Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
Greatful appreciation for your assessment of my efforts and my tree.
Porky's Progress, another Mugo
- Thread starter Vance Wood
- Start date
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
As much as I had hoped this was going away I keep getting reminded, even by people I like, that if you want to do bonsai with the "Big Boys" you have to buy your material from approved bonsai businesses and have your trees worked on by Masters like Boon and Bjorn and others. If somehow in the end you do succeed in making a bonsai the praise for it is conditional and rife with discussions about how much time it took, and how much time you wasted doing it the way it was done. The fact remains; if I had not approached bonsai the way I did I would not be doing bonsai today. Regardless of how many sources you can show me and the logic behind doing it your way etc, it does not matter. So in the end the praise seems to be more for the actual investment of time than the result obtained. That says something in itself but I'm keeping that one to myself for now.
VAFisher
Masterpiece
Vance, I think it's important to note that it didn't take you 45 years to develop a really nice tree. The thing was pretty damn good in those early pics. In fact, I like your early images quite a bit better than the jabba the hut tree that's also shown on this thread.
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
Thank You. The thing that really took 45 years was me. It took me all of this time to figure out a lot of things as far as culture and technique. Granted a teacher would have made that simpler but the same forces that kept me from buying better trees kept me from getting professional help. However on that subject had I gone down that road I probably would not be doing bonsai because most of the material I find myself attracted to is not grown by many of the "Teachers" who prefer JBP's which don't grow well up here and a few others.
Vance, my pine from Telperion was expensive. But, they also had many nice trees considerably less expensive. The thing is, I was looking for a tree with a sumo trunk. They're kinda rare, so the price reflected that. Had I just been looking for nice starter material, I could have gotten something pretty nice for 1/10 th the price!
Shipping, if I remember, was $70. It was in an Anderson flat. There was still a relatively long sacrifice branch which required a pretty large box.
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
I appreciate your honesty. I envy your resources.
jeanluc83
Omono
This tree popped up at the top of the page. The thread is worth a read through. It goes a bit sideways towards the end but still a good read.
@Vance Wood any updates on this tree?
@Vance Wood any updates on this tree?
Nicholas Box
Mame
Yes, I'd love to see a 2017 photo.
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
I don't think I got a photo of it last year and I haven't taken one yet this year. It has been such a convoluted year up hear this year that the last week has bee the only decent weather we have had this year to speak of. I hope to get some photos of it soon.
just.wing.it
Deadwood Head
Hey there VW!
Update after 3 years?
Update after 3 years?
Gabler
Masterpiece
I guess that’s a “no” to an update.
Vance Wood
Lord Mugo
Not a no; just a problem with making access without being blown off the step or drenched with rain. It's coming. The tree needs to be repotted and that will probably be when I photograph it again.
