The secret to growing bonsai. A thread inspired by Bolero.

[defra]

One of my favorite trees is this one
Hawthorn raft from tony tickle



And i guess my best tree i got on the bench is this larch

 

[leatherback]

Hawthorn raft from tony tickle

If I remember he sold the raft llast feb at noelanders. Not sure which he had there anymore. He sold one of his 3 impressive hawthorns.
Have you seen it in real life?

 

[defra]

Yes ive seen it at noelanders this februari its realy impressive!
I heard it was for sale by a guy who goes
By the name @leatherback

 

[milehigh_7]

This is a tree which I have considered an inspiration since I started bonsai. And now, a few hundred trees later, I still like the simplicity, yet mature image expressed:

Prunus tomentosa?

 

[sorce]

i guess

Wrong! The squamata!

Sorce

 

[leatherback]

Prunus tomentosa

if you say so . No clue. Just like the image. Would be nice to be able to create something in this style.

 

[leatherback]

And i guess my best tree i got on the bench is this larch

Really? Hm.

 

[defra]

Really? Hm.

Well at least i think it is maybe because it is the best result i came to with a first styling of a tree

I do have some trees wich could be developed into something nice but as they grow so must i and its up to me to make the right decisions and aply the needed techniques properly!

I feel a slight disagreement or disapointment in your comment maybe

 

[thomas22]

Really? Hm.

If I'm not mistaken defra has been doing bonsai for like 2 years. Give him a break. I think he is way ahead of most people with only a couple of years into the hobby.

 

[leatherback]

If I'm not mistaken defra has been doing bonsai for like 2 years. Give him a break. I think he is way ahead of most people with only a couple of years into the hobby.

Interesting how this simple remark straight away leads to negativity.

What I meant is that I think you are selling yourself short. I have seen better trees from you. Your needle Juniperus ?squamata? comes to mind.

 

[defra]

If I'm not mistaken defra has been doing bonsai for like 2 years. Give him a break. I think he is way ahead of most people with only a couple of years into the hobby.

I know by any means that leatherback is not being negative in any way About my trees he actualy is always helping me out!

he aware what trees are in my care and even gave me one for free !
As he says he thinks other trees bight better like the squamata sorce also mentioned to prefer !

Like i said i like the larch probably more over other trees cus its the best result i came to after i styled it, it doesnt mean other trees dont have potentional to be better then that tough

I agree the squamata is nice too but its a tree wich i find realy hard to decide on how to proceed with.

@thomas22 thnx for stepping up for me tough and also thnx for saying im on the right track always nice to hear!

 

[leatherback]

I agree the squamata is nice too but its a tree wich i find realy hard to decide on how to proceed with.

Lets find a day for you to come on over. I have a few trees to wire too. We'll clear the fridge of beer, wire trees and discuss options? Not an expert myself, but two know more than one?

 

[leatherback]

Back to the topic at hand? Showing off excellent trees of others, and our own best sticks in pots?

A tree I saw in Japan this spring, this maple is excessive. This tree is esactly what I love about bonsai, and what I hope to one day be able to grow. Although I supppose time on earth is too short for normal people to grow this from scratch. It is so life-like that you might forget you are looking at the inner caopy of a large (3 feet tall?) bonsai:


My best tree, at least on the pictures I have now, is probably my squamata. Which funnily enough, is also the very first real run at bonsai for me, aquired when I started almost 6 years ago:


As a bonus.. This little forest I saw in a club show in the Netherlands last year, I really liked the lifelike image conveyed:

 

[defra]

Lets find a day for you to come on over. I have a few trees to wire too. We'll clear the fridge of beer, wire trees and discuss options? Not an expert myself, but two know more than one?

Sounds like fun!
I gotta check the callender with availible dates and let you know

Nice also a first squamata
Lovely deadwood

Lovely pic of the maple too !

 

[sorce]

squamata

That's beautiful!

Sorce

 

[leatherback]

That's beautiful!

Thanks!
I feel it has come a long way. It is my bonsai skills development tree I suppose. This was feb 2012, just after getting it to my place from a guy who quit doing bonsai (Which was the right decision.. ):

 

[sorce]

The puffs of short nose exhales...
Curled up half smile...
Oddly raised, and not, eyebrows...
Head nods of agreement....

Mostly speechless until the voice inside says...

Naaaaaaaaa!
You Fucking killed it Bro!

Awesome transformation!

Thanks for sharing that old pic!

Sorce

 

[shinmai]

Wow. I stumbled onto this epic discourse because I just acquired a daphne, and was searching for info. After reading through from the start, I've certainly consumed my recommended daily allowance of bombast.
A friend of mine was the treasurer of the board of the Milwaukee Art Museum for many years. We were discussing what I thought to be a rather horrific example of Julian Schnabel's plate paintings, and my friend said, "My standard is, if I could do it, it's not art." This spring, my wife [a trained painter] and I were at the National Gallery, and saw three of Rothko's monochromes. I reminded her of my friend's standard, and said, "I could do that". Her response..."Yeah, but you didn't, did you?"

 

[Vance Wood]

Wow. I stumbled onto this epic discourse because I just acquired a daphne, and was searching for info. After reading through from the start, I've certainly consumed my recommended daily allowance of bombast.
A friend of mine was the treasurer of the board of the Milwaukee Art Museum for many years. We were discussing what I thought to be a rather horrific example of Julian Schnabel's plate paintings, and my friend said, "My standard is, if I could do it, it's not art." This spring, my wife [a trained painter] and I were at the National Gallery, and saw three of Rothko's monochromes. I reminded her of my friend's standard, and said, "I could do that". Her response..."Yeah, but you didn't, did you?"

That's the great difference: Imagination, you have to imagine art if you do art even if it is the most simple thing you can----IMAGINE. At out last club a friend of mine and myself were discussing what was the most significant thing lacking in American bonsai as practiced at the club level; we decided it was imagination, the lack of ability to see the possibilities and appreciate the simple ones.

 

[Anthony]

Imagination is the mind reshuffling things already seen or experienced.

To imagine one must first - "see"
Anthony