Local club auction Larch.

raydomz

Shohin
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I've had this Larch in my possesion since last month but have finally got around to sharing some photos of it.
This Larch was bought at my local club auction from a very nice woman who has been the original owner for the past few decades(I'm sorry, I don't recall her name at the moment.)
It is obvious that the level of care it has recieved over the years was top notch.
Not really sure that I am going to do anything drastic in terms of styling, it's already there in my book.:D
Any thoughts?

Second thing is the beautiful pot that it came in. The pot was also made by the previous owner and it exhibits the same level of care and detail that the Larch has. Beautiful work.

Front
DSC_0036a.jpg

Back
DSC_0040a.jpg

DSC_0039a.jpg

The level of detail and precision that went in to this pot blows me away.
DSC_0045a.jpg
 

JudyB

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Just lovely. Please, please post pics of the color turn this fall... I have to find a good larch at some point, this one is so nice.
 

Vance Wood

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I agree, it's a nice tree. It does need however to be planted lower in the pot and the pot needs to be one size bigger.
 

raydomz

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Thanks for all of the comments guys and gals.
JudyB, I'll definietly snap a pic for you. It is just starting to turn and it looks like we have more cold weather on the way so it shouldn't be to long!
Vance, this spring I plan to pull it from the pot and see what kind of root ball there is there. I agree that it could go lower but something about keeping a slight hill seems apealing to me. I also agree that the pot should be bigger, I just don't know if I'm going to fnd a pot that I like as much as the current one.
 

Vance Wood

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You might want to start removing soil from the top of the soil mass to reveal some of the surface roots before reducing the bottom of the soil mass further. Right now it looks as though it was plopped into a bonsai pot right from a nursery container. I agree with the tree sitting on a slight mound but I already mentioned what it's appearance suggest right now. I also know the problem with finding a good pot. Sadly, or not so sadly, according to your point of view, you are not likely to find what you are searching for unless you start attending some vendors at some shows. Good luck and keep us posted.
 
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raydomz, very nice tree... I like it alot, and can't wait to see the pics of fall colors.
I wish these did well down here in Florida. Besides what has been put forth by Vance, If it were my tree, I would perhaps reduce a little of the top... making it a little less pointy, to me, it would give the tree a much older apperance. Of course, I am only nit-picking here.
Very nice !!!
 

Jason

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Nice purchase! It looks to have some nice ramification. Just out of curiosity how tall is it? The pot is an impressive piece of craftsmanship in itself.
 

JudyB

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I agree that the pot needs to be bigger. I really like the hill, but if it has great nebari, then you can uncover it lower the tree a bit, and have both. If you take a look at Ron Lang's pots, you will see that he has a similar aesthetic with his pots. He also does custom sizes, shapes and colors. You might just have a tree of a lifetime with this one. If you tire of it, I'd give you my right arm...
:)
 

bonsaiTOM

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raydomz,

You can see that this is a very nice larch just from the responses you've gotten already. NICE!
For us it is easy to say this or that should be changed. It's your tree to study and perhaps alter in the future. You will get ideas from others.

I too would like to see the top brought down and 'rounded' a bit. I would also wire down the outer portion of the first branch - just a bit lower with the tip lifted back up again. And I would definitely get the encroaching moss away from the trunk and nebari.

These suggestions are not to say that you don't have a wonderful tree. It surely is. And I would love to own it too. Would you share with us the auction price? Private PM is OK.
 

Bonsai Nut

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That is quite a pot for someone who handmade it. Was the person a professional potter? You don't often seen that quality unless someone has had a fair amount of experience.

A very nice tree that could use some care - but it sounds like it is in good hands. With any expensive tree I buy, the first thing I do is lift it from the pot to determine the health of the roots and the condition of the soil (from below). I am a little concerned about the moss and the way the tree appears to be lifting out of the pot. It may have been designed that way, but it seems a little much (to me). It is one reason why people are saying it may need a larger / deeper pot.
 

BJBond

Seed
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I agree, this is a great tree, and one of my all time favourite species. I love the clean lines of thyour current pot. Wish you the best of luck on finding a larger one in time to report next year.

On a personal note, I just acquired a collected larch which had not previously been worked on. I spent this past Sunday working on if through my local clubs workshop with David Easterbrook (of Montreal). Mine is a connected root larch, which is being styles as a forest. Seeing raydomz's single trunk here is just getting me fired up to get back outside and finish up my wiring work.
 

raydomz

Shohin
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Larch_1.jpg

Just wanted to put up a little update shot.
The weather has been great here and the trees are looking greater.
I think this has a little more yellow to come so I'll be sure to update!
 

tmmason10

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Looking good. My larch hasn't really started turning yellow yet and it's freezing here. Do they turn color late?
 

raydomz

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So sweeeeet! Thanks for the look!:)

Thanks :D

I took some advice and started to take off some of the moss around the base of the tree. I was a little worried that the moss was an elaborate cover-up for a lack of surface roots BUT...!
It wasn't.
Larch_Nebari.jpg

I think the suggestion to round out the top more is a great idea. I hadn't really thought about it but after looking at it for a couple weeks with that in mind I think it would take it to the next level.
 
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