Juniperus Chinensis var "Hollywood" - Toobuko style

[YukiShiro]

Hi guys,

I recently had the privilege of working on a tree with a rich South African heritage. The story goes something to the effect that the style was not a recognized style in japan, our own Doug Hall pioneered this style ( authored it ), and the guys over in japan adopted the style to some degree.

Doug planted and created this tree many years ago, it was pencil thin. I really wish I had some pictures of it somewhere. Doug is one of the better known pioneers of bonsai within south Africa and outside too. his book was the first ever bonsai book I bought.

a good friend of mine acquired the tree a while ago and wanted to do some work on it. he asked my help.

the tree as it arrived at my place last saturday:


it was a big bush. Left like this the branches would become very leggy, the where a bit leggy to begin with.
I started off removing weak inner growth and unwanted branches, then started wiring it:


I tried to open it up as much as I can to get sun into the inner branching, we may need some back buds to take this tree further.
after a crazy week of a server move at work and everything that can go wrong at work going wrong.... #devlife
I finally finished the tree this morning:


notes:
- the front will be shifted slightly at the next repot, the right side moved slightly forward and the left side slightly back.
- the long branch on the left bottom will be shortened in the future
- I still need to move some stuff around, giving more movement to branches by putting more bends in.

here is the happy owner:


hope you guys enjoy

best regards
Herman

 

[Hbhaska]

Beautiful work. I agree, the long branch on the left doesn’t need to be there.

 

[roberthu]

I actually thing the left is necessary. Without it the whole thing is much less interesting. However, I think the center mound can be a little higher to create some depth, lateral from left to right instead of front to back wise.
I come from China so maybe I have some penjing bias in me. The pot with the style is a very good mountain & water style to me.

 

[YukiShiro]

Beautiful work. I agree, the long branch on the left doesn’t need to be there.

Hi,

thanks for the kind words C:

it will only be shortened slightly not removed. It would not look like fallen tree style if it was completely removed. the whole composition is one plant( a tree that has fallen over) almost like raft. But with raft the "fallen" trunk is hidden below soil line. With this style it's displayed above soil line. So the long left branch was the "apex" of the fallen over tree

best regards
Herman

 

[Costa J]

Hi,

thanks for the kind words C:

it will only be shortened slightly not removed. It would not look like fallen tree style if it was completely removed. the whole composition is one plant( a tree that has fallen over) almost like raft. But with raft the "fallen" trunk is hidden below soil line. With this style it's displayed above soil line. So the long left branch was the "apex" of the fallen over tree

best regards
Herman

I agree , just needs a bit of up and down movement in that end piece and just slightly shorter .

 

[leatherback]

Lovely image this tree brings! Well-done on the overhaul.


Is the tree healthy? It looks a little floppy, but this could be the juniper species used. Reason I ask: Have you checked the rootball whether that needs work too?

Do not loose the lenf branch. As indicated before: Maybe a little movement in the branch can help (And the one branch below the main trunk distracts me, as it is the only one in the whole composition: Can it be brought up?).

But.. Overall: Nice!

 

[leatherback]

What do you think?

 

[YukiShiro]

Lovely image this tree brings! Well-done on the overhaul.


Is the tree healthy? It looks a little floppy, but this could be the juniper species used. Reason I ask: Have you checked the rootball whether that needs work too?

Do not loose the lenf branch. As indicated before: Maybe a little movement in the branch can help (And the one branch below the main trunk distracts me, as it is the only one in the whole composition: Can it be brought up?).

But.. Overall: Nice!

Hi Leatherback C:

yeah I think the tree was healthy enough to work. was just coming out of dormancy when we started the work

the tree was a lil bit leggy, with the outer tips going strong and inner growth that was shaded being a bit floppy. I can't remember when last it was repotted, but maybe @Costa J can monitor the health and vigor over the pending growing season. If we find the tree to need root work we can always repot it next spring, since we want to change the front by a little bit.

and yes I see what you mean about that branch,

there where a couple of very weak branches that was shaded out by the left most "tree" that I only wired and fanned out where they could receive a lot of sun and maybe gain some vigor.



couple of back branches in red was shaded out by those in green. I want to use those in red to fill out the back and top of that specific area. also want to move the whole left branch down into the position in black and give it a lot more movement than it currently has. Maybe I can shorten it so much by putting in movement that the branch will "look" the right length. Will move that branch below around and see what I can do with it think we can at least bring it up as in your virt

the branch circled by green I see also needs some more movement put into it

thanks for the kind words and input xD

best regards
Herman

 

[leatherback]

see what I can do with it think we can at least bring it up as in your virt

Did you oticed I did the added movement & bend down you are suggesting in my virt already?

 

[YukiShiro]

Yes,

I think it will look quite neat with the proposed down movement of that trunk C: much better flow

photoshop specialist much? @leatherback

best regards
Herman

 

[leatherback]

photoshop specialist much?

lol. No just a 2 minute quick select, twist and fill the empty space. Don't ask me to do your future virtuals

 

[Hbhaska]

What do you think?

View attachment 329048

Awesome!

 

[YukiShiro]

Don't ask me to do your future virtuals

I would never

hahahahahahahahaha

guess I have to learn to virtually virt now.

ps. any time you feel like virting any tree I post, in the mean time...feel free hahaha

lekker

thanks boet

best regards
Herman