Shohin cascade 4 year prog

october

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This is an itiogawa shimp I have been training for about 4 years. It has be coming along very steadilly over the last 4 years. This year, I noticed that the trunk is noticeably starting to thicken up...

I originally found this at the nursery in a one gallon plastic nursery container. It looked like a stick with some tufts of foliage and one long branch. I thought it had some potential because of the one long branch. Unfortunately I cannot find the pic of it in the container as is. The only pic I found was after it was put in a terra cotta grow pot after it was rounghly styled and had grown out a bit.

Pic 1 after first styling with some growth after being put in a grow pot
Pic 2 is the tree about 2 years later.
The rest of the pics are this season after the work was done and then it was put into a different pot.

The pics make the apex look a bit heavy, However in person, it looks more balanced. Actually, this tree is ramified pretty well for its size. I did include a pic of the cascade ramification, but it looks bettter in person. This tree is far from done and I consider it to be maybe a little more than 1/2 of it's training completed

Any comments or crtiques are always welcome...

Rob
 

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bonsai barry

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It certainly filled out in a fairly short time. It has a lovely shape. If it were mine, I'd consider reducing some of the branches to draw more attention to the trunk line.
 

october

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Hello bonsai barry.. Yes, I was contemplating some of the branch work around the trunk area... Also, one of the reasons that the small branch is hiding part of the trunk it to, somewhat, mask the height of the trunk.. Generally, a cascade, does not have such a high trunk...However, there is no rush and plenty of time to see what happens in the next couple of years...

Thanks for replying...

Rob
 

october

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Actually, I already pulled the entire top down and bent it and curved it to eliminate much height. This is not visible from the front.

I do not have a pic of it, but here is a virt of the side of the top half of the tree... It was curved and pulled down to eliminate the height since there were really no other workable apex options.
 

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jk_lewis

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If this very nice little cascade were mine, I remove the tall, triangular top.
 

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cquinn

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Keep the top. Exageration is good in Shohin. Most Shohin in Japan are put into really bright and colorful pots also, even evergreens. I got that tip from Kathy Shaner. She's right, makes them more visually appealing since they are so small.
 

october

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Hello jkl... A good virt, but, pics, as you know, don't really show the actual trees options sometimes. Although it is a good virt. it would not be possible because of the structure of the tree

Hello cquinn..Yes, shohin, do many times, need exaggerated features to make them interesting and more believable.. Oddly enough, this tree looks much better and more balanced in person. If fact, there have been like 2 instances this season where i have photographed some recent work and when I saw the pics, I saw thigs that looked a bit strange or something I would change. Then when I look at the actualy tree in person, I'm like hmmmmmm ...It actually looks well balanced. I think that a combination of different lighting and the pot not facing exactly the way it should, causes the tree to look different in the pics. Also, since these are still in training, a picture taken from a slightly off angle, would make some difference.

Rob
 

Brian Van Fleet

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Rob,
Another great styling job. You have a great eye for design, balance, and form and I appreciate your work. I'd also be very interested in seeing your work on some more advanced material...you make short work of the younger junipers! Keep it up!
 

october

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Thank you very much Brian... Actually, this has been my dilema for quite a while now... I cannot seem to gain access to any great yamadori and I cannot really afford much of the nice, pre material that I would love to work on.. So, I just get what I can and pick things that I think have great future potential..I usually have to create something from nothing..so to speak...

Rob
 
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