Oak, Maple and Elm hunt..

Woocash

Omono
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Near enough fruitless on my initial hunt, though I found a couple of fields with Hawthorn galore. These are four of my favourites what do people think? All growing on the banks of or very near to a river tributary, the roots won’t have to travel far for water so would that be a help or hindrance? Also, please bear in mind that the so-called wizard hat / green helmet style bonsai is not my end goal. I want naturally weird, beaten up, 500 year old hedgerow style stuff in the end. Deadwood optional, character a must. Not too much to ask, right?

1. I like the idea of planting the left trunk, which is actually a root, to form an “archway” twin trunk thing with a bonsai on topBA11AD4E-B169-432C-BAA0-CD710101F230.jpeg

2. Got a nice shape straight from the off. Actually twin trunked, thinking of a fuse graft type thing where they meet at the crown? (Does anybody have experience of this?) Around 12” highC0FC6007-1662-47E3-B4B8-CC382C92E685.jpeg750C9220-B0EA-413B-A6ED-E3AAB82EDF6A.jpeg3505B261-E9CA-4D32-A184-4ADAA8BADD0B.jpeg

3.Really gnarly base, huge hole discovered with dead wood mostly rotted away, plenty of branches to work withBFA62A19-10FA-4BB4-AC9B-17515F8A30F5.jpegAC1EE679-B51D-4E17-B098-681EA1F1CF5F.jpeg

4.No words to describe, just frickin’ cool, in my eyes. 18” to crown, if you can call it that.B8003217-EBCD-4506-9A23-D86EBC936EF5.jpeg6258DE45-CA18-4843-B3FF-2F81AD76FF66.jpegC58BAB19-CF53-4A5D-BD83-2B22BB53A86F.jpeg8BACD74C-7874-4BB8-96C8-C2E9E5954801.jpeg
 

sorce

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Use what is available!

I think this material is old looking, therefore enticing, but it may not make the easiest trees.

A clever use of flowers and berries can go a long way though.

Sorce
 

BrianBay9

Masterpiece
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You might think about pruning the tops a year before collecting and see if you can get more low growth.
 

Woocash

Omono
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Yea good point Sorce. I expect, assuming I keep any of it alive, that things would look scruffy for a good while before there was any decent shape forming and that vigour wont be what these trees are used to. I just want some crazy assed trees in the long run. Seems like Hawthorn will be weapon of choice too, seeing as there’s so much around here.

Cheers Brian. I did wonder about pruning tops first and trying to use their natural spots as a sort of nursery ground for a couple of years before I go disturbing the roots. The last one is pretty cool up where I can’t use it too so I wondered about creating an air layer from it too. Do Hawthorns take to air layers well does anybody know?
 
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