One,Two or Three any ideas ?

[boom64]

Thanks Akhi another option. Ken, I know what you mean about growing below the horizontal, had one before that held out for a few years but never really progressed. I was talked into giving it another go ,I guess only time will tell. Cheers John

[Watto]

I really like the new look, wild and rugged. As if it is perched on top of a hill and is struggling against all the odds.
Good decision to try a branch below the horizontal, we will never know if we don't give it a go.
PS - wire must be cheap down on the South Coast!!

[boom64]

Hi all ,it is time for an update. The bottom branch has been a little slow ,but was expecting this. Have been trying to balance growth by cutting top branches regularly and letting the bottom go for it ,another couple of years and I should get there . Apex is starting to get a little heavy ,will probably thin out in spring. As usual all feedback gratefully accepted. Cheers John.

[anthonyW]

Okay John, remember you invited me for a say lol, as I always say easy on the other side of the screen, now down to the business, as we know observing Australian bush we see a lot of whacky character in natural 'design'/feature and most the time it actually works sitting in their own theatre (many of)...now yours isolated for all to show and circumstances basically know where to hide.

Meaning at first the lower branch met my eye, yeah maybe, but the eye kept staring at THE branch with its whacky dip, mmm that then put a red flag up for me, as one branch should not be the focal point with a second to none trunk line as good as that I have seen for along time on a native let alone on this site, remember you are its master and only you can dictate, recoil, impact...thanks for posting.

php5Gga8MAM.jpg

[Watto]

I appreciate Anthony's view and vert, but..........
The tree is starting to take its place and is a real standout with that primary branch where it is. The first branch in my opinion is the focal point, a statement piece and should stay. I like the pot and the direction and hope you continue to develop it this way.

[Rory]

That’s a very unique and interesting material you have there John.

That is a credit to your skill at how much you’ve turned around this somewhat silly tree that it started out as.

I’m with Watto, and would like to see it develop more in time.
I’m not a fan of different for the sake of being different, but I’m a fan of different for the fact that the difference is an improvement. And in this case, it enthrawls me to just keep looking at it....
Which is what you want with your trees. As long as it looks like a real tree, it makes you gaze at its obscurities and isn’t contrived, then this is what I strive for.

I find as I get older and more meticulous, I’m even placing emphasis on not cutting branches flush, sometimes breaking them with my hand and allowing some peel, instead of a flush cut so it looks more natural.
Depending on the species I even allow reverse taper to form, bulging, twinntrunks that don’t form at the base, because so often these naturally forming traits are so lovely to see in the Bush.

.... to a certain extent though. For instance with fast growing material it will form fissured bark and some species of trees that I just cut flush, but eucs or Cas cunninghamiana for instance look so beautiful when the bumps of broken branches are left to heal over. But they have to be broken off and not cut to give the natural look better, so that the rolling cambium heals like a bumpy wart and not a smooth crater if that makes sense.

[GavinG]

For me, the funky right branch echoes the low trunk bends very well, and I will send over the assassins if you do ANYTHING to those angles at all! Maybe not, but you get my drift. I'm just wondering if you can get any acute angles on any of the top branches - I think what both Anthony and Watto were getting at is that the top mass doesn't seem to relate to the low right branch. Which of course you will sort out splendidly in the next few years, judging by what you've done so far. It's a fine imaginative tree - please keep posting its progress.

Gavin

[boom64]

Anthony really appreciate your feedback. Always make me think twice about things. .Don't hold back.(I might regret saying that).
Thanks for the feedback Watto ,I am pretty keen on that branch to. On another story I am going to collect two of the bigger Goulburn Plums soon ,have been field growing in the Riverina since collection. Will post them up .
Cheers Rory I am hearing what you say about naturalness .I still like order and taper but not at all costs.
Gavin fantastic information in regards to angles in the apex. I thought it was a little muddled but now I see a new direction to compliment the assassins branch. Big thanks.....Cheers John.

[MJL]

That’s a very unique and interesting material you have there John.

That is a credit to your skill at how much you’ve turned around this somewhat silly tree that it started out as.

I’m with Watto, and would like to see it develop more in time.
I’m not a fan of different for the sake of being different, but I’m a fan of different for the fact that the difference is an improvement. And in this case, it enthrawls me to just keep looking at it....
Which is what you want with your trees. As long as it looks like a real tree, it makes you gaze at its obscurities and isn’t contrived, then this is what I strive for.

Yep + 1 - Rory's comments mimic my thoughts, he's just far more articulate and clear than anything storming around my skull!

I'll add that I reckon you may be able to evolve it to a windswept style over time too... I wanted to get a coastal picture (that's what's in my head) but could only find this in NZ as an example of what I am thinking.

https://www.naturespic.com/NewZealand/i ... p?id=51808

Thanks for sharing the progression. Cheers, Mark

[Pearcy001]

Hi john,

Do you think you could get some more movement into that first section of the lowest branch? I think if you could mimic the truck movement in that section a little more, it would help remove the aperance of a straight section running up the main trunk and through that branch. In saying that it may just be the angle the photo is at as it appears there may be movement front and back already. Looking forward to following this one's progress mate, keep us updated

Cheers,
Pearcy.

Sent from my SM-G950F using Tapatalk

[boom64]

Hi All ,
Another year and a fair bit of change. Unfortunately I was late repotting and paid the price .Several curl grubs had a good time , buggers . Lost about a third of the roots .Cleaned up what was left and remembering Treemans post in regards to pot size and root ball I moved down to a smaller pot. Also took the opportunity to thin out apex and follow a nice line.. Potted at a slightly different angle ,now the assassins branch is more of a cascade. Not really sure if this a good move or not. Tree sulked for a month or two but gradually regained strength and now going well.
All opinions ,suggestions gratefully accepted . Big thanks to all who pointed out the unruliness of the apex last year I think it is a big improvement from last year.
Cheers John.

[anthonyW]

Go John now the top and bottom are dancing to the same beat ,,wow and I like the the pot too...very nice.

cheers Anthony

[MJL]

I may have said this before - not sure. Apart from simply liking this tree and admiring the skill to get it to here ... I like that it is notably one of John's trees. I think it's a bit of a feather in one's cap when you have a body of work that allows people to recognise a certain style that somehow reflects nature but also the artist. I hark back to the Australia Day photos that you posted and I think your trees often reflect that rugged, sparse, slim and intricate branching so often found in native bushland.

[Watto]

I have liked this tree from the get go so I find it difficult to be critical, but ........
In my opinion you have gone from an unruly apex to an unruly first branch. A bit of foliage reduction and direction for the first branch would be an improvement I think, and more in keeping with the "look" of the overall picture.

[Rory]

I actually love it. It reminds me of many trees I've seen out on a golf course, when the lower branching has cracked slightly or broken from furious storms and has continued to grow low and wild across the ground.
Each to their own.