Hinoki Cypress restyle first steps

[Vance Wood]

I know the picture is not reall good but I posted it anyway because I love the light at this time of day. Though you cannot see a good deal of detail I think it might make a good teaser for tonight.

The second photo is what the tree started as before repotting a couple of years ago. I know I have some more current photo, enough to make a montage, but with my new portable hard drive and IMAC I am having difficulties locating things quickly.

 

[tmmason10]

I really like the current form better Vance. Good progress, looking to see what you do later...

 

[Vance Wood]

I really like the current form better Vance. Good progress, looking to see what you do later...

Me too or I wouldn't have gone down this path. I am a lot like most people when I really screw up and turn good material into crap I usually don't like to admit it. LOL


Thanks for the support and encouragement; I shall proceed.

Included a more recent photo of the Hinoki circa 08

 

[Nybonsai12]

awesome tree vance.

 

[Vance Wood]

awesome tree vance.

I hope to make it more awesomer, like more better is gooder than less better, which I hope we wont go there. I hope you guys understand that I enjoy fooling around with the language and yes I do know a double superlative is a gramatic error, and is more dumber than just plain old dumb. Thanks for the kind comments. If this tree turns out like I think it will I think you will like it.

 

[GrimLore]

I hope to make it more awesomer, like more better is gooder than less better, which I hope we wont go there. I hope you guys understand that I enjoy fooling around with the language and yes I do know a double superlative is a gramatic error, and is more dumber than just plain old dumb. Thanks for the kind comments. If this tree turns out like I think it will I think you will like it.

I think you are to busy and should send it to me I can see something good there...

 

[Vance Wood]

I have some updates for all who are interested. Still not finished. Wiring one of these things is not so easy without destroying a lot of growth that you may need. The tree still needs some tightening up and detail trimming. I hope to get at a lot of that tomorrow. However you should be able to see the direction and the changes.

 

[amkhalid]

Hi Vance,

I really like this tree. Good hinokis are hard to find for sure.

I hope you don't mind if I try to be constructive. Obviously take what I say with a grain of salt because you have been doing this much longer than I have, and of course our design preferences are different.

Comparing the first pic you posted and the recent update, it appears that you removed or moved that first low branch on the right. I liked it much better as it was before. To me, that reaching branch was the character branch of the tree. It supported the movement of the trunk to the right, and added some important dynamism to this simple but elegant design. Now that it is gone, the tree looks much more static especially since the first two branches are the same length.

I'm not sure your reasons for removing it/moving it. Maybe it was a weird branch. Maybe you are planning on growing something out. Hard to say from the pics.

My two cents. Nice tree.

 

[Vance Wood]

It constantly amazes me how good a tree can look when you are working on it and how bad it's photograph can appear. This is one of those cases.

So I have a lot more work to do tomorrow.

I see what you mean about the right branch, it really did need to go. If you could see the tree like I do from my point of view you would understand.

 

[Paradox]

Nice work Vance. Makes me want to go get a hinkoi cypress. Ive been resisting for a long time because they arent the easiest to work with.

 

[Lazylightningny]

Vance what an awesome tree. Very inspiring for us beginners. Knowing that it is difficult to trunk chop evergreens, i am curious how you got that interesting movement in the trunk. Was it wired as a seedling?

 

[Vance Wood]

Vance what an awesome tree. Very inspiring for us beginners. Knowing that it is difficult to trunk chop evergreens, i am curious how you got that interesting movement in the trunk. Was it wired as a seedling?

Thanks for bringing that up, the trunk on this tree has been chopped four times since 1994. This is an example of creating taper by the process of chopping the trunk and regrowing a new leader to a point and chopping it again, repeating the process. This has been done four time the most recent two years ago when the top was redesigned. I don't know whether what I just did would be called a trunk chop but the apex was altered. The actual shape of the trunk was mostly created by the action of chopping, the wire used only to somewhat straighten the new leader. This tree started out as a six dollar nursery tree styled into a bonsai as a demo for the club I belong to.

 

[october]

Stunning Hinoki Vance. Looks like everything you have done has culminated in a beautiful tree.

Rob

 

[Vance Wood]

Stunning Hinoki Vance. Looks like everything you have done has culminated in a beautiful tree.

Rob

I'm not real happy with the image that came out of the photos from last night. You can hardly see any of the branching which in my opinion really makes this restyle pop. I hope I can figure what the problem might be.

After a good deal of thought I am probably making a beginner mistake in not wanting to remove enough foliage to make the design visible. I think what has happened, my mind sees the tree the way is should be, and the way I have intended it to be but in fact it is not there yet. Back to the drawing board.

 

[Lazylightningny]

Thanks for bringing that up, the trunk on this tree has been chopped four times since 1994. This is an example of creating taper by the process of chopping the trunk and regrowing a new leader to a point and chopping it again, repeating the process. This has been done four time the most recent two years ago when the top was redesigned. I don't know whether what I just did would be called a trunk chop but the apex was altered. The actual shape of the trunk was mostly created by the action of chopping, the wire used only to somewhat straighten the new leader. This tree started out as a six dollar nursery tree styled into a bonsai as a demo for the club I belong to.

Thanks, Vance. I assume you had to leave some foliage on it each time you chopped?

 

[tmmason10]

Thanks, Vance. I assume you had to leave some foliage on it each time you chopped?

Yes. With evergreens you most certainly want to leave a good amount of foliage on the tree to let it recover.

 

[Vance Wood]

Thanks, Vance. I assume you had to leave some foliage on it each time you chopped?

With the exception of some deciduous trees that will bud back almost anywhere they are cut, most conifers will not. Hinokis are worse than all of them. Most conifers require a well lignified branch for the procedure to be successful.

 

[Paradox]

Thanks for bringing that up, the trunk on this tree has been chopped four times since 1994.

Holy crap! Its been chopped FOUR times!

Wow Id love to see a more detailed photo progression of this tree and see the development of those chops along the way!

 

[berobinson82]

Thanks for bringing that up, the trunk on this tree has been chopped four times since 1994. This is an example of creating taper by the process of chopping the trunk and regrowing a new leader to a point and chopping it again, repeating the process. This has been done four time the most recent two years ago when the top was redesigned. I don't know whether what I just did would be called a trunk chop but the apex was altered. The actual shape of the trunk was mostly created by the action of chopping, the wire used only to somewhat straighten the new leader. This tree started out as a six dollar nursery tree styled into a bonsai as a demo for the club I belong to.

A testament of time required for nice material. 19 years from purchase to posting here.

Vance, thank you for sharing this lovely hinoki and discussing its treatment and design so candidly.

 

[Vance Wood]

Holy crap! Its been chopped FOUR times!

Wow Id love to see a more detailed photo progression of this tree and see the development of those chops along the way!

I started this tree way back before digital photography was affordable for us Joe-Lunch-Box types, if I have anything it will be print and probably bad. At the time I was not in the habit of documenting everything.

As to the trunk chops I'll see if I can get some close ups this evening to show you.