Shimpaku Continued

[Vance Wood]

I acquired this Shimpaku in the 1980's, and as it seems in the scheme of things that is over 30 years ago. It was started from a 3 gallon nursery tree and considering that my skill level was Thirty-years less than it is today and my artistic vision was not much better, it has taken a good deal of time to get it to this point. I do have a VCR tape of the original styling back in 1982 but not the equipment to digitize it so this is the earliest photo of the tree I can find. This is about the second styling attempt after I realized trees don't get better by themselves.

This is the same tree at the beginning of another restyle where I received one of the greatest suggestions that I should quite doing bonsai if this is all I can do after 30 years.
Nothing had as yet been done to clean up the image as it was in a rest period.

This spring I started to further develop the new style I have had in mind. It is not as yet finished. This was two days ago when the weather started getting nice and even warm.

The tree as it looked Yesterday afternoon when the winds blew me off the deck so to speak.

For those who are interested the pot is a Sara Raynor Pot.

Very much in the way of additional work is required here. Branches have to be moved to fill the design and a lot of foliage has to be carefully removed to "provide a place for the birds to fly through" (J. Naka).

 

[Poink88]

Nice progression.

Don't you think it is too high up the pot? I would either plant it lower (if possible) or put it in a deeper pot. Just a recommendation.

 

[Vance Wood]

Yes it is too high, something that will be remedied at next repot. However; it will still be on the high side because it needs to sit in the pot on the high side to show off the surface roots; which you really cannot see well in these photos.

Here is what it looks like from the back.

 

[catfish chapstick]

It doesn't bother me being high like that but had you ever considered positioning the plant slightly more toward the side opposite it's lean. It looks like its dead center where it currently sits (in the pot). Great tree anyway, and I like the pot a lot.

 

[Vance Wood]

It doesn't bother me being high like that but had you ever considered positioning the plant slightly more toward the side opposite it's lean. It looks like its dead center where it currently sits (in the pot). Great tree anyway, and I like the pot a lot.

I have thought of all the things you have pointed out which will be resolved at next repot.

 

[KennedyMarx]

I like the changes you've made to it. I think with a little thinning and detail wiring it will look awesome.

 

[Vance Wood]

I like the changes you've made to it. I think with a little thinning and detail wiring it will look awesome.

That's the hope. The fine wiring is the real problem. It is so easy to break off new fine growth you have to be very careful to not break off really critical growth.

Thanks for the comments.

 

[Brian Van Fleet]

Vance,
I've been thinking about this tree today, and given some of our exchanges, debated on responding at all, but decided to offer up some thoughts.

I really like the jins and Shari on the trunk, and the way the calluses have rolled over nicely indicate age. It looks healthy as well. I also like the pot...Sara Rayner? It is planted higher than I like, but maybe the roots are deeper than the pot allows.

Removing the lower left branch is a big, bold move, but now the movement and balance don't work. The lower portion moves decisively right, properly accentuated by jins and a long, lonely primary branch. But then the trunk moves decidedly left, and the apex is heavy, rounded, and falls short of being returned to balance over the base.

Its easier to photoshop than chop a tree you've developed for 30 years, but for all the effort you've put in to this styling, I want to see commitment to a direction...does it go right, or does it go left?

 

[Vance Wood]

Vance,
I've been thinking about this tree today, and given some of our exchanges, debated on responding at all, but decided to offer up some thoughts.

I really like the jins and Shari on the trunk, and the way the calluses have rolled over nicely indicate age. It looks healthy as well. I also like the pot...Sara Rayner? It is planted higher than I like, but maybe the roots are deeper than the pot allows.

Removing the lower left branch is a big, bold move, but now the movement and balance don't work. The lower portion moves decisively right, properly accentuated by jins and a long, lonely primary branch. But then the trunk moves decidedly left, and the apex is heavy, rounded, and falls short of being returned to balance over the base.

Its easier to photoshop than chop a tree you've developed for 30 years, but for all the effort you've put in to this styling, I want to see commitment to a direction...does it go right, or does it go left?

I appreciate you taking the time to comment and offer some solutions that you see. Thank you I will consider what you have offered.

As I am sure you know trees often go both ways. Often nature will drive a tree one direction by storm winds land slides and other disasters and the tree will respond by trying to right itself. The shape a tree may take will always reflect what it has been through in its long life.

 

[Poink88]

Vance,

My take is less drastic and more traditional...

 

[Vance Wood]

Vance,

My take is less drastic and more traditional...

I appreciate all suggestions, and I like this one too. However I have to tell both you and Brian that as much as I am humbled that you would take the time to do this, so far, neither has come up with something that rings my bell as much as what I have floating around in my head. As to a commitment to a direction I know it may not be the direction most would consider it is a direction that I see. Either way; what ever choice I make is going to take time, probably not today, we woke this morning to two inches of snow. I am becoming bored with the same old traditional informal upright popular in this country. On the other side I am not willing to butcher the tree into a couple of forms that at this point would be experimental. Again I am most appreciative of your contributions and I hope it is OK if disagree with your vision for this tree and still maintain a civil relationship with you guys.

 

[Poink88]

I hope it is OK if disagree with your vision for this tree and still maintain a civil relationship with you guys.

Of course it is! LOL It is just a suggestion.

Your tree may just need some minor trimming and wiring actually. It really depends on what you like and things can change easily with a few branch "relocation". Good luck!

 

[Vance Wood]

Of course it is! LOL It is just a suggestion.

Your tree may just need some minor trimming and wiring actually. It really depends on what you like and things can change easily with a few branch "relocation". Good luck!

I appreciate that as much as the virtual. For me, it can be difficult to give an honest answer to someone with whom I have had issues in the past, thinking that a particular person may think I just blew off their suggestion because of personal issues and not objective ones. My self, I have no personal issues with you. I think we both understand where each is coming from and I do not wish to change that.

 

[Vance Wood]

This morning we awoke to about 3 inches of snow, welcome to Michigan. The first photo shows the Shimpaku in this thread is under the pile of snow near the wheel on the bar-B. The other photo is of some of the stuff I was just starting to take from storage.

 

[Poink88]

And I was whining about us getting into the 30s that required my tropical trees to go in.

I got lucky moving them in yesterday morning...because there were lots of ice on the ground when I got home yesterday afternoon.

It is sunny here now but expect more of same cold night weather tomorrow...then looks like spring for us from then on.

 

[GrimLore]

It is 66f here right now and will be 26f by morning... geesh

Grimmy

 

[Poink88]

Back to the tree...

I feel that if you experiment and pull the branches down with guy wires (just temporarily), you will "age" the tree tremendously. The healthy foliage cluster (is a good thing but) makes it look juvenile right now.

I know there is a really much nicer tree hiding there...and just with a thin veil at that. Good luck bringing it out!

 

[Vance Wood]

Back to the tree...

I feel that if you experiment and pull the branches down with guy wires (just temporarily), you will "age" the tree tremendously. The healthy foliage cluster (is a good thing but) makes it look juvenile right now.

I know there is a really much nicer tree hiding there...and just with a thin veil at that. Good luck bringing it out!

The plush clusters are just now in the early stages of reduction and thinning, that all will change.

 

[Vance Wood]

Almost there for this year. Some more thinning out and the addition of moss.

another view slightly rotated to the left

 

[Eric Group]

The slight rotation left made a big difference in the image Vance.. Looks a lot better like that in my opinion! (Of course there is only so much you can tell from a picture)

I think applying a fresh coat of lime sulfer to the deadwood would really make it pop and brighten the whole image up. That and a little moss, then finish wiring it out to the tips in the apex and your tree is "done" I'd say! Looks like it has some great age/ character already... Nice root spread... Your branches seem to be set... After just a few finishing touches, this one is going to shine!

Personally, I have a hard time "finishing" trees. Creating them, styling them, reworking them... Is what interests me, so I kind of dont want to finish my trees most of the time. I always feel like if I wire out the apex, remove all the runners and make it look more refined, then it is not going to mature much any more, wont grow and thicken much and I have gone from a work in progress that I get to play with to a tree I am just maintaining... Maybe that is stupid, but I think that keeps me from polishing off a few trees (especially Junipers) that are pretty close to that point.