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New larch 8 years 11 months ago #15229

  • Auk
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Getting a bit depressed by the amount of mallsai-murderers recently, so I'd thouht I'd post something myself.

Last weekend we went to Ruud Lagas Bonsai - a yearly trip organized by my bonsai club.
Ruud only sells pre-bonsai. A lot of 'm are Yamadori he collects himself.
It was raining quite hard in the morning, not too pleasant as all trees are outside, but fortunately it got better later on.
I had trouble picking a tree. I found them not interesting, too hard for my level, or above my (low) budget.

When we left I told Ruud I did not succeed - and he took me straight to below tree. I could not resist (also because i did not want to leave without a tree :) )

It's a Larch, Yamadori. Not exactly cheap, but well... yeah.
I already have an idea in mind how I 'm going to train it. I wonder if others have the same 'vision'.

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New larch 8 years 11 months ago #15236

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I already have an idea in mind how I 'm going to train it. I wonder if others have the same 'vision'.

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Hi there Auk,

Well, I really don´t know if my vision matches yours but I´ll tell you anyway ;)

This is a nice tree, which trunk is slender, with a nice seemingly old bark and a pronounced curve to the right that provides it with a sense of movement. It presents a nice stump right in the curve that can be easily turn into a good jin. Given these features I´d opt to transform it into a literati style. I see a thin top jin and a single, small and compact foliage pad underneath it. I´d remove the majority of the low branches and only leave a few short ones in the top, those who could serve my purpose. Also, this species being one of the few deciduous conifers that there is, it would look magnificent in winter, once the proper ramification has developed. Oh, and finally, perhaps, if it is not to baroque I´d try to go for a shari all along the trunk and up to the upper jin.

Well Auk, you know I started this journey just a year and a half ago, but that is how I foresee this tree... I really hope it could match your personal vision, but if not, I hope that at least it might give you something to think about :cheer:

Alain

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New larch 8 years 11 months ago #15238

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It presents a nice stump right in the curve that can be easily turn into a good jin


That is certainly part of the plan.

Given these features I´d opt to transform it into a literati style.


It is a good possibility. I prefer literati with longer, more slender trunks though. Literati is not what I had in mind.

I´d try to go for a shari all along the trunk and up to the upper jin.


Shari will be part of the plan - but I'll be careful with that :)
There are some stumps along the trunk that I can use for small shari to start with.

I really hope it could match your personal vision, but if not, I hope that at least it might give you something to think about


It's a good plan and worth thinking about - so I 'll certainly consider it.
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Last edit: Post by Auk.

New larch 8 years 11 months ago #15241

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First thing that came into my mind after looking at this tree is that it could be transformed into fukinagashi or windswept style as it's called in this same web. But if done so then not sure if jin to right side would fit in since it would be like pointing towards the wind blowing side and could not fit into big picture of tree.
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New larch 8 years 11 months ago #15242

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First thing that came into my mind after looking at this tree is that it could be transformed into fukinagashi or windswept style as it's called in this same web. But if done so then not sure if jin to right side would fit in since it would be like pointing towards the wind blowing side and could not fit into big picture of tree.


Jin to the right side would actually fit - the side pointing towards the wind would be the side that catches most wind, where branches break off, and that gets the most damage.

Windswept would be suitable, but this to is not what I had in mind.

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New larch 8 years 11 months ago #15244

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Still a nive find :D

My first 2 gut-options

Less=more, but a wast of good bark:
Remove the big top, create a largish yin. Build a tiny tree out of the branch on the right.

Using most of the tree:
Compress the tree by bending the big bend even further, up to the point that the two segments are parallel. Then bring the top back up to create a canopy.
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New larch 8 years 11 months ago #15246

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Still a nive find :D
Less=more, but a wast of good bark:
Remove the big top, create a largish yin. Build a tiny tree out of the branch on the right.


That would be a waste, but I want to keep that branch on the right as a 'backup' plan, to do exactly that, in case my first plan doesn't work out, which is:

Using most of the tree:
Compress the tree by bending the big bend even further, up to the point that the two segments are parallel. Then bring the top back up to create a canopy.


It would be sort of a semi-cascade style, in a more extreme form. Difficult... I'm not going to do it completely on my own this time. Every time our club has a meeting, we invite a known bonsaika. I'll take it with me next time to get advise and maybe even help bending it.

Interesting, good ideas from everyone, but it is LB who has the same vision as I have.

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Last edit: Post by Auk.

New larch 8 years 11 months ago #15252

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Interesting, good ideas from everyone, but it is LB who has the same vision as I have.


Ha... Go figure. In Spanish there is an old saying that goes: "El que sabe, sabe", which translation approximately is: "He who knows, knows"

Well done, LB ;)

Alain

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New larch 8 years 11 months ago #15254

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Interesting, good ideas from everyone, but it is LB who has the same vision as I have.


Hm.. You did not have a clue what to do with it and have the forum give you suggestions and you liked mine best? :evil: :P

I have a pine with which I wanted to do something similar. Except.. The pine will not survive this winter. :(

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New larch 8 years 11 months ago #15255

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Hm.. You did not have a clue what to do with it and have the forum give you suggestions and you liked mine best? :evil: :P


Yeah, I went to Lagas, spent all morning picking up pots, inspecting the roots, trunks and branches, looked at junipers, pines, larches, cherries and more, went all over the garden from the discounted less expensive trees to the yamadori, put aside two or three trees that looked promising, went back and started over, decided not to buy the trees I selected, and finally left with a tree I had no idea what to do with...

Of course an other option could be that bonsaiists with a more trained eye see more possibilities. I prefer that option, it's better for my self-esteem :)

This will be a practice in patience. My trees are doing well, last time I killed a tree (a small white pine) was because I was too impatient. This larch project will - I expect - take a few years.

BTW: Tilt it 120 degrees to the left, and there's a cascade in it too.
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Last edit: Post by Auk.
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