Forest/group/grove plantings

dragonlee

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Hello nuts,
I am putting together a plan to plant my first forest. I've done plenty of research, ie..reading materials, talking with people, watching multiple videos, and inspecting many pictures. In all of my research, I have come across forest settings of only one species of trees. I was wondering if it was just a bad idea to make a forest of different species together, against "bonsai rules," or something else. I'd like to do a mix of one of these combos.... larch/ Dawn redwood, or dwarf spruce/ larch, or cotoneaster/ boxwood, or cotoneaster/ quince, or boxwood/ birch. I really love the look of larch, and they grow great in my area. I just would love to have a mix of species in one grove setting. Any suggestions or criticism is much appreciated. Thank you in advance.
PS. If anyone have a multi species forest, I'd love to see them.
 

one_bonsai

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I guess if you have a one of each species it kinda looks unnatural
 

dragonlee

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One, I was thinking that, that is a reason there aren't any multi species forests. But, in "nature," there are always multiple species standing next to each other. So, I am just confused, as to why it doesn't "look natural" as bonsai.
I guess, when I put one together, that I will see for myself, why it's not done. Or, I will create something that looks great, to me, and will make multiple, different combo bonsai forests.
 

Forsoothe!

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It's a bad idea that will end badly. When there is only one species, the mind can rationalize the view of the trees into a rational picture. The view that will be presented by mixed species will be confused by the several sizes of needles/leaves. You won't be able to see the "forest" because your eyes will fix upon the leaves. The leaves of Tamarack that are all the same on several sizes of trees and look like a forest because your mind switches to "seeing" (read: concentrating upon) the juxtaposed several different heights without focusing upon the leaves/needles. Adding a third factor of different kinds and sizes (is that a third and forth factor?) will make it difficult for the mind to ignore the substantial difference between the sizes of leaves/needles and "see" the forest.

Remember, the primary tool of bonsai is trimming tree to look like they are miniature trees. We try to fool the eye. Anything we add to the display that is the wrong size, -a Buddha, mudmen, rocks, turtles, whatever, can completely ruin the intended picture in the viewer's eye if they are of different than expected scales. This is hard enough to do with one species.
 

Michael P

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I've seen a multi-species forest recently on this site that looked pretty good--sorry I can't remember the title of the thread. But it is hard to pull off for two reasons. The first is that the horticultural requirements of the two species must be nearly identical. The second is aesthetic. It just very difficult to create a unified convincing composition in the small space of a bonsai pot with more than one species.

Since this is your first forest, here is a suggestion. Start two small separate single species forests using two of the species you like and think would grow in the same contitions. If they both succeed, you can "marry" them in a larger container later. You could also marry a single tree to a forest of a different species. Keeping them in separate containers at first will simplify care. Even though separate you can train them together with the goal in mind of uniting them later.
 

Adair M

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Different species grow and develop at different rates, too, making it difficult to maintain the harmony/balance between the trees over the long term.

Let’s say you planted Japanese White Pine and Japanese Maple in one planting. The maples would outgrow the pine pretty quickly!
 

Hack Yeah!

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Hello, I've always liked the forest combinations of deciduous trees over boxwoods or azaleas as understory trees, @johng has some nice YouTube videos with some of these compositions

One example
 

WNC Bonsai

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There are several mixed forests here in the arboretum collection but as I remember they generally have several of each of only 2-3 species, as they would appear in nature. I have never seen a mix of 2-3 trees all of different species for many if the reasons already given you. You might be able to get away with one large tree of say one species and several of another. For example here is a bald cypress among several water elm.
7BAE809B-EA17-4309-98CF-B63F2D532EB7.jpeg
 

VAFisher

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There are several mixed forests here in the arboretum collection but as I remember they generally have several of each of only 2-3 species, as they would appear in nature. I have never seen a mix of 2-3 trees all of different species for many if the reasons already given you. You might be able to get away with one large tree of say one species and several of another. For example here is a bald cypress among several water elm.
View attachment 254784

Yes I was going to mention the mixed plantings at the arboretum in Asheville. I thought they were awesome. There was one called Appalachian forest or something like that, that contained hornbeam, maple and some other stuff. It was planted in a wooden tray if I recall. Point is, they can work well if the species involved have similar requirements.
 

dragonlee

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Well, thank you ALL!!! Each one of you have given me great advise. Each a little different than the other. My idea was to marry 2 species that grew together in the wild, but at same time, were harmonious with each other.
For now, I'll just try my hand at 1 species forests, and see if, down the road, I could merge 2 different forests together. If not, it's absolutely ok with me. Was just wondering why I don't see multi species forests. But, I now have answers to why. So, thank you. And please, if anyone does know of combos that work together, feel free to send my way.
 
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