Leatherbacks Veni Vidi Vici trees

leatherback

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I find that I hand over trees to other people frequently. So the pictures end up in dusty shoeboxes, the trees no more than a fleeting memory. Just to make sure these never are lost, I will share some of these hand-over trees and their progressions here. Or died trees. Lets not forget those either.
 

leatherback

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In 2013 I collected a bunch of young trees from a forest. The owner was cleaning up and allowed anyone looking for young trees to have a walk through and collect whatever they wanted (under some 10ft tall) for a nominal fee of 2E per tree. It was a complete waste of time, but since I did not want to go empty handed I took this carpinus for shits and giggles.

2013_1116_41.jpg

2015, established and some reductions in the crown:
2015_05-1.jpg

2018 sees the slow development of something one could refer to as a crown:
20180408_9.JPG

And in spring 2019, just before I traded it in with a local dealer:
20190610_91.jpg
 

leatherback

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At some point I bought a small olive in a garden centre. Hoping for low buds it sat in my garden for a year? Two?

Olive_062013.jpg

In 2013 I was done with it and thought, go bold or go home and lopped the head off. Waited, and ..
1596486192288.png

A little carving and developing branches later:
1596486284056.png

And two years later it is starting to go somewhere!
1596486235064.png

But then.. 2018 I had a sabbatical. And I was not there for a few months. That resulted in a deep-frozen olive.. RIP
20180408_19.JPG
 

leatherback

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What made you get rid of the carpinus? Was the base awful?
The base was amazing. 1/3 of the value was the nebari!
I just got tired of it. And it was not as good a tree as another.

In general, I tend to have too many trees so I need to sort out frequently.
 

Hartinez

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The base was amazing. 1/3 of the value was the nebari!
I just got tired of it. And it was not as good a tree as another.

In general, I tend to have too many trees so I need to sort out frequently.
Yeah I like it. I’ve been feeling this more and more lately. BVFs thread on our top 3 and bottom 3 has been resonating heavy with me lately. I’m working on those rankings now, this after reducing my collection by 12 or so. Trying to make space for future collections and better all around trees.
 

Hartinez

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I find the rankings change from week to week though
Or at least month to month. But there are some I still have that I keep expecting to be better and they just aren’t. Wether it’s climatic issues or fungus I can’t keep on top of.
 

leatherback

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One of those shrubs which, once I got it home, made me think.. Why did I get this juniper!

2017
1596745680888.jpeg
 

leatherback

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Trimmed, wired and in a small pot in 2019..
20190422_R14A1466.jpg


Later that year it moved yet again in another pot, and was ready for sale. Looking at this series I am not surprised I did not like it. I just kept fiddling with it!
20191225_R14A2370.jpg20191225_R14A2372.jpg
 

leatherback

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In 2014 I was at a weekend-long workshop in Bury, UK with a bunch of well known European artists. As I ran out of things to do on Sunday, I asked the local organizer whether he had a plant for me. So I was handed this for a friends price. It was not completely healthy so I decided to only clean up a little and trim a little.

20141108_1.jpg20141108_2.jpg
 

leatherback

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2018 I had a vision though, repotted, and did some work on the deadwoods..

20180827_JC07_1.jpg
And in 2019, repotted in a new pot

20190422_R14A1531.jpg
Meanwhile, I had gotten tired of working this tree, that never did really inspire me. And in winter 2020 it was sold to make someone else happy. And I had some cash to look for another tree. Or space on my bench. Hm.
 

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leatherback

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In 2015 I got a Berberis from a field.
201503.jpg

It took some pruning to get it transplated and into a size for bonsai.. In 2016
2016-1.jpg

Then I started to develop the canopy further, trying to make it more balanced. In 2017:
20170620_BT01_berberis.jpg

A lower brach died, a thorn in a joint in my thumb is still annoying the joint, 3 years later. The tree had to go. Not my species. As it was sold in 2019
20181112_berberis_1.jpg
 

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Clorgan

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In 2015 I got a Berberis from a field.
View attachment 324752

It took some pruning to get it transplated and into a size for bonsai.. In 2016
View attachment 324751

Then I started to develop the canopy further, trying to make it more balanced. In 2017:
View attachment 324753

A lower brach died, a thorn in a joint in my thumb is still annoying the joint, 3 years later. The tree had to go. Not my species. As it was sold in 2019
View attachment 324754

Gorgeous leaf colour! The thorns are buggers!
 

LanceMac10

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Link to that thread plz...🙏

 
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