English Elm Yamadori

[BobbyLane]

@ConorDash Hi mate, this is collected from the wild, likely an old sucker that would of sprouted from an old root system, of a much larger tree/hedge/stump. i bet if you go out into the woody parts of Essex they'd be material like this dotted about the place. just have to keep your eyes peeled, or you'd miss it. its also easily attainable if looking to buy. Kaizen have some good Yamadori and ive seen a few bits on ebay lately...
If wanting to learn more about the native Elms, there's a book by Colin Lewis The art of bonsai design. im learning a lot from it.

 

[ConorDash]

@ConorDash Hi mate, this is collected from the wild, likely an old sucker that would of sprouted from an old root system, of a much larger tree/hedge/stump. i bet if you go out into the woody parts of Essex they'd be material like this dotted about the place. just have to keep your eyes peeled, or you'd miss it. its also easily attainable if looking to buy. Kaizen have some good Yamadori and ive seen a few bits on ebay lately...
If wanting to learn more about the native Elms, there's a book by Colin Lewis The art of bonsai design. im learning a lot from it.

Yeh that's something I've debated doing, must be plenty where I live as I'm in the countryside. I'll have to find info or guide or what to really look for, but I'm only brginning so in the meantime maybe not jump in to that yet , thanks.

 

[sorce]

maybe not jump in to that yet

Oh..... jump feller jump!

You could Probly collect an elm NOW!

I have! Successfully!

http://www.bonsainut.com/resources/the-importance-of-starting-with-a-good-trunk.11/

@BobbyLane sorry to dirty your thread...
Thank you kindly for speaking with the Dash Man!

Sorce

 

[ConorDash]

Oh..... jump feller jump!

You could Probly collect an elm NOW!

I have! Successfully!

http://www.bonsainut.com/resources/the-importance-of-starting-with-a-good-trunk.11/

@BobbyLane sorry to dirty your thread...
Thank you kindly for speaking with the Dash Man!

Sorce

Lol thanks. All good information, and yes sorry for going off topic Bobby.
Thanks guys.

 

[JudyB]

Good one Bobby. The rock adds a nice illusion, and seems fitting to me.

 

[petegreg]

Good point @sorce on collecting, here's a homework for Conor: http://www.bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATquercus rootpruning and repotting.htm

 

[ConorDash]

Good point @sorce on collecting, here's a homework for Conor: http://www.bonsai4me.com/AdvTech/ATquercus rootpruning and repotting.htm

I'm just nearing the end of the basics page of that site, having read it all through so far. I'll be getting to advanced section after that . Don't worry, I've got my homework and it's on going lol.

 

[M. Frary]

Hawthorns! You guys got opportunities to collect some great ones there. They were used as hedges in England at one time right?

 

[Waltron]

awesome tree, heres a link to the oldest English elm in the world. neat trees.

https://imgur.com/a/MXF7e

 

[BobbyLane]

@M. Frary back in the day it was mandatory for land owners to mark the borders of their land with enclosures and English elm was the most common and effective species used for hedging bordering, Hawthorn and Beech were also used. id say Hawthorn is the most common used for hedging today though.

@Waltron hi buddy, yeh i saw those, @peterbone recently photographed those trees. awesome specimens

Great inspiration, im styling a shohin english elm along those lines atm

 

[drew33998]

ROCK ON

 

[Maros]

Nice tree mate. A lot of potential. If you manage to sort few details it will be great tree.

 

[BobbyLane]

Hi Maros, im an admirer of your work and the material you work with. when you say few details, do you see aspects of the tree that you would improve or just making a general observation? Cheers

 

[Maros]

Hi Bobby, I like base and trunk up to the point where it goes up again. There it thickens (at least optically) and this seems to be most problematic point of the tree. I would say you can sort it out, by decet carving which will be designed to suit original natural dead wood of the lower sections of the trunk. Then creating crown which will suit the trunk will be easier part. Hope it helps a bit mate.

 

[BobbyLane]

Hi Maros thanks for those suggestions, I can see that too, those details will definitely be given consideration over the future. I also think the width of the canopy can be reduced, thus making the trunk look more powerful and dominant. I think thats what you mean when you say a crown that will fit the trunk.

 

[sorce]

Bobby....

I looked at that rock again...

Did you commission God himself to make that rock for you...?

Works great.

Sorce

 

[Giga]

I have a old mangly pear that this tree might be his new role model

 

[BobbyLane]

Hi folks, ive been looking at this one and think it would make a great semi cascade, which is a style thats grown on me as was never a fan before. but i think this could possibly improve the tree....
would potentially mean reducing or removing the left branch and putting all the focus into the central and cascading branch. but i also think this will improve the trunk line, as you can see where all branches meet, the trunk swells a little.
I think this is what Maros meant when he suggested it could be a better tree, only took me a few months to figure it out


13932857_1077555742309466_1713460447331272398_n by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

Thoughts? the right branch would then be trained to cascade downwards, as if the tree is growing out the side of a mountain

 

[TomB]

Hi Bobby
For me the gut reaction is 'no'. If I were to make a change I think the other direction is more promising - in pictures at least.

 

[BobbyLane]

Hi Tom, other direction as in the tree as is now or going back the other way. The left branch has a lot of movement, character, taper....would be a shame to see that go really. another option is removing the right branch and thus being able to reduce some of the wood in and at the back of that area. this would also improve taper from the front n back. then building a more compact broom shape with the remaining two branches. or i can just live with the tree as is.

13932857_1077555742309466_1713460447331272398_n (1) by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

another direction, here you lose balance which would then be corrected by rebuilding the canopy..