Well... The bug bit me again today while out shopping today at a local hardware/gardening store for a few things for the house. This Japanese Boxwood nursery plant is going to become my next project today. For $5.99, the hours of work I put into it and enjoyment of the finished product are priceless, in my opinion. Oddly enough, many of the boxwoods of this size today looked like great 'potensai' - or, 'prebonsai' as it's termed by some. This little tree has a nice trunk already developed and looks nicely aged with rough bark deep into the top branches. Boxwood species are much like Holly; they can get 'sticky' after the branches mature past the fresh 'green' stage. They can be more difficult to Jin as the branches thicken. This tree has good motion hidden underneath these leaves!
A few hours of pruning, deleafing, bending and wiring (even got a guy wire in on this one) I can see the vision that the Boxwood was giving me the vibes of; The beginnings of a stately informal style tree. I'm no stickler for 'forms' or 'styles', but when one suits decidedly what I'm aiming for - I properly label it. An 'Informal' style tree means that for the most, the main trunk aims upward, but not 'straight' that it has some degree of bend or 'taper' in the main trunk(s).
Here is what will become the 'back' of the tree. Well honestly - I'm not sure yet which is front or back, there are strengths to both views (which means it'll look good from any angle, good radial of the branches as long as they all live through their Jinning!) Good exercise in wiring for me, I need to go back and re-wire and add wire to some existing trees to give them more direction - this tree certainly has shown me how much direction you can truly give with wire. The end goal in this Informal style, is for a very heavily rammified Crown to the tree. This will cause the leaves to grow smaller, and will also create thick, healthy growth that will thicken the crown of this Japanese Boxwood nicely.
I really dig your blog! I have always been interested in Bonsai. Thing is, I live in freakin' Arizona and the climate sucks here for Bonsai. When I eventually have a residence in Ecuador it will be perfect for cultivating Bonsai. If you want to exchange links let me know. Cheers!
ReplyDeleteVery nice. I wish I had the patience to take care of these delicate beings.
ReplyDeleteThomas that seems like a hop from one extreme to another, dry to jungle hot! Ecuador will be great for tropical bonsai, you'll have alot of success there for sure!
ReplyDeleteKelly I sometimes catch myself falling into the old 'beginner' regiment of being impatient with the bonsai - I try to listen to what I 'hear' and see in each tree as to where to take it in styling; It takes effort at times to not want to 'do it all at once' to a tree. Most species can't take that stress - it's unfair to the tree to ask so much of it, especially older ones! Patience indeed, or, alot of material to rotate your attentions through. That's part of my bonsai passion right now.. :)