AusBonsai

I am quite excited by this purchase. I have been eyeing it for many a month at Bonsai Art. I live reasonably close by and often drop by and see Trevor and his lovely mum, Shirley. Anyway, I digress.

More recently I have been buying more mature stock to work with and here I have a Shimpaku Juniper.

I have many options (hence the title) and as yet, I am undecided. Of course, your thoughts are welcome.

Here's a couple of photos of the plant. ...and this photo starts to uncover the options, the curves In my mind's eye - I immediately see a cascade or semi-cascade. The photo seems to indicate a windswept possibility too. Also, much of the left top will come off at this angle... (Ignore the pot - purely in place just to hold the stock at an angle.) ..and this semi-cascade style, works for the nebari that I can see at the surface, albeit I am yet to dig deeper. But... I could also place more upright... I am a fan of literati and this is definitely a possibility here. Of course, I could cut much of the top off and left side lower branch .... Make the whole plant much tighter/shorter too.

Oh, the places we could go. I'll keep thinking.

Of course the thoughts and expertise of this forum is welcome.

I really like the idea of the semi cascade. Nice sinuous branch shape there already for you. Also, semi cascades are a not very common, so would be nice to end up with something distinguished, rather than just another play on the same theme.

Re your comment in nebari, nebari is generally considered less important on Junipers. In part because they don’t do the ‘big massive trunk base’ like some other species. In part because the focus with Junipers is more often the sinuous branch shape and/or foliage pads/clouds.


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Cheers Nate.b - much appreciated; while I am open to ideas - a semi cascade has been my vision since seeing the stock - it’s an ugly duckling now but could be quite beautiful I think.

Thanks for the further info about nebari too - good to know. If I do go with a semi-cascade - I see these roots as fingers struggling to hold on as the tree extends out from a cliff...

... yeah, a reasonably vivid imagination. [SMIRKING FACE]


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My two cents worth... semi cascade is they way I would go


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I had an excellent afternoon yesterday at the monthly workshop at the Yarra Valley Bonsai Society. A friendly bunch of folk willing to pass on knowledge and help out relative novices like me.

Somewhat inspired by a presentation on cascade and semi-cascade styles at a recent Tuesday evening meeting, I took my Shimpaku to work on. I was lucky to have a number of senior members on hand at the workshop, including Howard, the the inimitable sage who had conducted the aforementioned cascade presentation a few week's back.

Anyway... here's is what could be called a first styling.
Prior to getting to the workshop, I had already decided to have a rather aggressive crack at bending the the top of this tree. I was not fussed - I thought if I lost it - it could be an effective Jin anyway. Indeed, I was nearly going to cut it off anyway .... from the looks of some of the folk yesterday, I think they were glad I had not taken to cutting it off immediately! So, a start. I like where it's going. Lot's yet to do but I'll let it rest until I repot in spring.

I am enjoying working on this specimen and I am pleased to be running with my initial vision of a semi-case. What I enjoyed yesterday was being able to work on my tree but with the knowledge that I could ask a question or gain some guidance when needed.(Thanks Howard! ) I think this is one of the good things about being a member of a club and indeed, a member of an online forum like this too. Learn while doing.

Cheers

Mark

PS - In hindsight, perhaps this thread should be in the 'progression' category because it is ongoing but it is here now, so I hope that is OK with everyone.

I am not rushing this one - I played around with this again today with a friend from the club.

I am 100% committed to the semi-cascade so we thinned out branches and was helped with some wiring.

Again - I don’t think the photos do it justice and I think it will look better when in a proper pot - probably one of those crescent moon type pots so that I can highlight the roots that are ‘holding’ the cascade. Here’s a few angles ...

This is the main focus of the end of the cascade and you might be able to see that a top has now been created and I am trying to tier down it down ... A wider angle At this stage I am keeping that right hand branch - perhaps another ‘top’ but it is challenge to make them coherent at present but... I’m not ready to take it off ... yet. Once it’s gone ... it’s gone! And another angle .... Challenging ... but I like where it’s heading ...



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Hey Mark I like the cascading piece in deed, but can see the other piece giving more edge if kept in my 2 cents worth by basically going with the keeper parts movement, had a draw with it sitting up high when merging, but took some top off your second piece to make it flow by sitting it down abit,,,,,, as your keeper is exposed on the bare part from the trunk and with some nice curve but not overly tapered like all our juni because there not 100 yrs old yet lol, so by keeping the second piece you can bring some foliage over it and there disguising it a little here and there...you are putting a nice curve in the second piece atthe moment that will help immensely.

Anyway only ideas mate, maybe something for you...well done it is coming along nicely cheers Anthony

Yes! Yes! AnthonyW ... bl@@dy genius! I was really struggling with that ... now... I am now sure yet how I’ll get it down but pull it down I will. Patience Mark... in due course! Cheers AW[CLINKING BEER MUGS]


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Yep, that last vert from anthonyW ... do that, or at least aim for it!
Gotta get that foliage on top down and flowing into the cascade...

Nice virt.
Looking forward to seeing you progress this one.

Thanks AW, R3 and Boics - I agree but I have to be careful that I don’t let my ambition get ahead of my very limited skill. Or rather, simply acknowledge that the vision is ahead of my current ability and therefore I’ll progress with care.

These beautiful Koreshoff drawings are my inspiration - see the peaks are off the top (and I clearly don’t have such a rugged trunk; that said, I live the sweeping curves of my semi-cascade it is reflected in the nebari - I love that connecting - look close, hopefully you can see that connection to the roots ) nonetheless.... if I did not have that top branch- these designs would come into play. It can still be a fallback scenario if I stuff it up. Also that top beach is complex - here the juncture with the main cascade - essentially heading straight up. And this too. Below you can see I am holding a split via a zip-tie. Perhaps I’ll put a tiny screw in future ... point being ... that top branch is complex for this novice. I may take it to a workshop in future.

In the meantime - I’ll rest, breath, and have patience.


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Com'on lets stop the excuses, grab some bike tube and two to three strands of 6mm wire and lets go, its not that hard...bend rest...bend rest...bend rest, then attach guy wires, revisit in a week or some and repeat, you must try Mark, the tree cannot stay like that, good night sleep then attack... I have faith in you, no excuses please, trust your self

If I can bend this stuff you can definitely lean that fella over, go get'em brother

Would a wedge cut technique aid here?

Keep Calm and Ramify wrote:Would a wedge cut technique aid here?

Wow! KC&R that’s just spooky! I have my two favourite books open .... and look where Koreshoff is ... And also Kawasumi... but splitting Excellent books both...
I won’t leave it as is but I won’t rush either .... thanks for all the thoughts, appreciated. [THUMBS UP SIGN]


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No worries mark
Bill Valavanis uses this technique - however he differs to the Koreshoff illustration, in that he makes the cut at the top side of the branch, leaving the underside in tack with the trunk.

Here's a couple of links to help explain further.

http://ibonsaiclub.forumotion.com/t7706 ... -valavanis
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yGOqHLpk_Ok