Formal upright hinoki cypress 'Well's select'

[Wood]

I started this tree during an intensive at Eisei-en. Formal uprights push my buttons in all the right ways, and I've got a small love affair with coastal redwoods and giant sequoias

Bjorn had mentioned a couple times in Q&As that he had bought an old field of balled and burlapped hinoki cypress. Most of those trees have been styled up and have left the garden so far. He even showed one at nationals this summer.

Before styling:


Since I needed a project for the intensive, I decided to style one of the remaining hinokis. I really wanted to lean into the redwood look, and included a very dramatic and extended tachiagari. Bjorn had some fantastic styling suggestions: (1) instead of a typical bottom directional branch, use a mid-level point branch, (2) use a lot of negative space in the pot to indicate direction, (3) keep multiple apices

Cleaned out and bottom branches removed:


All branches except the apex are wired and set:


Fully styled:


Gratuitous apices glamour shot:


View attachment PXL_20220116_181601436.mp4

We chatted about pot selection and figured that it would take a really long time to find something that worked. I stopped by Owen Reich's the next day before driving home, and this was literally the first thing we saw at his place:


I'm leaving the tree at Eisei-en for the next three years during the intensive course. The biggest reason is that I live in an apartment with a tiny balcony and don't have the space to keep a tree like this yet. Until I move to a house with a proper yard, it's going to be getting the best care around

 

[Deep Sea Diver]

Smoking hot project!

Looking forward to future posts!

cheers
DSD sends

 

[Huggz13]

Awesome!

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I have mixed emotions about that second apex

Pros:
They occur in nature.
It may help give the tree a sense of scale and age.
Generates energy and conflict.

Cons:
Distracting. Draws the eye to the second apex and not the primary.
Disrupts the outline and balance of the design.

It breaks some big rules... which could be a good thing or not, depending It would certainly be the subject of conversation I would wimp out and reduce it to improve the flow of the tree... but it's a personal call.



This is just a suggestion based on what jumps out at me from a single photo. In general, I love hinokis, and I think this is a great tree!

 

[BrierPatch]

That's a fantastic tree! I too love the Hinoki trees and have a few Wells Special's. It's also nice that the cultivar originated right here near me in NW Washington at Wells Nursery in Mount Vernon.
I watch for their specials they have and you can get them for a really fantastic price if anyone here in the PNW is interested.

I tend to agree with @Bonsai Nut on the second apex, but I'm not one to question Bjorn (or anyone) on his advise with my novice experience.

 

[Wood]

The secondary/right and tertiary/middle apices were something we talked a lot about reducing in the future. At the moment I'm leaning into the weirdness of the tree and seeing how it ends up.

I kinda like the right one being taller than the middle apex. It feels like it tells the story of the tree better because the branch for the right apex is significantly thicker.

The weirdness is definitely amplified in photo. Seeing it in person doesn't feel as awkward as it looks in 2D. I hope the foliage fills in nicely and smooths out the oddness of it a bit

 

[WNC Bonsai]

From the perspective Bjorn looks lime the jolly green giant standing there next to the tree. No e tree but I would cut that second apex back as far as possible and still retain foliage making it a branch instead.

 

[KikurageOtomo]

Totally understand the general consensus about an unusual feature such as a secondary apex like that not being entirely well received. Personally I think its quite charming, maybe there is something to be said about it being reigned in a bit, on the other hand it has an immense amount of visual interest.

 

[Leprous Garden]

I love the multi-apex look, makes the tree much more interesting to me. Very realistic! Bonsai is obsessed with making things look "natural" but then selects only the most manicured looking "natural" trees to mimic. Keep it weird!

 

[Zerobear]

I started this tree during an intensive at Eisei-en. Formal uprights push my buttons in all the right ways, and I've got a small love affair with coastal redwoods and giant sequoias

Bjorn had mentioned a couple times in Q&As that he had bought an old field of balled and burlapped hinoki cypress. Most of those trees have been styled up and have left the garden so far. He even showed one at nationals this summer.

Before styling:
View attachment 416643

Since I needed a project for the intensive, I decided to style one of the remaining hinokis. I really wanted to lean into the redwood look, and included a very dramatic and extended tachiagari. Bjorn had some fantastic styling suggestions: (1) instead of a typical bottom directional branch, use a mid-level point branch, (2) use a lot of negative space in the pot to indicate direction, (3) keep multiple apices

Cleaned out and bottom branches removed:
View attachment 416644

All branches except the apex are wired and set:
View attachment 416645

Fully styled:
View attachment 416648View attachment 416651

Gratuitous apices glamour shot:
View attachment 416647

View attachment 416650

We chatted about pot selection and figured that it would take a really long time to find something that worked. I stopped by Owen Reich's the next day before driving home, and this was literally the first thing we saw at his place:
View attachment 416642

I'm leaving the tree at Eisei-en for the next three years during the intensive course. The biggest reason is that I live in an apartment with a tiny balcony and don't have the space to keep a tree like this yet. Until I move to a house with a proper yard, it's going to be getting the best care around

Great tree. I love it. I guess others had criticisms, but you won't hear any for me. I see many years of enjoyment for you and that makes me happy.

 

[Wood]

Last weekend was my group's second session at Eisei-en, and I got a chance to work on this tree again. Bjorn put it in its first bonsai pot this spring, so it's out of potting soil and into aoki blend for now. He chose the pot from what he had in stock at the time. It's a pretty good fit, but I don't think it's the show pot for it

After:


Before:


360 video tour:

https://imgur.com/VXudavN

Gallery on Imgur

 

[Leprous Garden]

Amazing video

 

[The Barber]

Any updates on the hinoki?

 

[Wood]

Unfortunately, no. It died during the summer of 2023. During that winter, Bjorn had an insane cold snap and he had to prioritize saving the old trees. This one struggled to recover and eventually died

 

[The Barber]

Unfortunately, no. It died during the summer of 2023. During that winter, Bjorn had an insane cold snap and he had to prioritize saving the old trees. This one struggled to recover and eventually died

Maaan, that sucks. I have 6 of them I'm about to work on similar to it. I liked that one, what a bummer. Sucks Bjorn moved, reasonable drive for me to Nashville.

 

[Wood]

I really appreciate it. God kick with yours and I hope to see how they come out!

 

[Nybonsai12]

Bummer. It was a nice tree. Shit happens.