Five favorite trees of all time.

[Adair M]

Amcoffeegirl,

Now you've brought up an entirely new discussion!

Should trees be restyled over time? I can understand your wanting to maintain a status quo for sentimental sake. But is that really the best for the tree? Those tall containers are not.

Trees are not static. They continue to grow, mature, evolve.

The great bonsai of Japan have passed from generation to generation, from master to master.

I think your father would say that if you could improve the tree by restyling it, you should.

 

[amcoffeegirl]

Amcoffeegirl,

Now you've brought up an entirely new discussion!

Should trees be restyled over time? I can understand your wanting to maintain a status quo for sentimental sake. But is that really the best for the tree? Those tall containers are not.

Trees are not static. They continue to grow, mature, evolve.

The great bonsai of Japan have passed from generation to generation, from master to master.

I think your father would say that if you could improve the tree by restyling it, you should.

I would listen to the tree. But I would try to keep it in the original style.

Lol btw you brought it up first.

 

[Adair M]

Interesting...

It just happens I am currently working on restyling a JBP cascade that used to be very much like that cascade in the tall pot, and the cascade branch curled under it. The seller didn't want to sell the pot, but did want to sell the tree. He couldn't get the tree out without tearing the roots all up!

When I got it, it had been roughly stuck into a Dixie cup and pine bark!

My first order of business was to pot it properly into good soil. I did not decandle it last summer, just let it grow. I did remove all the wire. It's regained its strength, so it's time to rewire and restart its training. I'm hoping to have something showable in a couple years.

 

[amcoffeegirl]

I don't want to switch topics on this lovely thread if you like you can start another.
I'm happy to join you there so we can debate further about cascade pots or restyling classic trees.

 

[Adair M]

You are absolutely right.

Back to our favorite trees.

Here are a couple of my favorites:

 

[Dan W.]

No idea why but I am drawn to this little pine.

I love this Lodgepole too. It's not so little though...lol

 

[Eric Group]

Eric, that style of cascade is now "out of style", especially that type of pot. It's extremely hard to repot a tree that's in one of those. How do you loosen the roots off the sides of the pot down near the bottom? And how do you keep an even soil moisture consistency? The top could be dry but the bottom is still wet. Or vice versa.

And finally, would a cascade branch curl back under? If the idea us the cascade is growing on the edge of a cliff, the forces that caused it to grow down are unlikely to allow it to curl back under.

I'm not saying that the tree isn't well done, it is extremely well done. =QUOTE]

Let's say that my father who has passed away left me a cascade that he collected and left in my care. If it had been styled by him and potted in this manner. I would not change a tree to meet current trends or to be fashionable. I would keep it just as it is. As long as the tree is happy I would be as well. It would remind me everyday that beauty comes in many forms.

I understand you would rather have it presented like this photo - for example but I would not change it unless the tree asked me to.

Wow the one you added is fantastic! Amazing tree!

 

[Eric Group]

Eric, that style of cascade is now "out of style", especially that type of pot. It's extremely hard to repot a tree that's in one of those. How do you loosen the roots off the sides of the pot down near the bottom? And how do you keep an even soil moisture consistency? The top could be dry but the bottom is still wet. Or vice versa.

And finally, would a cascade branch curl back under? If the idea us the cascade is growing on the edge of a cliff, the forces that caused it to grow down are unlikely to allow it to curl back under.

I'm not saying that the tree isn't well done, it is extremely well done. I'm just saying that current cascade styling has moved away from that image. Here's one that I've worked on at Boon's:View attachment 65076

Sorry it posted sideways

I can understand where you are coming from, but I just don't like the look of those trees cascading down from a bare branch with no apex, and while I am fine with the wider, square pots... I still think of the taller, thin pots when a i think of a formal cascade! It may be out of style, but I got into bonsai a long time ago, so my tastes are mostly built around old styles I am sure...

Nothing against the tree you posted Adair- you clearly do fantastic work!

 

[Adair M]

Eric, it can certainly have an apex, my point was about the tall pot, and how the cascade branch curls back under the pot.

But, let's get back to posting favorite trees...



The tree above belongs to John Kirby. It is a twin trunk Japanese White Pine, Kokonoe. It was originally grafted onto JBP stock, but at some time it was buried deep and the Kokonoe rooted it's own roots. The JBP roots have been cut away. It is styled by Akio Kondo, and the plan is it will be shown at the 2016 National Exhibition.



The tree above now belongs to me. It is a shohin Japanese Red Pine. The first picture was taken at the BIB Show in 2011. The last two are more recent views of the front and back. The back is as interesting as the front! The needles are now only about 1/2 inch long.

 

[Eric Group]

Well... The trees in this thread are nice, but you want to see the trees that get me excited, you have to look at this kind of stuff:

http://www.j-bonsai.com/product-list/10

I believe the page this links to are Kimura's trees, but the quality of stock that is FOR SALE on this site is disgusting! Even the prebonsai are better than most the stuff I usually see in America...

Obviously, this is the high end. I know most stuff isn't this high quality.. No personal stories of how I am "Attached to" these trees or how I know the artists... Just showing pics of trees that I am moved by! These are the kinds of trees I think of when I think of my favorites or the best I have seen...

Now, if we are going to make it favorite trees of local artists, or favorite trees styled by people we know... Well I could find some good ones there as well!

 

[M. Frary]

Well... The trees in this thread are nice, but you want to see the trees that get me excited, you have to look at this kind of stuff:

http://www.j-bonsai.com/product-list/10

I believe the page this links to are Kimura's trees, but the quality of stock that is FOR SALE on this site is disgusting! Even the prebonsai are better than most the stuff I usually see in America...

Obviously, this is the high end. I know most stuff isn't this high quality.. No personal stories of how I am "Attached to" these trees or how I know the artists... Just showing pics of trees that I am moved by! These are the kinds of trees I think of when I think of my favorites or the best I have seen...

Now, if we are going to make it favorite trees of local artists, or favorite trees styled by people we know... Well I could find some good ones there as well!

Start the thread Eric. Or go ahead and put them pictures up on this one!

 

[TXyamadori]

Shantung Maple

This my favorite from my collection.
The white bark and nebari give way to the reddish green leaves in spring.

 

[milehigh_7]

Impossible to narrow down really but when I first saw this thread this is the tree that came to mind after being away from bonsai for a couple of years.

http://bonsainut.com/forums/showthread.php?5761-Collected-Hawthorn-History&p=235831#post235831

 

[Maros]

Wisteria

When I read this thread I started to think about my top 5. Find out I'm not able to put it together. I remember only one tree which stroke me so strongly that its clearly my No.1 inspiration. It is this wisteria bonsai. I saw it on front page of gardening magazine back in 1988. Picture was probably taken at Bonsai Nursery at Heidelberg, Germany owned by Paul Lesniewicz.
At that time Berlin wall was standing, and flow of information to Eastern Europe about anything from West was very limited. I knew nothing about bonsai, did not know something like this even exist. So when I saw this picture, and related article inside magazine, it was like magic. Magic works till present days.

 

[barrosinc]

This tree is no kokufu ten sumo azalea, but I think it will be the goal I have on an azalea I bought this week. I love that tree.



And a root over rock forrest of tridents on kokufu ten 79 book page 128, but cannot find any more info on it (I don´t even have the pic right now) and can't translate the japanese of the book.

 

[barrosinc]

Sorry page 138.
Does anybody have info on this tree? Or understand what it says?

 

[Vance Wood]

In general the tree is a Trident Maple native to China and other parts of Asia. Used a lot for bonsai because of the wonderful way the roots seem to pour all over surfaces and make really wonderful nebari and beautiful branch structure that show well when naked. If you want anything specific about the particular bonsai you will have to wait for someone to translate the characters in the text.

 

[barrosinc]

I was kinda looking for where to see more pics, and where is the tree located or so...
I think it is my all time favorite trident!

 

[sorce]

Finally my number 1.
This tree is also from a member here. This tree will always be number 1 in my book. It is the first bonsai besides my own that I ever saw in person. It has something about it that I can't quite explain. It draws me in. It looks like a tree stugging against nature. It's not pretty but at the same time it's beautiful.

Vance Wood's quasi-raft. Mugo pine.

Well since this thread popped back up.......

I watched the/a video on this tree the other night, and Damn, seeing it a bit more 3d is something!

Very nice Vance.

It definitely conveys a different feeling. Cant really find the words, I understand why this is #1, especially if seen in person.

Sorce

 

[Vance Wood]

Well since this thread popped back up.......

I watched the/a video on this tree the other night, and Damn, seeing it a bit more 3d is something!

Very nice Vance.

It definitely conveys a different feeling. Cant really find the words, I understand why this is #1, especially if seen in person.

Sorce

I am humbled that some here consider this tree to be that good. I'll try not to do it again please forgive me LOL--- Thanks Mike and Sorce and others, this tree is an example of why you don't throw out material. The guy I got the tree from was throwing it out. I have had people tell me that it was Fugly and would never amount to anything. But; I kept the tree and tried at various times to do something with it. Some might say you should have gone to a teacher. That too is a problem and choice that, thinking back on it now I am glad I did not take. The first thing a teacher would have told me; you cannot make a bonsai out of a Mugo Pine. We have been over this many times and you all know what I think about it. As the tree aged and matured and took on character, and as I aged and learned and matured artistically, at some point in time, our two paths crossed.