Pink Bougie

[melbrackstone]

I bought this tree on the weekend at the Bonsai Society of Qld sale, and one of the members suggested the pot was wrong for the plant. I didn't get a chance to ask what he suggested, so I thought I'd put it up here.

It does need repotting, but I'm also thinking I'll take off the top and leave the curve...

Can I have some suggestions on pot and style please?

bougie.jpg

[melbrackstone]

Sorry, file size is probably too big. These are smaller

bougiea1.jpg

bougie1.jpg

[Boics]

I think you could afford a glazed pot with such a nice flower display.
Perhaps avoid round as well.

I'm not too sure about the heavy fork - I think one or the other might be the best way forward.

Nice tree!

[melbrackstone]

Cheers Boics, I like the idea of a glazed pot for this, ta.

The heavy fork is two separate branches that have joined together to just below the curve. The part that points upwards has a couple of inappropriately heavy branches, in my opinion, which is why I'm thinking I should stick to the curve. (The curved part also has the best back branches... I'm very tempted...

[Photo Lindsay]

i was in a similar situation yesterday looking for a pot for my twin trunk variegated bougie. (my better half says the trees i have in the black nursery pots arent allowed to come home unless they are in a bonsai pot )

yes i agree, perhaps the trunk on your bougie doesn't suit a round put due to being quite strong/masculine

but i just purchased a nice round pot similar to yours and at first i was a bit worried but i'm quite happy (ill try and post a photo tomorrow).

i had originally wanted an oval cream glazed pot and found one but was too small


As for styling though, you could look tilting the angle slightly and attempting an informal upright.... depending if you would like a tall bougie or something quite compact.

bougie option one.jpg

bougie option two - compact.jpg

if you were to continue with the curve you could go the path of a verrrrrry interesting windswept

hope this all helps


- Lindz

[GavinG]

I know you're "supposed" to have flowers in a glazed pot, but I think the subdued colour of the pot and the gentle flower colour actually complement each other very well. A pot that's assertively colourful might not do the tree any favours.

I like the tree with the top off - you're right about wanting one of those big branch/trunk things gone. The top does not make a particularly interesting continuation for the trunk, for me, where the flying-off-to-the-right option works better. An oval pot would work better, maybe, than the round, I wouldn't go to anything with corners - the trunk is so smoothly curved.

Lovely tree, please post what you do with it.

Gavin

[Jdceng]

Hi

This nothing to do with a pot but I watched a video on Bonsai Mirai Live this morning by Juan Andrade he has been growing and styling them for years.

Some great tips on growing and training them.

https://live.bonsaimirai.com/archive/vi ... al-styling

[melbrackstone]

Thanks Lindz, interesting thoughts there! I am still learning, and for some reason didn't see this tree as masculine, and I'm not sure why. I think I'm still wanting to go with the curved trunk rather than set it as an informal upright, but thanks for the vert! Impressive work!

Cheers GavinG, I must admit I was thinking grey would work, rather than a flashy glaze... and my fall back seems to be oval pots these days... Certainly the more I look at it the more I like the trunk on the right, makes for a much more dynamic tree, imho. I think I can rebuild an apex more in tune with the curve too... Thanks!

Here are the right, back and left views as well, it does have a lot of branches, luckily, most of them on the curved trunk.

I'll definitely update with the changes, ta.

bougie1right.jpg

bougie1back.jpg

bougie1left.jpg

[melbrackstone]

Thanks for the link Jdceng, will go check out the vid now!

oops, not a subscriber... oh well

[anthonyW]

Hi Mel

Fantastic potential you have there.

All the guys comments are positive for you.

I like the curve very much on your tree,if you must remove I believe the top part (straight) would go if my tree,but i enjoy looking at it in 2D with both parts also.

Here is what i see with both parts in a roughy and for the pot something lower in profile and maybe oblong ...cheers

phpX1bi1WPM.jpg

[Photo Lindsay]

I know you're "supposed" to have flowers in a glazed pot, but I think the subdued colour of the pot and the gentle flower colour actually complement each other very well.

Gavin

agreed, that's why i think a nice pale creme glaze could work.

and for some reason didn't see this tree as masculine, and I'm not sure why.]

it could just be me and i could be wrong! but there is a lot of potential for this tree no matter which way you decide to go.

i like the virt about and i believe its something you could think about before going ahead with the chop....

i just had a bit of time on my hands to attempt a wind swept so i hope that helps with some ideas

bougie option three - windswept.jpg

bougie option three - windswept branches.jpg

- Lindz

[melbrackstone]

Thanks for your sketch, Anthony, I suspect that the original owner might have been aiming for something like this, but the tree had gotten too big and heavy for her to handle. I have to say I agree that it's too big and heavy for me too, so I'm definitely thinking doing the top chop will give me a slightly easier to work with tree, as well as a chance for something a little different to the norm. (I also need to pick her brain on her fertilising regime, since my other bougies all have way too much leaf, and not enough flower!)

Thanks again Lindz, I do like your virt for the windswept look. There are quite a few new shoots along the left side that could be utilised in the future, so that's a good thing.

I'm certainly very excited to be working with material like this, since most of my plants are still relatively young!

Thanks so much for the input everyone!

[Jdceng]

Hi

For the $18 dollars the lesson goes for 2 hours and you will come away with a whole lot of knowledge on bougy's in training and growing also how to style to get the best out of them.

I would be going for a style to show off their best quality in displaying the masses of colored bracts as in going with what you have now.

You can also do the one off payment and watch other videos for the month payment duration.

For increased flowers I use Sudden Impact for Roses a Neutrog product.

[melbrackstone]

Cheers JC, it's not the cash, it's the time needed to watch videos! I agree that mirai is a fabulous resource, and I'll definitely consider it!

Thanks also for the product suggestions, I clearly hit my other bougies with too much nitrogen, so I'll switch to Sudden Impact I think!

[Raging Bull]

Hi Mel,
Great plant you've bought, if I had been there earlier I think we would have had a bidding contest!
I would suggest a pale blue glazed pot would really set off the pink nicely. Oval shape perhaps and lean the tree over in windswept fashion. But that's only the opinion of a newbie.