Meet my Little friend

[tmmason10]

Hey Dave, any updates on this tree?

He already did update.

 

[daygan]

Hey Dave, any updates on this tree?

yeah, the updates is here about 15 hours ago by my count...

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Excellent pot! Looks great with the tree. Are you going to let if flower this spring?

 

[Dav4]

Excellent pot! Looks great with the tree. Are you going to let if flower this spring?

I am...hoping to have it flower during our club show. I didn't do alot of root work this year to get it into the pot, really almost a slip potting.

 

[iant]

What's your plan with the large upper left branch? Any thoughts on bringing it in a little or do you feel it balances the greater amount of foliage on the right of the tree? My eye keeps going to that branch I think it's distracting me a little from the gorgeous base... Beautiful tree!

 

[Dav4]

What's your plan with the large upper left branch? Any thoughts on bringing it in a little or do you feel it balances the greater amount of foliage on the right of the tree? My eye keeps going to that branch I think it's distracting me a little from the gorgeous base... Beautiful tree!

That branch, with this design, is the most important branch on the tree...it dictates the tree's movement or flow. My plan, for now, is to increase the density of branching on the left side to fill in the large empty space above the first left branch, but leave that one branch you mentioned as is. I want it to stand out.... If I were to change things, I'd have to remove it totally at the trunk because it's so thick compared to the other branches near it. Thanks for the post.

 

[iant]

Thanks for the explanation!
Ian

 

[Dav4]

Pruned this one back for the second time this summer about three weeks ago.

 

[Dav4]

Many of you have seen this picture posted in the ABS show thread, but I thought I'd put one here for the progression. I'll follow it up in a week or so with a picture with flowers...they're all swelling, now that the show is over.

 

[october]

That is beautiful.. It has come a long way. You know, I believe that I am in the minority here, but I like and prefer azaleas out of flower. Don't get me wrong, the flowers are nice and I respect and appreciate all the different cultivars. It's just they are such beautiful bonsai when you can see the whole tree. I heard that Master Hiromi Tsukada, regarded as one of the best azalea bonsai artists today, grows the azaleas for the trees themselves and not the flowers.

Rob

 

[Dav4]

That is beautiful.. It has come a long way. You know, I believe that I am in the minority here, but I like and prefer azaleas out of flower. Don't get me wrong, the flowers are nice and I respect and appreciate all the different cultivars. It's just they are such beautiful bonsai when you can see the whole tree. I heard that Master Hiromi Tsukada, regarded as one of the best azalea bonsai artists today, grows the azaleas for the trees themselves and not the flowers.

Rob

Honestly, I do, as well. As you say, the flowers are great, but they cover up the awesome trunk, branching, and foliage!! Not to mention that the tree really only looks good with flowers on it for maybe two weeks, and probably less then that. When Boon critiqued this tree, he did mention that there are two ways to style an azalea- as a flowering bonsai, or as an evergreen tree. I had never heard anyone refer to styling in this context, but it totally makes sense. I look as this tree more as an evergreen bonsai then a flowering one...I want it to look its best year round.

 

[Dav4]

Still a few days from full bloom, but I had some time this morning to take pictures.

 

[JudyB]

can't wait to see it in full bloom! Those are wonderful.

 

[Poink88]

Nice!

I just wish the first pic is not as dark, can't see the wonderful tree very well. Love the flowers and also looking forward seeing it in full bloom (like Judy).

 

[Dav4]

Nice!

I just wish the first pic is not as dark, can't see the wonderful tree very well. Love the flowers and also looking forward seeing it in full bloom (like Judy).

Yeah, I know. My back turned 45 years old quite recently, and it wasn't feeling good enough to move it to a location for better photos... at least this AM....maybe later this week.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Looking good. Love the variations in the same tree. My first ever Bonsai Today subscription started with #41, and I remember being simply amazed that one tree could produce different colored flowers, and even that reds would overtake whites in time, and how to control that. That was after my mind was blown a few pages earlier, when they bent a big old pine trunk with rebar and wood blocks.

 

[sam]

hey dave

I think you need a big slab to compliment your azalea ? as to the pot-love the color. what are its dimensions? how do I contact the vendor?

best wishes, sam

 

[Dav4]

hey dave

I think you need a big slab to compliment your azalea ? as to the pot-love the color. what are its dimensions? how do I contact the vendor?

best wishes, sam

Hay Sam. The pot is big, 20" by 16" by 5.75". It's Chinese, and was sold to me by Yen at Osiga Company. I've included a link for the website for the company...the website has been "under construction" for a few years, but there is an email address there to try.


http://bonsainut.com/links/showlink.php?do=goto&l=118&linkurl=osiga.com

 

[Dav4]

It will be peak bloom tomorrow, but bad weather is coming so...

These are pictures from above, the left side, and the front, respectively.
I'm off to take some ibuprofen, now...ugggh.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Sweet! Thanks for lugging it out for photos!