Hawthorn

[AlainK]

I for one think you took the right decision.
Less is more in this case.
Nice work.

+1

Very good job Bobby.

 

[Jacos]

Great build up.
Way to go !

 

[BobbyLane]

A winter update, still early days, but quite an improvement in the primary structure...
It was wired over summer and been taking wire off the last few days, in future ill mainly use clip and grow to style the tree..
IMG_3246 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
IMG_3247 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
IMG_3248 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

Bark starting to show some character
IMG_3253 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
IMG_3257 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

 

[BobbyLane]

Hi folks, i recently slipped this one into another pot....

2017-01-08_07-34-17 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

But im interested in hearing whether there could be a better angle?

I did a 360, let me know that you think folks....personally i think the tree has more movement, better taper, full spread of the nebari from the below rotation...

2017-01-12_05-22-02 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

 

[AlainK]

Hey Bobby, I love this one!



You probably know why! mad

I think the first picture shows its best side, but other angles are intersting too a sign it's a good bonsaï.

To me, it's the best of your trees I've seen in a while.

It's got a personal touch while keeping up with what has become a tradition : the "English tree with a lot of dead wood".

Here, it's not conspicuous but adds to the character of the tree.

Protect it from the wind and freezing temps to come.

Congratulations Bobby

 

[just.wing.it]

Dang, that's a gnarly one, very nice!
Great progression.

 

[j evans]

Great looking tree, good work. Has a lot of interesting chararistics.

 

[sorce]

Pot works way better!

Cheers Bobby!

Sorce

 

[JudyB]

I would like to see this photographed from a lower angle, more across the tree, before I could have an opinion about a better (best) front. It's hard to see where the branch angles actually go from this high angle. This is a common mistake I made early on. I'd work a tree from a higher angle, and would make branch placement errors. I always constantly check from the straight on when working a tree now. And photograph from there, so the mistakes that only the camera can show can be corrected.

That is not to say there is anything wrong with this, it's a lovely tree.

 

[BobbyLane]

Hi Judy, i know what you mean, i do usually style the trees from a lower angle, as if i was displaying from eye level....here's some better images
IMG_3597 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
IMG_3598 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
IMG_3593 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
IMG_3599 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

Maybe just live with it for another season at current angle and let it ramify a little more. the second angle thats began to grow on me, is in fact what the previous owner had it at, judging by the first images at start of thread. both rotations are good though.

 

[TomB]

Hi Bobby
I think the current front you've potted it with is probably the best, although it's always difficult to tell from pictures.
I'm less keen on your possible new front - not because the branch will cross the trunk, but because it comes towards you too much I think.
Have you potted it 'high' because you want to expose the roots, or is the rootball too big for it to sit lower in the pot?
Nice movement in the twigs, the curves flow well. Do you expect the canopy to get significantly larger as it ramifies, or will you cut back and develop more taper in the branches in due course?

 

[JudyB]

I'm less keen on your possible new front - not because the branch will cross the trunk, but because it comes towards you too much I think.

This is what I feel too, is there a bit more turn to the clockwise, to put that branch more to the right side?

 

[BobbyLane]

Hi Bobby
I think the current front you've potted it with is probably the best, although it's always difficult to tell from pictures.
I'm less keen on your possible new front - not because the branch will cross the trunk, but because it comes towards you too much I think.
Have you potted it 'high' because you want to expose the roots, or is the rootball to big for it to sit lower in the pot?
Nice movement in the twigs, the curves flow well. Do you expect the canopy to get significantly larger as it ramifies, or will you cut back and develop more taper in the branches in due course?

Hi Tom, thanks for your input....basically i just lifted the root ball out of the other pot and didnt reduce much, just a little around the edges, maybe next time i could reduce a little from the bottom and have the tree sit slightly lower, although i do like the mounded look to the base/nebari, i think this tree would look really good on a stony slab a similar colour to the nebari. i dont see too large a canopy, i would like to get more taper in the branches though, so will let it grow out and cut back again. i'd also like to get some back budding in the far right side branch, its actually broken half way down though, but the plan is to fill that right side in a little more with twigging. funnily though, that branch is adding balance because all the other twigs seem to be going left. if i get tired of it, i'd have to direct the twigging at the top of the main trunk line, into its place.

 

[BobbyLane]

This is what I feel too, is there a bit more turn to the clockwise, to put that branch more to the right side?

Thats how it would look with more rotation, Judy....little too open for the current level of ramification, ill stick with the current front and work on filling in negative areas...
thanks everyone.
IMG_3603 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

 

[TomB]

although i do like the mounded look to the base/nebari, i think this tree would look really good on a stony slab a similar colour to the nebari.

Exactly what I was thinking. Similar deal to your slanting beech. That would enhance the 'tree on a rocky hillside' image.

 

[BobbyLane]

So, this one did eventually end up on a landscape pot, mimicking a stony hill top, slanted style, i think it suits it well and the nebari gives the tree great stability... for the last season and half ive been leaving the low shoots to extend, they've thickened somewhat. ive been working on ramification on this tree, its had some hard cut backs

this was how hard i went in march 2017
IMG_4040 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr
IMG_4034 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

aug 2017
IMG_5263 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

may 2018
Hawthorn before n after apical cut back by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

may 2018-pruned back
Hawthorn before n after apical cut back by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

Today it was pruned again, this is what i took off
20180702_152431 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

20180702_194128 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

20180702_194229 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

20180702_194449 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

20180702_194927 by Bobby Lane, on Flickr

growth is quite course on this hawthorn, will take some time yet to ramify properly but its on the right track

some inspiration
Harboro frost by James Mills, on Flickr

 

[parhamr]

@BobbyLane has this tree ever flowered for you? I’m trying to figure out what makes a hawthorn flower and I’m guessing it’s on branches that are at least 3 years old.

 

[Silentrunning]

There are so many interesting features on that little tree I don’t know where to look first.

 

[BobbyLane]

@BobbyLane has this tree ever flowered for you? I’m trying to figure out what makes a hawthorn flower and I’m guessing it’s on branches that are at least 3 years old.

Hi mate, nope its never flowered, its been in a development phase since ive had it though, quite a bit of structural work. there's a great article on kaizen about making them flower, you probably read it. im no expert on flowering trees tbh. it had white flowers for the previous owner

 

[Tycoss]

This is, to me, one of the most evocative and inspirational deciduous trees I've seen on this site. Bobby, you have a real gift with deciduous material, and this is one of your best I think.