From the curator's collection

[JudyB]

Here are the few shots I took, (not great quality, (phone) as I was unsure if I should even be taking photos!) But these were the two that I couldn't resist. The oak is awesome, with loads of wonderful tiny alligator skin cracking (love that stuff) and such a striking pose.

The hackberry is small and very strong. I only wish that it was not so much of a helmet shape for the top.... But that is probably the way the owner made it, and that is the way it is maintained. I love it anyway.

 

[rockm]

Thanks for the photos. Interestingly, both of these excellent trees are in Bill Valavanis' new "Fine Bonsai" book.

 

[Ang3lfir3]

@Judy -- really good shots with ur phone ... You have great taste (but you knew that already! )

the Hackberry is the Ben Oki ... in the thread here has a picture of it without its foliage ... it looks kinda silly in all those leaves (but still amazing!!!) .... its that winter show that knocks you off your feet tho!!!

 

[JudyB]

@Judy -- really good shots with ur phone ... You have great taste (but you knew that already! )

the Hackberry is the Ben Oki ... in the thread here has a picture of it without its foliage ... it looks kinda silly in all those leaves (but still amazing!!!) .... its that winter show that knocks you off your feet tho!!!

thanks, nothing special about the phone, just a fruitphone...

I didn't even realize that this was the same tree I've got in my files for inspiration, (been one of my faves since you posted a pic of it...)I had imagined that tree to be so much larger. Even more stunning when you see how powerful a small tree can be. And the naked shots explain why the top is the shape it is.
Thanks for pointing me back to that thread...

and thanks Dick for letting me walk all over this one...

 

[jackg]

deGroot is a Hessian name, is he originally from the New York/New Jersey area?