So thank you for the inspiration to dare to dream. For me penjing and bonsai is about mimicking nature as a tribute, and since the inspiration is directly from a local park which has significant meaning to me, this is as bonsai as it gets even if its extremely unorthodox.

Maybe 10 years down the road people will say- we used to do things one way, but because someone dared to dream we now know more than one possibility.
 

just.wing.it

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Lol! So deep....

I like that individualistic American spirit! Hell Yeah.....



...
........oh....uh....Ontario huh....well ok.....
 

Paradox

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We did a couple of mixed forests as a club group activity a few years ago. I saw one of them a couple of weeks ago and it looked pretty good.

Was it worthy of being in the Nationals, no but it was a cute little forest.

I too was skeptical when we did them originally but now I'm not convinced it can't work because I've seen it work.

It had azaleas, maples, juniper and a little Alberta spruce in it.
 

leatherback

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Thanks soothefor, I studied the trees and I see your point. But telling me it wont work has the same effect as telling Elon Musk that only governments can send things into space.

So thank you for the inspiration to dare to dream. For me penjing and bonsai is about mimicking nature as a tribute, and since the inspiration is directly from a local park which has significant meaning to me, this is as bonsai as it gets even if its extremely unorthodox.

Maybe 10 years down the road people will say- we used to do things one way, but because someone dared to dream we now know more than one possibility.
Did you just say you are the Elon Musk of bonsai? :)

Buuut.. I think multi-spcies forests CAN work, as long as you take species that miniature similarly and you are able to maintain them on a needs basis. To be fair, my forest planting in the 5 years competition is a multi-species, for shits and giggles
 

RKatzin

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Just do it! It will be beautiful! I live in the forest and I'm out in the woods everyday. I come across many simple little scenes, an open pocket in the trees, and across the little grass meadow is a stand of alder and ash with a few Doug firs and a yew tree. Maybe an azalea if there's water. Not an uncommon sight out here at all. Go for it and make something beautiful!
 
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Mapleminx is correct. But i dont claim to be like Elon in anything other than we both eat drinl sleep and breath. I also just like doing things for the very reason someone says "it wont"

The trunks ive selected are great material so instead of a "helicopter" view, it can be viewed from the ground. Plenty of natural looking spaces already and havent even trimmed
 

Mapleminx

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Mapleminx is correct. But i dont claim to be like Elon in anything other than we both eat drinl sleep and breath. I also just like doing things for the very reason someone says "it wont"

The trunks ive selected are great material so instead of a "helicopter" view, it can be viewed from the ground. Plenty of natural looking spaces already and havent even trimmed
You just do you, variety is the spice of life and breaking from the norm is how we discover new successes…or failures 😅 But we’ll never know without trying!
 

LemonBonsai

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Mapleminx is correct. But i dont claim to be like Elon in anything other than we both eat drinl sleep and breath. I also just like doing things for the very reason someone says "it wont"

The trunks ive selected are great material so instead of a "helicopter" view, it can be viewed from the ground. Plenty of natural looking spaces already and havent even trimmed
Im exactly this way. Others doubt drives me like nothing else. Use it and run with it!
 
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