my first yamadori, douglas fir

[catfish chapstick]

Nice work, looks great, only comment is the big C curved branch at the top left is a jarring to my eye.

Looks like there are 2 branches coming from the same place on the trunk, is it possible to replace the loopy
one with the lower branch, the lower one is smaller and comes off the trunk at an angle more consistent with
all the other branches.

here I photoshopped that branch out. it does look better I think without it. thanks for the feedback

 

[JudyB]

here I photoshopped that branch out. it does look better I think without it. thanks for the feedback

Looks good!

 

[Bonsai Nut]

It feels to me a little like you are stuck between two syles. The tree is perhaps leaning too far to be an informal upright (which is how you have the branches wired), but not enough to be a convincing slant style - which would require you to wire your branches sweeping out to the left. So if you want to keep the current branch layout I would raise the tree up more vertically...



Or else tilt it over further - and wire the branches on the left so that they sweep to the left (instead of hang down).



The main thing is to try to avoid having that first section of trunk (from the soil line up to the first bend) from being straight vertical.

 

[misfit11]

I agree with BNut. Tilting the tree more upright like in his first image achieves more balance for me. I actually might even tilt it more so. I don't really think it works as a semi cascade. You would have to tilt it even farther than his second image, IMO, to make it work. Otherwise it ends up looking like it's tipping over and unintentional.

Great tree and nice job so far. Keep us posted of its development. Could end up being a very nice show tree.

Cory

 

[Cruiser]

Food for thought. Old coastal Douglas-firs in The San Juan Islands.

The “story” of your tree appears to be one of hardship. I see a Doug-fir growing on a coastal cliff leaning above the water and exposed to strong winds. Or a tree growing on an unstable slope trying to right itself as the earth pulls it downward

 

[catfish chapstick]

thanks for all the feedback everyone

 

[catfish chapstick]

It feels to me a little like you are stuck between two syles. The tree is perhaps leaning too far to be an informal upright (which is how you have the branches wired), but not enough to be a convincing slant style - which would require you to wire your branches sweeping out to the left. So if you want to keep the current branch layout I would raise the tree up more

The main thing is to try to avoid having that first section of trunk (from the soil line up to the first bend) from being straight vertical.

you're absolutely right. I like it leaning over, like in your second image but probably your first image is more appropriate for this tree. I like the pot you put it in. I'll pot it more upright in the spring.

I agree with BNut. Tilting the tree more upright like in his first image achieves more balance for me. I actually might even tilt it more so. I don't really think it works as a semi cascade. You would have to tilt it even farther than his second image, IMO, to make it work. Otherwise it ends up looking like it's tipping over and unintentional.

Great tree and nice job so far. Keep us posted of its development. Could end up being a very nice show tree.

Cory

yes, I agree. I originally just wanted to shorten it and make it look dramatic. I think it will ultimately look better upright. I had it at a sharper angle previously and it literally did tip over off its pedestal. luckily the branches are very springy and flexible so nothing was damaged. thanks, I'll post an update when I change the angle in the spring.

Food for thought. Old coastal Douglas-firs in The San Juan Islands.

The “story” of your tree appears to be one of hardship. I see a Doug-fir growing on a coastal cliff leaning above the water and exposed to strong winds. Or a tree growing on an unstable slope trying to right itself as the earth pulls it downward

thank you, those are great images. I hope to achieve a naturalness like that.

 

[catfish chapstick]

It feels to me a little like you are stuck between two syles. The tree is perhaps leaning too far to be an informal upright (which is how you have the branches wired), but not enough to be a convincing slant style - which would require you to wire your branches sweeping out to the left. So if you want to keep the current branch layout I would raise the tree up more vertically...

View attachment 466853

I have to ask, where can I find a pot like this??
I would need it to be 18 to 21 inches to look like the one you have here. there just isn't a lot available online in that size range unless I just don't know where to look

 

[Mike Westervelt]

Nao Tokutake tokutakebonsai.com
Eli Akins waldostreetpottery.com

Both of these fine gentlemen make pots in that size range I think.

 

[Bonsai Nut]

I have to ask, where can I find a pot like this??
I would need it to be 18 to 21 inches to look like the one you have here. there just isn't a lot available online in that size range unless I just don't know where to look

I just grabbed a random pot image from the Internet and eyeballed it for what I thought an appropriate size would be. If you look closely it is slightly different sizes in each image. I honestly don't know the pot maker, but I like the pot.

 

[catfish chapstick]

I made some adjustments. I made sure not to disturb the roots, just changed planting angle and removed a couple branches

 

[rockm]

I have to ask, where can I find a pot like this??
I would need it to be 18 to 21 inches to look like the one you have here. there just isn't a lot available online in that size range unless I just don't know where to look

A number of potters in the U.S. can make you one that sized, or you can find an imported example. That size range isn't all that rare. It's just a matter of looking around. Nao and Waldo St. have been mentioned. They both do great work in larger pots.

Other sources are online. If you're not on Facebook, you're missing out on a lot container-wise. There are entire groups devoted to selling and buying bonsai pots, which includes some of the premier makers in the U.S. "Bonsai Auctions" "Bonsai pot auctions" are two of the largest. There are literally hundreds of pots offered up on those sites every month--some pots are crap, others are terrific.

If you want a more refined imported Japanese pot, check out Matt Ouwinga's ebay pages. He carries alot of shohin sized pots (which can be EXTREMELY expensive), but he also has a wide range of less-expensive excellent imported Japanese pots in the size range you're after.

 

[Leo in N E Illinois]

I like this MUCH better, nice.

 

[catfish chapstick]

I got a bit more growth this year than last. I've been fertilizing heavier this year and it's putting out way more buds than it did previously. Some branch tips have six or more buds forming. Hopefully this means good vigor for next spring. I wonder if I should pinch new growth if that turns out to be the case (?).

I'm still searching for the right pot for this tree.

 

[catfish chapstick]

here is where we are today.
some light wire so the foliage doesn't weep
the top had been removed in early spring whe. I accidentally broke it. I think it could go even shorter in the future.

I feel some would have made this a cascade or semi-cascade. Also, there is probably a better front than this available and possibly a better planting angle

 

[catfish chapstick]

Here is where we are today with this yamadori Douglas Fir tree. I'm still searching for a perfect pot. right now I have it in this plastic pot. This is, I think, the front

 

[Dabbler]

looks great - just need some pad work to create a sense of age - also that outside belly bend - I might shari that - but I would need to see it in person to tell

 

[Wulfskaar]

Comparing the first pic to the last... WOW! You did a great job with this tree!

 

[catfish chapstick]

Comparing the first pic to the last... WOW! You did a great job with this tree!

Thank you. I was originally going to have Bjorn style it. I decided to try it on my own... I'm sure he would have done better, but I'm happy with where it is right now.

 

[catfish chapstick]

looks great - just need some pad work to create a sense of age - also that outside belly bend - I might shari that - but I would need to see it in person to tell

thank you, I'm expecting some real growth this spring. I'm not sure what you mean by outside belly. I don't want to compromise the nice fissures bark