JudyB
Queen of the Nuts
She's a beaut Vance.
Atta boy
Atta boy
Hinoki Cypress restyle first steps
- Thread starter Vance Wood
- Start date
Victrinia Ridgeway
Omono
Ditto...... Atta boy.
Hugs,
V
Hugs,
V
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
Ditto...... Atta boy.
Hugs,
V
Thanks______ I hope you are well. I knew nothing of the issues you were having.
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
Ditto...... Atta boy.
Hugs,
V
Here is one of the updates I have prepared enough to post. I'll get the trunk chops in the morning.
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
I found an early photo of this tree from around 1999 or 2002. I told you the photo would not be too good and I was right. It does however show you how the development of the trunk has advanced over the last few years, and the simple vision of an informal upright has turned into a not so simple vision of an informal upright.
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Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
Side by side: Todays image and early 2000's.
fore
Omono
Really impressive Vance for such a hard species to deal with! Congrats.
october
Masterpiece
What might not be noticeable to those who do not keep hinoki is the good amount of trunk thickness this tree has put on in roughly the last 10 years. It may not look like much in general. However, for hinoki, this trunk has thickened relatively quickly.
Rob
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
If you remember any of the details I shared in an earlier thread accounting my development as a bonsai maker, in the beginning we were limited by the BS we were sold as being the truth. The thickening of a trunk in a pot is one of those myths----somewhat.
MACH5
Imperial Masterpiece
Beautiful!
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
You have to admit that the original design was about as interesting as a sunrise over the city dump. The design was not horrible, just uninspired lacking anything interesting out side of species and the fact it is alive.
A number of years ago I started seeing the possibilities of emulating one of those forest giants I used to see in the Rockies and Sierras in the 60" when I was collecting trees. Any one who has been in those mountains must have noticed huge Douglas Firs, Ponderosa Pines, Western White Pine, Sugar Pine, Limber Pine and several other forest giants with tall naked trunks except for the last third of the top. This has been an image in my mind since before the army, and has been with me ever since.
This little Hinoki is the first tree I have encountered that seemed to indicate that it would fit this mold very well and comfortably.
A number of years ago I started seeing the possibilities of emulating one of those forest giants I used to see in the Rockies and Sierras in the 60" when I was collecting trees. Any one who has been in those mountains must have noticed huge Douglas Firs, Ponderosa Pines, Western White Pine, Sugar Pine, Limber Pine and several other forest giants with tall naked trunks except for the last third of the top. This has been an image in my mind since before the army, and has been with me ever since.
This little Hinoki is the first tree I have encountered that seemed to indicate that it would fit this mold very well and comfortably.
coh
Imperial Masterpiece
Today's image is looking pretty good! I like the direction this is going and am looking forward to seeing more detail about those chops.
Chris
Chris
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
Progression of trunk chops.The first chop occurred during the original styling process in 1994. It was one of two trunks the lesser of which now looks lik this. Understanding that is only about five inches up from the soil surface and in an area that is not likely to be displayed; it does not show.
This chop is the first major chop to an actual develop trunk that took place maybe six or seven years ago. It is about half the way up the trunk and is not too obvious. It looks more like a natural feature. I'm pretty sure someone will notice that there are a couple of wire starting to bind into the trunk. They will be removed and replaced if necessary this fall.
The next chop is about two/thirds up the trunk. Again it looks more like a natural feature and will probably disappear totally in a couple of more years.
The fourth chop was made just recently, less than a week ago. It is pretty obvious this is to reduce the thickness of the top of the crown.
Sorry but you are going to have to open these images in your browser to actually view the features involved.
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october
Masterpiece
Thanks for showing this Vance.. As you know, you and I both like this species. Actually, it is one of my favorites species for bonsai. I wish good ones were more readily available.
Rob
Rob
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
Well---If you don't mind waiting for a number of years you can cultivate them. I used to get the old argument: "Why don't you use pre bonsai instead of nursery material? You will never make a decent bonsai out of nursery material and on and on. My response; I grow my own pre-bonsai and then I grow my own bonsai. Whether I grow decent bonsai at this point is debatable, of course I don't have anything that is comparable to a 300 year old Yamadori but that's the breaks.
Paradox
Marine Bonsologist
Thank you Vance for pointing out where the chops were done. I was very interested to see how the tree had developed as I have not done this sort of thing yet really, let alone had years to let it heal and continue to grow. Very educational and shows what can happen and how well a tree can recover and develop beyond the chop.
